How to Get Bubblegum Out of Carpet

The stickiness of bubblegum creates a mess in your carpet.

The stickiness of bubblegum allows you to enjoy chewing it for an extended period of time. But when bubblegum ends up in your carpet, that same stickiness creates a mess in carpet fibers. Removing the gum from your carpet is vital to the condition of your carpet as well as making sure the gum doesn't end up transferred to any other surfaces. Successful removal of bubblegum from your carpet depends upon breaking down the stickiness so you can remove the gum completely.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic zip bag
• Ice cubes
• Dinner knife
• Clean cloths
• Dry cleaning solvent
• 1 tbsp. dishwashing detergent
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• Bowl

Instructions

1. 

   A homemade ice pack makes gum easier to remove.

   Place ice cubes in a plastic zip bag for a homemade ice pack. Place the ice pack on top of the bubblegum stuck in your carpet. Leave the ice pack in place until the gum is frozen hard.

2. Throw away the ice pack. Hold a table knife on the dull side of the cutting end and crack the hard gum with the handle end of the knife. Break the gum into smaller pieces.

3. Remove the hardened gum pieces and discard. Dampen a clean cloth with dry-cleaning solvent and sponge the site of the bubblegum stain to remove residual stickiness.

4. Mix 2 cups warm water with 1 tbsp. each of liquid dish detergent and white vinegar. Blot the site of the bubblegum stain with the soap solution to remove the rest of the sticky residue along with any color stain the gum left.

5. 

   Old towels are useful for cleaning the carpet.

   Rinse your carpet by blotting it with a damp cloth. Dry your carpet by wicking moisture out of the fibers with clean, dry cloths.

Tips & Warnings

• Blot the sticky residue in your carpet with straight vinegar to break down the stickiness and help remove the gum.

• Trying to remove a wad of sticky bubblegum from your carpet may wind up causing the gum to spread further. Freeze the gum first so it can't spread further.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Stain Solutions: Bubblegum
• Good Housekeeping: Stain Buster: Bubblegum
• Reader's Digest: Get Chewing Gum Off Your Carpet