How to Remove Melted Gummy Bears in a Car

Gummy bears are probably one of you child's favorite snacks; they are tasty and irresistibly cute. But when your child drops a gummy bear in your car, it often goes unnoticed until it's too late. The heat will melt the gummy bear and cause it to stick to the fibers in your carpet or your seat upholstery, leaving you wondering how you're ever going to get it off.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ice cubes
• Zip lock bag
• Razor blade or scraper
• Scissors
• Auto upholstery cleaner
• Gloves
• Scrub pad (Scotch-Brite or similar)

1. Fill the zip lock bag with ice cubes and seal it. Place the bag on the affected area, and let it sit for 30 to 40 minutes. The ice will harden the melted gummy bears, making them easier to remove.

2. Remove the bag and quickly scrape the area with a razor blade to remove the majority of the candy. If the gummy bears are stuck to your seat upholstery, use a scraper instead; the razor blade can damage your seat if not used properly. Keep working the area until you get the majority of the melted gummy bear off.

3. Place the bag of ice back on the area for a few minutes to make sure the remaining candy is as hard as possible. If the gummy bears are melted to your seat upholstery, skip to Step 5.

4. Use the scissors to cut away small strands of your carpet. Only cut away the strands with the largest globs of gummy candy.

5. Liberally spray the auto upholstery cleaner to the affected area, whether it is carpet or a seat. Wear gloves and vigorously scrub the area with the scrubbing pad. Repeat a few times times for several minutes at a time. Apply the bag of ice between sessions to harden the gummy candy and make it easier to remove.

Tips & Warnings

• There is a good chance the fibers in your fabric will be discolored from the gummy bears. This will barely be visible in black carpet or upholstery. For lighter upholstery and carpet, consider using a small amount of upholstery spray dye, available at most auto parts stores.
• Do not use a razor blade on your seat upholstery. The blade poses little risk to your carpet fibers, but can severely damage your seat fabric.

References

• Scrub Pads