How to Remove Chewing Gum From Carpeting
It's a sticky dilemma: What do you do when the Double Bubble lands on your living room carpet? While your natural reaction might be to blow up at the gum chewer in the family, be sweet instead and follow these tips. You'll be out of this mess in no time.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Dry-cleaning Fluid
- Mild Dishwashing Liquid
- Vacuum Or Brush
- Ice
- Plastic Bag
- Spatula Or Spoon
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-
1
Scrape away as much of the gum as you can using a spatula or spoon (to protect carpet fibers).
-
2
Vacuum or brush away loose pieces.
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3
Rub the remaining gum with a plastic bag filled with ice until the gum is frozen.
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4
Chip away the frozen gum fragments using a spatula or spoon.
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5
Dissolve any final traces of the stuff by dabbing with a small amount of dry-cleaning fluid. Blot.
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6
Blot on a detergent solution of 1/4 tsp. mild dishwashing liquid and 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) warm water.
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7
Rinse thoroughly.
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1
Tips & Warnings
You can try this remedy to remove gum from clothes or shoes, too.
Some citrus-based products, such as Orange-Sol or De-Solv-It, break down the stickiness of gum so that it is easier to remove.
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Comments
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Actually, even better than ice, cause it takes so long to freeze it is, butane...works awesome.Freezes the gum quick then use a spoon to scrape it off the carpet..then pat down your carpet with water and mild detergent..you'll never know it was there..
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angelaben
Sep 08, 2010
If freezing the gum with a bag of ice doeasn't work, you can try melting it. Start by heating with a hair dryer for a minute or two, then with a plastic sandwich bag on your hand, lift off as much as possible. Next, try massaging 1/2 teaspoon of deep-heating rub evenly into the spot. Turn the hair dryer on high and heat again for 30 seconds. Then use another plastic bag to lift off the remaining residue. Finally, add 1 teaspoon of mild detergent to 200ml of water and blot the spot with paper towels ot a cloth rag to lift any stain. As suggested above, dry-cleaning solvent are also worth trying. -
bubbalub44
Feb 04, 2008
canned air and a credit card (scrape) no smell, no mess, works like the gum was never there and very quickly
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Aug 08, 2006
Boil some water. Pour about a tablespoon over the gum. Doing so will make the gum melt thus making removal a cinch. Just wipe off with a clean cloth. Requires a bit of scrubbing.
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Aug 08, 2006
Boil some water. Pour about a tablespoon over the gum. Doing so will make the gum melt thus making removal a cinch. Just wipe off with a clean cloth. Requires a bit of scrubbing.
