How to Remove Gum From Leather Seats

Remove chewing gum from leather seats carefully with common household items.

Durable leather upholstery can add beauty to a home or a car's interior. But all well-used seats are subject to wear and tear and a variety of stains--including chewing gum. The gum may frustrate you, but it will not harm the leather if you remove it properly. Instead of paying a professional, remove it yourself with a little patience and a few common household items and the leather seat will be good as new.

Things You'll Need

• Zipper sealed plastic bag
• Ice cubes
• Dull butter knife
• Cotton ball
• Olive oil
• Paper towels
• Liquid dish soap
• Bowl
• Washcloth

Instructions

1. Fill a zipper sealed plastic bag with ice cubes.

2. Place the ice cubes onto the gum to freeze it. Once the gum feels hard, scrape it off gently with a dull butter knife.

3. If you still notice pieces of gum on the leather seat, soak a cotton ball with olive oil. Rub the cotton ball over the gum in a circular motion.

4. Let the oil sit on the gum to soften it. Wipe the area clean with paper towels.

5. Combine 1 to 2 tbsp. liquid dish soap with warm water in a bowl. Dampen a washcloth with the mixture and wipe the leather seat to clean the area.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid applying harsh ingredients like WD-40 to the gum because this can discolor the leather.

References

• Interior Car Cleaning: Remove Gum
• Tip King: Remove Chewing Gum
• Michigan State University: Homemade Cleaners
• Keene State College: Green Cleaning
• Mrs. Clean USA: Stain Removal Guide