December 2, 2021
Home Remedies
CARPET CLEANER
In some (but not all) cases, you may need nothing more than your favorite carpet cleaning spray. When dealing with gum, it’s best to use a carpet cleaner that’s formulated to remove difficult stains such as paint.
Spray your solution directly onto the gum, and as recommended by the product’s directions, wait a few minutes, and then use a scraping tool to remove the remains. Make sure to use a blunt scraping tool such as a spatula; you should never use a knife, as this can damage the carpet.
ICE IN A BAG
Chewed gum is sensitive to temperature extremes, which is why two of the three methods on our list pertain to hot and cold temperatures. With this particular method, you’ll want to place several large ice cubes in a sealed sandwich bag and press the bag firmly against the gum stain until it hardens.
After it hardens, use a small scraping tool to remove the gum from the surface of the carpet. Dispose of the gum residue and clean the area with a carpet cleaning solution. Finally, blot the carpet dry with paper towels.
THE HAIR DRYER TRICK
In keeping with our temperature theme, the next method involves extreme heat. Turn your hairdryer on and adjust it to the highest heat setting. Point it directly at the gum, hovering a few inches away from it, and wait until the hardened residue begins to melt. Then, scrape away the weakened gum using a scraping tool, paper towel, or plastic bag. Clean the area with a carpet cleaning solution, and then blot it dry.
If at First, You Don’t Succeed…
THE WD-40 METHOD TO REMOVE CHEWING GUM
- Spray a liberal amount of WD-40 on the chewing-gum stain. …
- Wait 5 or 10 minutes.
- Using a rag or small scrub brush, wipe or lightly scrub the gum in one direction.
- Add more WD-40 as needed to remove remaining gum from the carpet.
Rob Lebeck, Owner
