If you love to adorn your home with pumpkins as soon as early as possible then you need to know this smart hack going viral on TikTok, using vinegar to make your pumpkin last until Halloween.
For the Ideal Home team, one of the best parts of the spooky season is pumpkin carving. We’re already looking at pumpkin decorating ideas to get us in the spirit and we’ve spotted many tiktokers using vinegar as a way to keep a pumpkin looking good for longer — after all, who wouldn’t want to enjoy their hard work for as long as possible.
What is the vinegar pumpkin hack?
It’s pretty simple, all you have to do is give your pumpkin a bath in vinegar.
‘It is best to use vinegar on a pumpkin as soon as possible after carving it while it is still fresh, as this will help to slow down the oxidation process from the beginning,’ says Graham Smith MCIHort, a gardening expert from LBS Horticulture.
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♬ BREATHE — Jérôme Cosniam
‘Once you have carved pumpkins, submerge them into a bath, bucket or large container of 10 parts water to one part white vinegar.
‘Weigh the pumpkins down with something heavy, and leave them to soak for roughly twenty to thirty minutes before allowing them to air dry somewhere out of direct sunlight.
After this, spray the inside of the pumpkin daily with the vinegar and water mixture to help maintain its appearance and prevent it from collapsing.’
(Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes)
Why vinegar?
It’s best to use white or apple cider vinegar to disinfect the pumpkins. What’s more, this simple hack can preserve pumpkins for up to three months — although you may be a little over Halloween decorating ideas come December!
‘Using vinegar to preserve a pumpkin is an eco-friendly way to help them last longer around Halloween, especially if you are displaying the pumpkins outside,’ says Graham.
‘The vinegar will help to prevent the growth of mould and bacteria, as well as deter pests without harming other wildlife, pets or children.
‘Vinegar is a natural preservative due to the acetic acid it contains, which is known for having antifungal and antibacterial qualities. The acidic environment that the vinegar creates will slow decomposition and make it inhospitable for mould growth.’
(Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes)
According to Graham, pumpkins are not just confined to vinegar baths. He states soaking a cloth or sponge in the vinegar and water mixture and wiping down your pumpkins daily is also an effective way to keep mould and decay at bay.
It’s also important to keep your pumpkins out of direct sunlight and away from extreme temperatures.
With this easy hack, your pumpkins will be the star of the street this Halloween season.
