Michigan Pumpkin Carvers, WD-40 Extends Carved Jack-o’-lantern Life Before Halloween

Do you know about the WD-40 pumpkin carving hack?  Apparently, everyone else in my neighborhood already knows about it.

As a person who has lived most of his life in Michigan, I can honestly say that nothing says Halloween in Michigan like spending an hour carving a pumpkin, proudly displaying it on the porch, and watching it collapse like the U.S. economy.

Those black spots and sagging smiles can show up well before the trick-or-treaters. That’s where an unexpected pumpkin-preserving trick comes in: WD-40.

Yes, the same stuff you reach for when a door hinge starts providing its own haunted-house soundtrack.

WD-40 actually includes the trick on its website, suggesting a light coating of its Multi-Use Product after carving to help preserve your masterpiece. Apparently, that familiar can in the garage has Halloween aspirations.

Before you give your jack-o’-lantern the squeaky-hinge treatment, though, there’s an important catch.

WD-40 is flammable. I know a thing or two about fire.  I accidentally set my neighbor's yard on fire, and it made National news. Tap here for that crazy story.  Anyway, keep the WD-40-soaked pumpkin away from heat and open flames. That means a treated pumpkin and a real candle are a combination to avoid. Stick with a battery-operated light. We’re going for “spooky front porch,” not “visit from the fire department.”

You also need to consider the neighborhood animals. If your pumpkin’s retirement plan involves becoming a snack for wildlife, skip the WD-40. The coating could harm animals that eat it.

Read More: Adorable Southwest Michigan Pets in Costumes

Prefer to keep things simple? Start with a firm, healthy pumpkin and keep it somewhere cool. University of Illinois Extension recommends choosing pumpkins without soft spots and storing them in a cool location to help them last longer.

A little planning can give your Halloween display a better shot at making it to the big night. Because your jack-o’-lantern should look scary because you carved it that way—not because it’s slowly turning into soup.