How to Gut a Pumpkin Without Making a Total Mess

By Nicole Yi
POPSUGAR Photography | Sheila Gim
POPSUGAR Photography | Sheila Gim

Pumpkin carving is a lot of fun, but it's the prep that can get super messy. There's a simpler and cleaner solution to gutting your pumpkin that will make the process a total breeze. Follow these steps ahead so you can start focusing on your designs.

What You'll Need:

  • Pumpkin carving knife or serrated knife
  • Ice cream scooper
  • Newspaper or butcher paper

Step One:

Lay out layers of newspaper or butcher paper over your workspace.

Step Two:

Wash your pumpkin with warm water and soap to prevent it from molding quickly.

Step Three:

Remove the lid of your pumpkin by positioning your knife and cutting at 45-degree angle. This will stop the top from falling through.

Step Four:

Instead of gutting your pumpkin scoop by scoop, remove its contents in one motion, turning the pumpkin as you go. Once all the seeds and meat are free, dump your pumpkin over and let it all fall out.

Step Five:

Toss the top layer of your workspace paper along with the guts you just removed, and move onto carving!