Mum shares genius '5 minute' pumpkin carving hack 🎃

Genius!

Author: Alex RossPublished 9th Oct 2023

With Halloween 2023 fast approaching on Tuesday 31st October, it's time to start getting creative with your pumpkin carving skills, whether it's with the kids or just for your own decorations!

We all know how messy and frustrating it can get when you have to stick your hands into the pumpkin to scoop out all the seeds and strands, but a mum from Falkirk has shared her simple but genius hack ahead of the spooky day.

Sharing the '5 minute' hack with her Facebook friends a few years back, Nina Rutherford wrote, 'I feel I need to pass on this Halloween pumpkin hack: once you have cut the top off get a hand mixer (with one or 2 whisks on it as both work) and use this to detach all the insides of the pumpkin...take the whisks right to the edge of the pumpkin so it scrapes the bits off then just scoop out the insides that are now all mush (it has just taken me 5 minutes to do the inside of a pumpkin 🎃'. (sic)

Nina also shared a number of photos with her post, showing just how simple pumpkin carving can be!

Her post quickly went viral, with over 22,000 people commenting and tagging their friends.

One user commented, 'well well well. I will have to try this!', with another adding, 'wow lol, why couldn’t we have seen this last weekend? 😂'. (sic)

A third then commented, 'we should do this if we ever get around to carving those pumpkins 😂'. (sic)

Now check out how to prepare your home for the Autumn:

1) Get your boiler serviced

With Summer now over, you're more than likely going to start putting your heating on to take the chill off. As it's most likely been a while since you used the heating, now is a great time to have your annual service by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

2) Bleed your radiators

As well as servicing the boiler, it's also a good idea to bleed your radiators in order to get rid of any air bubbles that have developed. Air bubbles can cause cold sections in your heating system, so this top tip could be very valuable.

3) Check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Although you should do this weekly, Autumn can be a great time to do a full test of both your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. With usage of gas appliances and fires rising in the colder months, a quick test could save your life.

4) Deep clean the house

So everybody has heard of 'Spring clean', but Autumn is also a great time for a deep clean of your house. Whether you're putting away Summer furniture into storage, or swapping out your wardrobe for warmer clothes, start the season right with a deep cleanse!

5) Check and clean your gutters

With leaves set to start falling at a rapid rate, it's a great time to get up and clean your gutters to avoid any congestion. Having clean gutters will also allow water to run more smoothly as the rainy weather sets in.

6) Check your roof

As well as your gutters, now is also a good time to check your roof for any damage. Although most people think it's only the Winter months that are bad for your roof's health, the heat and humidity of Summer can also have a detrimental effect. A quick check for any damage or loose tiles could save you a fortune in the long run.

7) Get your DIY finished

The last thing you want to be doing during the cold and dark nights is DIY, so try and get all of those jobs finished before the cold arrives.

8) Exclude draughts

With the temperatures starting to drop and the cold weather creeping in, you'll want to start excluding any draughts in your windows and doors. Although it can be pricey, insulation in your loft can also help keep the heat in.

Check out our other top tips of keeping your house warm.

9) Get Halloween ready

With Halloween fast approaching, set the scene with some spooky decorations and pumpkin scents to get right into the mood!

10) Spider-proof your house

As you're probably already aware, it's spider season, with the eight-legged creepy crawlies looking to come into our homes for a warmth. If you're not a fan of having spiders around your house, there's plenty humane ways of kindly removing them. Check out 10 ways to spider-proof your house right here.

Now read:

11 thrilling top tips for your Halloween pumpkin

Heidi Klum's best Halloween costumes ever

Reasons why we love Halloween

How to listen to Hits Radio:

Turn it up with Hits Radio! Home of Fleur East, Sam Thompson and Gemma Atkinson playing the biggest hits and the biggest throwbacks, alongside the biggest laughs and life-changing competitions. Tune in on FM, DAB, online or ask your Smart Speaker to 'Play Hits Radio'.