If you're looking for a new challenge for your Halloween decorations, consider using a pressure washer to carve your pumpkin.
Put Down the Pumpkin Carving Knives and Turn On… the Pressure Washer?
Pumpkin carving is a time-honored tradition for Halloween, and there are a plethora of techniques out there. If you’ve mastered some of the more common ones, like carving with a knife or scraping away layers of pumpkin skin, we’ve got a new one for you courtesy of Kiel James Patrick (@kjp on Instagram). Try using a pressure washer to carve your pumpkin!
Pressure Washer Safety
As always, before you use your pressure washer to carve a pumpkin, be sure that you know how to safely operate it. Always wear proper safety equipment (e.g., close-toed shoes, goggles, etc.). Never run your gas-powered pressure washer indoors. And make sure you’ve picked the right nozzle and set the pressure correctly.
Pumpkin Carving Techniques
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- Start with a plan: Sketch out your design first so that you’re happy with the template. Once you’ve decided what kind of face your jack-o’-lantern will have, you can start carving.
- Prepare the area: Pick a spot to use the pressure washer that’s clear of fragile items. Make sure your pumpkin is propped up on a sturdy base that won’t be damaged.
- Get calibrated: We recommend standing about four feet back, using a 0-degree nozzle, and setting your pressure to between 1,700 and 2,000 PSI. This should allow you to carve safely and precisely.
- Start carving: You don’t have to scrape and empty the pumpkin ahead of time if you don’t want to. You can move straight into carving out your design. Start in the middle of the first section and slowly trace the desired shape as you go. Then repeat for the rest of the pieces. We suggest doing the mouth last as it’s usually the most intricate shape, and it’ll be easier if you’ve already gotten a feel for the process.
- Finish strong: Once you’ve cut out all the pieces, take a closer look and make sure you’re happy with the look and that all the innards have made it out through the holes. Do any clean-up work or refining with the pressure washer or a knife if you feel more comfortable.
