It's cool to see the Halloween decorations people across Illinois are putting up including the carved pumpkins on the front steps.

People put a lot of time and effort into creating their Jack-o'-lanterns by trying to follow a pre-made pattern or come up with one in their brains. It's hard work to get it to look right and scoop all of the guts out. Many people don't want to see their masterpieces go to waste.

To help make their pumpkins last a little longer, some people spray a concoction that could be deadly to wildlife like squirrels in Illinois. I know you love your carved pumpkin, but I don't think you'll like all of the dead squirrels in your yard.

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Save Iowa & Illinois Wildlife, Stop Bleaching Your Pumpkins

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Over the years, I've seen social media posts pleading with people to not spray bleach on their carved pumpkins. As humans, we know that bleach is very harmful and often deadly when digested.

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Unlike humans, animals and bugs can't smell poison or when food seems off. As we get closer to wintertime, animals start to become desperate for food and will most likely eat anything, even your bleach-covered pumpkins.

A Plea From Wildlife Agencies

Agencies in Indiana and Wisconsin have shared social media posts that animals like squirrels, deer, raccoons, birds, bugs, and much other wildlife consider pumpkins to be food.

This is the plea that many animal rescues and animal protective agencies are making to convince those not to bleach pumpkins this year.

And if that plea doesn't work, here is a phrase I came up with three years ago that somehow makes sense, I think:

A rat doesn't go after the cheese because it's in the trap, it goes after it because it's hungry.

-Connor Kenney

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Safer Way To Keep Your Jack-o'-Lantern Longer

Wildlife agencies and probably a scientist somewhere say that an alternative to bleach to preserve your Jack-o'-Lantern longer is vinegar.

Try using a mixture of one part vinegar to 10 parts water in a spray bottle, spray your carved pumpkin inside and out, and it should do the same as bleach. Vinegar is not harmful to wildlife so use that instead if you're leaving your carved pumpkins outside.

I'm Still Not Convinced. When Can I Use The Bleach Mixture?

Fine. If you want to bleach your pumpkins so damn bad, go for it. But there is only one rule:

  1. Your bleached pumpkin must stay indoors, away from children and pets

Below is the video on how to bleach your pumpkins and you can learn from this link from Clorox.

Quad Cities Pumpkin Patches

It's pumpkin pickin' time in the Quad Cities. Pumpkins make great fall decorations and they are obviously fun to carve. If buying a pumpkin at a store doesn't cut it and you want the full experience of a pumpkin patch, we have the full list of pumpkin patches throughout the Quad Cities. If we are missing any local pumpkin patches, email us here.

Gallery Credit: Connor Kenney/Townsquare Media Quad Cities

Quad Cities Haunted Houses

Spooky season is here Quad Cities! Haunted houses are open and we know you want to get your scare on. We have the full list of Quad City haunted houses you need to visit before Halloween.

Gallery Credit: Connor Kenney/Townsquare Media Quad Cities