Wet & Forget Jack O’ Lantern Preservation Challenge Roundup
You carve your best pumpkin every Halloween and then, before you know it, your masterpiece turns to moldy mush. We wanted to see if jack o’ lantern preservation with Wet & Forget would be possible.
Wait until you see the results of our Great Pumpkin Challenge!
The Goal: Long-Lasting Jack O’ Lanterns
Our participants in the Great Pumpkin Challenge all carved their pumpkins the first week of October. The goal was to be able to enjoy their jack o’lanterns all through October and during Halloween, mildew-free. All of the participants treated their jack o’lanterns with Wet & Forget Outdoor, and then sprayed them every 2 to 3 days with Wet & Forget Indoor. Let’s check out their results!
“Jack,” the 160-lb. Pumpkin-Turned-Jack O’ Lantern
“I was very much impressed. I never did see any mold during the whole process” -Adele Z. from Asheville, NC
This big, green, bespectacled pumpkin is “Jack,” a 160-lb. Atlantic Giant pumpkin carved by Adele Z. Jack lasted all the way through Halloween with Wet & Forget, much to the enjoyment of Adele and her neighbors.
“He made it! 26 days from carving to Halloween, the kids love him!” Adele said.
Adele had tried bleach in the past to keep her jack o’ lanterns fresh, but it just didn’t do the trick. Fruit flies would invade within about 3 days, and mold and mildew would soon follow. Adele was amazed at the difference when she tried Wet & Forget:
“I have used bleach before, but it just doesn’t do it. It just doesn’t seem to have the staying power that this Wet & Forget does. I know that bleach doesn’t keep the fruit flies away. With Wet & Forget, I didn’t see a fruit fly for 2 weeks. I was just amazed at that. It certainly gave that pumpkin a very very long life.”
And mold? Forget about it. “I was very much impressed. I never did see any mold during the whole process,” Adele said.
Adele’s giant jack o’ lanterns are usually a lot of work for just a short time of enjoyment. “That’s the problem with carving these things is that they’re going to start to rot and get nasty after about 4 days.”
Jack survived all month mold and mildew free and looked spiffy for Halloween. “I think I finally pulled that pumpkin off my porch the 2nd of November,” Adele said. He holds the record for Adele’s longest-surviving jack o’ lantern, and Adele plans to use Wet & Forget on her jack o’ lantern again next year. She also plans to use Wet & Forget Outdoor to wipe out the black algae on her roof and concrete.
Tooth Pumpkin Carved by Jim B.
Jim B’s 1-tooth jack o’ lantern lasted a solid 3 weeks. We talked with Jim during the 4th week of the Wet & Forget Challenge, and Ole 1-Tooth was still mold and mildew-free!
Diamond-Eyed Pumpkin Carved by Melissa H.
“#Week4 of my Wet & Forget Pumpkin Preservation Challenge! My pumpkin is still hanging in there! No mold or mildew! He just looks a little scarier! I think he will make it until Halloween!” -Melissa H.
Traditional Jack O’ Lantern Carved by Susan O.
“Week 3 and the pumpkin is still pretty white. It has been outside for 3 weeks with major temperature fluctuations. Sometimes the temperature was in the 70’s and others it was in the 20’s and covered with snow and ice.” -Susan O.
Tooth Pumpkin Carved by Terri B.
“Still mold and mildew free and design is still holding up.” – Terri B. from Old Hickory, TN
I give Wet & Forget 2 thumbs up and 5 stars! -Terri B.
Terri B. in Old Hickory, Tennessee, had struggled with short-lived jack o’ lanterns and a toddler who didn’t understand time limits or mold and mildew. As soon as Terri would carve her pumpkin, the destruction would begin.
“It turned white, and then it went slimy. Within a week. It didn’t last long at all. We kept carving our pumpkin later and later so it would last. Our 3-year-old was anxious to carve, so last year bought 2, one for early, and one for later. He doesn’t understand that if you carve it early, it was going to rot.”
That created a lot of extra work for Terri, but the Wet & Forget method solved her problem! “This time we carved it a month early, and it ended up being great. We are very happy with the results.”
Terri had tried bleach in the past as a way to preserve her jack o ‘lanterns, but found it ineffective. Now she plans to stick with Wet & Forget when it comes to jack o’ lantern preservation! Better yet, Terri used the leftover Wet & Forget Outdoor to solve the algae problem on her front steps, and now they look like new!
Stenciled “Boo” Design Carved by Terri B.
“Starting Week 4, my design didn’t hold up but the pumpkin still has no mold or mildew” -Terri B.
We hope these jack o’ lantern preservation tips allow your pumpkin to last until Halloween! Stop by our website to learn more about our easy solutions to everyday problems, so you can spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying life!
