Everyone has been there: without even noticing it, they have chewing gum stuck to their pants. Perhaps they sat on a public seat without checking or leaned against a surface without realizing it. Attempting to remove gum from clothing without following the proper techniques can result in a bigger mess, and gum does not wash out easily.
Don’t worry – we’ve got you sorted! At Squeaky Cleaning, we have developed effective strategies to clothing tips that you can use when gum ends up where it shouldn’t be. Figuring out how to remove gum from clothing can be a bit of a challenge. But with some everyday household items, patience, and persistence, you can safely remove gum from all kinds of fabric.
Freeze Chewing Gum out of Clothes
Rub the affected place with an ice cube to solidify the gum and make it easier to remove from your clothing. Once it has hardened, scrape it off quickly using a spoon, butter knife, or paint scraper. Alternatively, you can put the garment in the freezer for a couple of hours in a plastic bag until the gum sets. Simply ensure that the gum does not touch or spread on the plastic bag and that the garment is not placed in the freezer with the gum facing downwards.
Remove Gum from Fabric using Heat
Gum can also be removed from clothing using heat and hot liquids. Warm the gum with a hair drier to loosen it before peeling it off. To release the gum, you can also use hot water or steam. If you do submerge the clothing in hot water, keep in mind that you may need to repeat the process until the gum is totally gone. It could get messy if the gum starts to heat up and melt, so work cautiously and scrape the gum off with an old toothbrush as you go.
Remove Gum from Clothes with your Iron
Before you begin, place a piece of cardboard between the fabric and ironing board to prevent the gum on your clothing from sticking to it. When ironing, use a mild to medium heat setting to avoid melting the gum and producing an even stickier mess. The purpose of ironing is to make the gum stick to the cardboard rather than your cloth. It should ultimately do so, so keep pushing until the gum has softened and adhered to your cardboard. Then just take your clothes off the ironing board to discover that the stubborn gum has been left behind on the cardboard. This wasn’t that difficult after all, was it?
Gum Removal with Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a helpful solution for removing gum from garments because of the natural oils it contains. Make sure you completely cover the gum with peanut butter and that the coating is thick. Leave the peanut butter on the gum stain for about a minute to avoid staining your clothes, then scrape the gum off with a spoon or butter knife. Use a stain remover on the area before placing the garments in the washer since peanut butter might tarnish your clothes. So now you know that peanut butter is not only tasty but also effective in removing gum.
Coconut Oil will save the Day
There is no doubt that coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer and has many health benefits. But did you know that you can also use coconut oil to remove gum from clothing? Heat the coconut oil for a few seconds before dipping the afflicted area and massaging it in, allowing the oil to penetrate the stain and dissolve the gum. Remove the oil after that to avoid staining the garment and wash it afterwards. Coconut oil may not only be used to remove gum from garments, but you can also use it to remove gum from your hair!
Scrape and Wash Gently
You might just get lucky sometimes – if the gum is still new and hasn’t penetrated the cloth, you can get rid of it quickly. You might be able to scrape it off gently (don’t force it off) and then wash it to get rid of any little tidbits. To remove the gum without spreading it, a pair of tweezers may be helpful. This depends on how much chewing gum you got on your clothes in the first place, as a tiny amount is easier to remove. Regardless of which method you use to remove the gum, you’ll want to wash your clothes afterward to remove any residue.
You’ll be able to get rid of unwanted chewing gum quickly and effectively if you use these clothing tricks. All of the above hacks are quick, easy, and will take you less than 10 minutes to complete. Squeaky Cleaning respects your time and recognizes that cleaning on a tight schedule might be challenging. We can do the cleaning for you, for your convenience! Please contact Squeaky Cleaning at 647-492-6884 or email us more information on cleaning hacks or our cleaning services.