Do you want to know how to remove gum from clothing without all the fuss? Chewing gum tastes great, is fun to chew, and is excellent for releasing nervous energy as it cleans your teeth. Unfortunately, it’s also extremely sticky, getting stuck on everything from hair and fabric to the bottom of your shoes.
Originally, chewing gum consisted of tree-based resins and natural waxes. These days, modern gum consists of a sweetly coated base of polymers, plasticizers, fillers, and other insoluble materials. The polymers are responsible for the stickiness of the gum. Generally, gum doesn’t stick to your teeth due to the saliva and the constant chewing. Yet, it stubbornly clings to any other material and worsens the longer it sits.
No matter how long you pick and pry at a gum stain, gum residue remains on the surface. Thankfully, several methods work to remove bubble gum from clothing and carpet, including heating, freezing, and other gum removal remedies. The technique you choose depends on the garment type.
- Ways to Remove Chewing Gum From Clothes
- Removing Chewing Gum From Clothes
- How to Get Gum Out of Clothes
- How to Remove Gum From Clothing With Rubbing Alcohol
- Removing Gum From Clothes in the Freezer
- Boiling Clothes to Remove Chewing Gum
- Use Vinegar to Get Gum off Clothes
- Remove Gum From Clothing With Non-Conventional Items
- Machine-Washing Gum Residue off Clothes
Ways to Remove Chewing Gum From Clothes
A chewing gum stain is one of the hardest stains to remove. Gum can ruin leather pants and clothes; also, it sticks to fabric and refuses to budge. Fortunately, removing gum from clothes is possible, and you have several cleaning options to try.
Feel free to use these tips for all sticky messes in your life. The easy methods can also be used as ways to get hair removal wax out of clothes, slime off couch cushions, or glue from fabric.
Removing Chewing Gum From Clothes
It’s always best to take care of a stain as soon as you notice it, and bubble gum stains are no different. Instead of plucking at it with your fingers, discover how to get gum out of clothes with a bit of liquid soap and a butter knife.
Cover the gum with liquid detergent and use an old toothbrush to work the soap into the stain. Start by scrubbing gently in a circular motion and increase pressure as the gum loosens.
Use the edge of a dull knife or spoon to scrape gum off your interior car seat. Once most of the gum is gone, use your fingernail to scratch off the remaining gum and rinse the material beneath running water.
How to Get Gum Out of Clothes
Use dry heat for removing chewing gum from clothes if laundry soap doesn’t do the trick. A clothing iron heats the fabric and loosens the gum while transferring it to another material. Check the care tag on your garment to ensure it’s safe for ironing before proceeding.
Place a piece of cardboard on an ironing board and lay the affected garment over the top with the gum resting on the cardboard. Set your clothes iron to medium heat and rub it over the garment. Continue moving the iron around; the heat should transfer the gum from the fabric to the cardboard.
How to Remove Gum From Clothing With Rubbing Alcohol
Sometimes you don’t notice a stain until it’s turned into a glob of hardened gum. Rubbing alcohol is great for removing dried gum from clothes. It dissolves the gum’s bond to the cloth and is ideal for use on delicate fabric.
Pour rubbing alcohol onto a sponge and rub it over the gum stain on the clothing. Wait a couple of minutes as the alcohol loosens the gum, and use the edge of a spatula to scrape it off the fabric. Once the gum is gone, rinse the item under running water.
Removing Gum From Clothes in the Freezer
Believe it or not, your freezer is excellent for removing chewing gum from clothes. Its frigid temperatures freeze the gum, making it easier to clean from the fabric. This process takes a little longer than others, but it’s highly effective for gum removal.
Fold the clothing so the chewing gum faces outward and place it in a plastic bag. Avoid letting the gum touch the bag to prevent sticking, and put it in the freezer.
After two to three hours of freezing, remove the garment from the freezer and bag. Quickly scrape the gum off the material with a dull knife. Do not allow the gum to thaw. If it softens again, refreeze it and repeat the steps.
Boiling Clothes to Remove Chewing Gum
While freezing gum makes it hard and brittle, high temperatures soften gum and dissolve the sticky residue. You only need a large enough pot to fit your clothes and water. Find out how to get gum out of clothes with boiling water.
Place a pot of water on high heat and submerge the item in the hot water. Wear oven mitts or gloves to protect your hands from burning, and use a blunt knife to scrape the gum from the fabric.
Once the large piece of gum is gone, use an old toothbrush to scrub away sticky gum while dunking the fabric in the water. Wring out the excess water and hang the item to dry.
Use Vinegar to Get Gum off Clothes
White vinegar is a cheap and versatile liquid everyone should have at home. It’s natural, acidic, and safe for use on everything from countertops and floors to carpet and fabric. Discover how to get smeared gum out of clothes with vinegar.
Pour vinegar into a glass and microwave it until it’s just below a boil. Lemon juice is a good substitute if you don’t have any vinegar. Remove the cup, dunk a toothbrush into the hot vinegar, and scrub the gum spot on your clothes with the brush.
Continue dipping and rubbing the garment until the stain is gone. Work quickly since vinegar is most effective when hot, and reheat the vinegar as needed.
Remove Gum From Clothing With Non-Conventional Items
Maybe you don’t have a jug of white vinegar in the house or are hesitant to use extreme temperatures as a gum stain remover. Not to worry, many other items around the house remove gum from clothing – some may surprise you.
Apply Goo Gone, peanut butter, white toothpaste, or Lanacane to the gum stain. Let it sit for about 30 seconds, and use the edge of a metal spoon to scoop away the stain remover and gum. Wipe away leftover gum, rinse the cloth with clean water, and prepare to launder the item.
To remove gum with hair spray, spray the gum spot directly and wait for it to harden. Use a butter knife or spoon to scrape the gum from the fabric. If you prefer to use duct tape to remove the gum, gently press the sticky side of the adhesive to the gum’s surface. Avoid pressing it on the fabric, and carefully pull the tape from the cloth, pulling the gum glob with it.
WD-40 and Orange Oil are also helpful for getting gum off the fabric. Spread the affected item on a flat surface, spray the gum directly with the oil, and scrub it with an old toothbrush.
Try removing a tough gum stain with gasoline or petrol. This method is the least safe and best to perform outside, but it’s effective at dissolving gum. Put a small amount of gas on a clean rag and rub it over the gum spot before scraping it off with a dull knife.
Machine-Washing Gum Residue off Clothes
It’s essential to wash your clothing after removing gum, even if all signs of gum are gone. The washing process removes sticky residue, and stain removers, leaving the garment clean and fresh.
To get gum residue out of clothes, place the affected item in the washing machine without any other laundry to prevent transferring stains. Add the recommended amount of heavy-duty laundry soap, use the hottest setting for your clothing type, and launder the item on the regular wash cycle.
Check the garment for remaining stains before transferring it to the clothes dryer since dry heat causes stains to set. If the item still has a gum stain, rewash it with detergent and oxygenate bleach. If the stain is gone, dry it in the clothes dryer or hang it to air dry.
Be sure to watch out for gum getting stuck to the inside of your appliances. When gum is stuck to the interior of the dryer it will transfer to the rest of your clothes as well.
Chewing gum is one of the most frustrating substances to remove from clothes. Its clings to fabric and seems impossible to clean. Even if you’re able to pull the gum from the material, there’s still stickiness remaining.
Luckily, you don’t have to retire your favorite garment or take it to an expensive cleaning service. Your freezer hardens the gum for easy removal, and vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and other stain removers clean the gum residue.
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