If you find sticky chewing gum on the couch or on your favorite sweater, take your time to despair. Fortunately, gum can be removed from clothing, fabrics (blankets, sheets, or covers) and leather with just a few items. Before resorting to folk remedies, try freezing and scraping the gum off the fabric first. You may be able to remove the gum using lemon juice, hairspray, or oil. Be sure to check the fabric care instructions on the label to see which of the suggested methods are safe for the fabric.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Freezing Chewing Gum on a Cloth
Step 1. Put your clothes in the freezer
If the chewing gum sticks to your favorite blouse or sweater, fold the garment neatly so that the gum is on the outside. Make room in the freezer to fit folded clothes. Leave the garment in the freezer until the gum hardens. Freeze clothes for an hour or two, depending on the thickness of the gum.
Do not cover your clothing with anything that the chewing gum can stick to. Just place it on the freezer shelf
Step 2. Freeze the gum with ice cubes
If the cloth doesn't fit in the freezer or can't get wet, place ice cubes directly on top of the gum. If the product cannot be allowed to get wet, place an ice pack on the gum. Leave the ice on the gum for 10-15 minutes, or until it hardens.
Step 3. Scrape off the hardened gum
After the gum has hardened in the freezer or under ice cubes, try peeling it off with your fingers. Then use a butter knife or spatula to scrape off any small pieces of gum that might still be on your clothes.
Try not to peel the fabric with anything that could damage the fibers
Step 4. Remove any gum residue with organic solvent or white spirit
Squeeze some solvent onto a sponge and blot the gum section of the cloth. Don't stop until the patch is no longer sticky. If you don't have an organic solvent, soak a sponge in white spirit.
Step 5. Wash the fabric according to the instructions on the label
Read the fabric care instructions on the label. As a rule, if there are marks or stains on your clothes after chewing gum, you can also remove them manually. Blot the stain with a clean cloth and rub some soapy water into it with a sponge. Then wipe off the soap with another damp sponge. Wash the fabric as usual, but do not rush to dry it. If the stain remains, treat it again.
Do not dry the fabric without first dealing with the stain, otherwise it will dry out and be much more difficult to remove
Method 2 of 3: Treating the fabric with other home remedies
Step 1. Soak the gum in lemon juice or hot vinegar
Heat a bowl of vinegar or fill it with fresh lemon juice. Dip a piece of chewing gum cloth in hot vinegar or lemon juice to absorb the liquid. Soak the gum for a few hours or overnight, depending on how firm it is. The chewing gum can then be scraped off the fabric without any problems. Wash the fabric as soon as you handle the gum.
Before soaking the gum, test the product on a small, inconspicuous area of the fabric first. This can help you know if hot vinegar or lemon juice will harm your fabric
Step 2. Spray hairspray on the gum
If the gum cannot be frozen in the freezer or with ice cubes, spray it with hairspray. After that, the hardened gum can be torn off with your fingers (or gently scrape it off the tissue with a blunt instrument).
Make sure the hairspray won't harm the fabric by testing it on a small, unobtrusive area before starting work
Step 3. Soften the gum with oil
Spread vegetable oil, peanut butter, or mayonnaise over the gum. Rub butter or mayonnaise into the gum to make it easier to remove. Wash the fabric immediately to avoid oil stains.
You may have trouble removing oil stains from delicate fabrics. Only use oil if you are confident you can wash it off the fabric later
Method 3 of 3: Removing chewing gum from your skin
Step 1. Peel off as much of the gum as possible from the skin
If you notice chewing gum on your skin, gently scrape it off with your fingers. Make sure that the chewing gum does not come into contact with other areas of your skin.
Step 2. Use the tape to peel off the gum
Take a piece of clear tape and press it onto the gum. Press down on the gum so that it sticks to the tape. Peel off the tape - some of the gum will come off along with it. Continue to apply fresh pieces of duct tape and peel off the gum until the skin is completely clean.
Depending on the quality of the tape, this can take you a whole roll
Step 3. Wash the area with cleanser or soapy water
After you remove the gum, dirt may remain on the skin. Use a proprietary leather cleaner or mild dish soap and warm water to clean your leather. Soak a sponge in soapy water and gently run it over your skin. Try not to rub your skin.
This will allow you to rinse off any remaining gum on your skin
Step 4. Remove sticky residues with white spirit
Dip a clean rag in a small saucer of white spirit. Slowly rub the cloth over the sticky area of your skin. Then wipe the skin with a clean, dry cloth to cleanse the skin and remove any gum marks.
- White spirit is also called varnish kerosene. Handle white spirit in a well-ventilated area and do not touch wet cloth with bare hands, as white spirit can irritate the skin.
- Do not throw away the cloth soaked in white spirit. Instead, place it in a container of water and take it to a hazardous waste disposal center.
Step 5. Moisturize your skin
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for skin care or use a proprietary leather conditioner. It will help moisturize the skin after it has lost some of the oils as a result of cleaning the material.
Advice
- Do not heat the gum with a hair dryer. This will cause the chewing gum to penetrate the tissue fibers, making it difficult to remove.
- Do not use peanut butter on the skin, as the oil marks it leaves can damage the material. If you want to use peanut butter on fabrics, check for stains after removing the gum.