Does Peanut Butter Clean Chewing Gum Out of Carpet?

The stickiness of chewing gum makes it stick to anything it touches.

Chewing gum is naturally sticky and adheres quickly to any substance it touches, including hair, clothing and carpets. Peanut butter is an often suggested remedy for removing gum from carpet, but there's no clear indication that it works.

Considerations

Peanut butter may work to remove chewing gum from hair, according to the International Chewing Gum Association (ICGA). The ICGA suggests scraping the dried gum from the carpet and then using heat to melt the remaining gum or ice to freeze and break the gum off.

Usage

Peanut butter may help remove chewing gum from the carpet because the oil in the product helps dissolve and break down the gum. Smear peanut butter directly on the gum and work it into the carpet fibers. After 10 minutes, scoop up as much peanut butter as possible and wash the remaining residue from the carpet.

Warning

The oils in the peanut butter may discolor or otherwise stain your carpet. Clean the peanut butter from the fibers as soon as you can.

References

• International Chewing Gum Association: Frequently Asked Questions
• Reader's Digest.com: Get Chewing Gum Off Your Carpet