How to Clean Gum from a Carpet

Many people enjoy chewing gum.

Chewing gum contains a synthetic rubber that makes it sticky and chewy. While this is good when it's in your mouth, it's not good when the gum is stuck in your carpeting. Chewing gum in your carpet can turn into a nightmare if not tended to properly. You can remove gum from your carpet with supplies from home, but do so carefully to avoid spreading the stain further.

Things You'll Need

• Hair dryer
• Plastic grocery bags
• Muscle pain reliever rub
• Bowl
• 1/2 tsp. clear hand dishwashing liquid
• Clean cloths

Instructions

1. 

   Soften the stuck chewing gum with a hair dryer for easier removal.

   Soften the gum stuck in your carpeting by heating it with a hair dryer set on low or medium heat.

2. Press a plastic grocery bag onto the gum and pull directly up. Move to a clean part of the grocery bag and continue to blot at the softened gum to remove. Continue this process until you've removed as much gum from your carpeting as possible.

3. Apply one squirt of muscle pain reliever rub to the remnants of the gum stain on your carpeting. Use a new plastic grocery bag to blot at the gum stain covered with the muscle rub. Continue to blot and lift the traces of gum in the carpet.

4. Mix 1/2 tsp. clear hand dishwashing liquid with 1 cup warm water in a bowl. Soak a clean cloth in the soapy solution, then wring out the excess.

5. Blot at the site of the gum stain in the carpet with the soapy cloth, working from the outside of the stain inward. Alternate blotting with a clean cloth dampened in plain water. This will remove any stain left by the gum as well as the grease from the muscle rub.

6. Wick up the moisture from the carpet with a dry cloth, then allow your carpet to air dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Pick up dropped gum immediately to avoid staining your carpet.

• Remove the gum stain completely from your carpet, or it will attract dirt into the carpet fibers.

References

• How To Remove Carpet Stains: Removing Chewing Gum From Carpet