Mix together 1 tsp (5 mL) of bleach and 1 gallon (4 L) of water. Let the pumpkin soak in this solution for at least 1 hour. The water is intended to hydrate the pumpkin flesh and prevent it from drying out too quickly. The bleach is an antimicrobial agent that will kill most of the surface bacteria and mold spores on the pumpkin. You can soak the pumpkin up to 8 hours, but soaking it too long can actually infuse the flesh with too much moisture, making it more prone to rot. Use a clean rag or paper towels to remove most of the moisture puddled inside the pumpkin. Dry the outside of the pumpkin, as well. Leaving too much moisture puddled inside can actually cause the pumpkin to rot. Combine 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of bleach with 1 quart (1 L) of water in a spray bottle. Douse the exposed flesh with this stronger bleach solution. The bleach used in the soaking solution was a small amount only intended to stop the growth of surface bacteria. Using too much bleach in the soaking solution can weaken the pumpkin. By spraying the pumpkin with a stronger bleach solution after soaking it, you can sanitize it further without weakening the structure of the pumpkin. Prevent puddles of moisture from sitting inside the pumpkin by inverting it onto a clean, dry rag and letting it dry completely. Give the pumpkin at least 20 minutes to dry. You could let it sit up to 1 hour if desired, though. Rub all of the exposed flesh with a fine coating of petroleum jelly. The petroleum jelly will lock in moisture, preventing the pumpkin from dehydrating as quickly as it might do otherwise. It will also block out new bacteria and mold. Do not use petroleum jelly without first using bleach. The bleach is needed in order to kill bacteria and mold already on the pumpkin. If you skip this step and go straight to the petroleum jelly, you will actually trap preexisting bacteria and mold on the surface of the pumpkin, thereby speeding the decay process. Vegetable oil or a vegetable oil spray could also be used instead of petroleum jelly. If you got excess petroleum jelly on the non-carved portions of the pumpkin, wipe it away with a clean rag or paper towel. Note that this is more for the sake of appearance rather than necessity. Display your pumpkin in a spot that does not receive direct sunlight. A shaded area works best. Heat will speed the decay process and placing it in a dry area will cause the flesh to dehydrate. When not in use, consider storing the pumpkin in a refrigerator or draping a damp towel over it.

Summary: Soak the pumpkin in a bleach solution. Wipe the pumpkin dry. Spray with additional bleach. Continue drying the pumpkin upside-down. Coat the cut areas with petroleum jelly. Wipe away the excess. Keep the pumpkin cool and moist.

As soon as you notice the gum on the leather, use your fingers to gently pull as much of the gum off as you can. Ensure that you don't spread the gum over the leather as you're pulling. Take a piece of clear tape and lay it over the gum. Press on the gum so it sticks to the tape. Pull the tape off and some of the gum should come off with it. Keep laying fresh pieces of tape and lifting the gum until all of the gum is removed. You may go through a whole roll of tape depending on how strong the tape is. The leather might be dirty once you've removed the gum. To clean the leather, you can use a commercial leather cleaning product or use a mild dish soap and warm water. Just wet a sponge in soapy water and gently rub it over the leather. Avoid pulling or scrubbing on the leather. You may be able to wash away any tiny bits of gum that are still stuck to the leather. Dip a clean cloth into a little dish of mineral spirits. Slowly wipe the cloth over the sticky area on the leather. Once you've removed the sticky residue, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe over the area. This should thoroughly clean the leather and remove the last of the gum. Mineral spirits are also called white spirit and mineral turpentine. Use the mineral spirits in a well ventilated area and avoid touching the soaked cloth with your bare hands since mineral spirits can irritate your skin. Don't throw away the cloth that you dipped in mineral spirits. Instead, place it in a container with water and take it to a local hazardous waste facility. Use the manufacturer's instructions for protecting the leather or use a commercial leather conditioner. This will moisturize the leather since you've probably stripped away some of the protective oils in the fabric.

Summary: Pull off the bulk of the gum. Use tape to lift off the gum. Wash the area with a cleaning product or soapy water. Remove sticky residue with mineral spirits. Condition the leather.

The outer rim of a Zodiac chart is divided into 12 sections. Your birth date will fall into one of those sections. The section in which your birth date falls is your Zodiac sign. There are 12 signs of the Zodiac, all of which represent different personality traits. Locate which section you fall into in order to identify your Zodiac sign. On your astrology chart, a small person is drawn on the globe in the center. The person is drawn on the top of the longitudinal point of your place of birth. You can draw a straight line from the little person to the out rim of the chart. This will show you your Zodiac sign. The stars, planets, and signs are drawn in relation to how they appeared on your date of birth. Your Zodiac sign supposedly has an influence on your personality. For example, if you're an Aires you are supposedly passionate, driven, ambitious, and outgoing. You can find information about personality traits associated with the Zodiac online. You can also check out a book from your local library, or purchase one online or at a bookstore, about astrology. This can help you learn about yourself by using your Zodiac sign. Keep in mind your Zodiac sign is only one small component of how you read an astrology chart. A variety of aspects influence how your sign is read. You have to take all other aspects of the chart, such as your houses and planets, into consideration to completely read an astrology chart. This information is dependent on both your place and date of birth.
Summary: Locate your sign. Learn the meaning of your sign. Understand what can affect how your sign is read.