# Keeping a carved pumkin from rotting quickly

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-a-carved-pumkin-from-rotting-quickly/327030>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 20, 2005, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-a-carved-pumkin-from-rotting-quickly/327030 "2005-10-20T03:54:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-a-carved-pumkin-from-rotting-quickly/327030/1 "2005-10-20T03:54:49Z")

</div>

Is there a trick to keep a jack-o-lantern from rotting so quickly? I know they won’t last forever, but I don’t think this lasted more than a week, and it’s been pretty cool outside lately. I just didn’t expect the withering and mold so soon.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-a-carved-pumkin-from-rotting-quickly/327030/2 "2005-10-20T04:17:40Z")

</div>

Coat it in a clear protectant like clear nail polish or a clear sealant? I’m thinking something like polyurethane here, but I don’t know if it comes in a handy paint can variety.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-a-carved-pumkin-from-rotting-quickly/327030/3 "2005-10-20T06:12:04Z")

</div>

Scrape away as much of the “meat” as you can from the sides. The more of (or the thicker) the “flesh,” the faster it will rot.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-a-carved-pumkin-from-rotting-quickly/327030/4 "2005-10-20T07:23:26Z")

</div>

I wonder if spraying the inside with something like Lysol would help?

I’ve two pumpkins that are going to be carved in the next day or two. I’ll hose one down with Lysol and see if that stops mold growth.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-a-carved-pumkin-from-rotting-quickly/327030/5 "2005-10-20T13:00:19Z")

</div>

The answers you seek are [here:](http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/ah_entertaining_occasions/article/0,,HGTV_3115_1382049,00.html)

> [@HGTV](#):
>
> After carving, coat the cut edges with petroleum jelly. This will slow the pumpkin’s dehydration process and keep the jack-o’-lantern smiling longer.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-a-carved-pumkin-from-rotting-quickly/327030/6 "2005-10-20T19:18:34Z")

</div>

I would think if you used a small blow torch on teh exposed flesh to sear it, that would slow down the rotting.