How to Get Gum Out of Carpet? | 8 Effective Methods

We all have chewed gum to freshen up our breath, exercise the jaws, just to bum around and in some cases even to quit smoking. Studies have proven than chewing gum reduces muscle tension hence increases alertness. Also, chewing gum burns around 10 calories per hour and makes one’s salivary glands produce 25% more saliva than normal. The benefits are numerous but at times the very same gum can become the cause of your irritation.

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If one has kids or chews gum regularly, chances of the gum sticking to the most undesirable places are very high. One such terrible place could be our sleek carpet. Well, we can not stop the gum from sticking but what we can certainly do is - suggest how to get gum out of carpet in the best possible using simple, common and effective ingredients.

Removing gum from carpet - Frozen

The best way to get gum out of carpet is through the power of forcing low temperatures on the gum. When a gum chewed at room temperature freezes, it gets hard. In a hard-cool state, it loses its sticking property and becomes brittle. This ultimately leads the gum to fall off. This is how to get gum out of carpet using ice.

• Grab some ice cubes from the freezer and place them in a zip-lock bag.
• Close the seal tightly to avoid any leakage of melted ice.
• Place the ice bag on the gum stain for at least 5 to 7 minutes.
• As the gum begins to freeze, it will automatically start leaving the surfaces of the carpet.
• Use a scraping tool like a knife or a spoon to take it off completely.
• Once the gum comes off, use regular tap water and cleanser to wash the area and let it dry.

How do you get gum out of the carpet? - Get Heated

The other extreme of the temperature effect on gum is Heat. A higher temperature loosens the molecular binding of the gum thereby causing it to meltdown. In a warm sticky state, the gum easily sticks to any other surface that comes in its contact. This makes it very convenient to pull it off the carpet fibers. This is how to get gum out of carpet using the power of heat.

• Take a hairdryer or a compact heater and apply the heat directly over the gum stain.
• One needs to be cautious about the heat mode as the excess heat may burn the carpet fibers.
• Once the gum begins to melt, use a plastic bag or a piece of paper and wrap it around the gum.
• Keep pulling until the gum comes off completely.
• Wash the area with lukewarm water and let it dry.

How to take gum off the carpet? - Blotting

If you are among those people who prefer using fabric for any cleaning or stain removal activity, there’s a great method to fight gum stains. The removal of gum can be done using a rag or a piece of fabric soaked in a spot-remover solution. Spot-remover or stain remover is often used in the household to remove greasy residues of the kitchen and bathroom. It has a great impact on gum stain too. However one needs to make sure that the cleanser does not have bleach as it might render the carpet colorless. This is how to get gum out of carpet using the process of blotting.

• Take a spot/stain removing solution and spray it directly on the gum stain.
• The amount of spray that needs to be done depends on the intensity and the area covered by the gum.
• If needed, apply the solution repeatedly over the stain.
• Rinse the affected area until the gum comes off.
• Use a regular cleanser and lukewarm water to wash the carpet.
• Keep washing until there’s no stain visible and let it dry.

How to remove chewing gum from carpet? - Cleaning System

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There are times when the chewing gum sticks at several places on the carpet. If this happens and the carpet is due for a steam cleaning, a carpet cleaning machine is the best remedy. Not only will it remove the gum stains but also clean the carpet making it look fresh and new again. This is how to get gum out of carpet using a cleaning machine.

• If one plans to do this at home, a good quality machine with high suction power is mandatory.
• Pour a good amount of hot water in the carpet cleaning machine and add a strong detergent to it.
• Soak the carpet completely in the mixture and allow the machine to operate for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
• Once the gum particles come off, drain the water out of the machine.
• Now pour some normal water and soap in the machine and repeat the cleaning process for 10 minutes.
• Once the carpet gets dry it is all new and fresh to be used again.
• Another alternative for this method is to give the carpet to a professional carpet cleaner/company. All professional carpet cleaning companies have powerful machines with great suction capacity. This will not only save time and effort but also clean the carpet in the best possible way.

How to remove dry gum from carpet / how to get old gum out of carpet? - Go Fizzy

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A stitch in time saves nine is one such proverb we commonly use in our daily lives. However, It truly suits the gum that got stuck to your carpet ages ago until you discovered it and now find it difficult to get rid of it. Removal of old and dry gum is a much more tedious task than removing freshly stuck gum. Thanks to the chilled fizzy coke that is always there in our refrigerators, this task can be accomplished easily. Sounds weird but our very own coke when applied on a gum stain, breaks up its fibers making it brittle. This happens due to the presence of mild carbonic and phosphoric acid in the coke. For best results use a strong fizzy coke rather than a mild one. This is how to get gum out of carpet using our favourite fizzy drinks.

• Take about 500 ml of fizzy coke in a bowl.
• Dip the gum affected carpet portion in the bowl for about 15 minutes.
• After coming in contact with coke, the gum will automatically fall off the carpet in some time.
• Wash the affected portion with a regular cleanser and let it dry.

How to remove gum from carpet? - With Vinegar

All of us have used vinegar - either apple cider or a fruit one while cooking. However, it’s usage should not be restricted merely to the kitchen. With numerous uses in the daily household, this useful ingredient is a must-have in all the home-cleaning hacks. The presence of acetic acid solution enables it to act tough on stains even the ones which are the hardest to clean like the “gum stain”. This is how to get gum out of carpet using vinegar.

• Take about 800 ml of strong vinegar in a bowl.
• Soak the affected carpet area in the vinegar solution.
• Leave the solution untouched for about 15-20 minutes.
• Do not rub the solution on the carpet, instead use a towel to dab the soaked area.
• Once the gum comes off, wash the area with cold water and let it dry.

How to clean gum off the carpet? - Time for Hair Spray

A good hair day is the best of all the days. We make so many efforts to maintain our hairstyles by enhancing it with wonder products like hair spray. Well, the perks of our very own hair spray are not limited just to our hair. If you are looking around the house to find something that would remove the gum stain on your carpet, grab a hair spray. Its unique formula hardens the gum and deprives it of its stickiness. This is how to get gum out of carpet using your favourite hair spray.

• Apply a good amount of hair spray directly on the gum stain.
• After a while, it will harden and start leaving the carpet surfaces.
• Use a blunt tool like a brush or a comb to scrape it off the carpet.
• Once the gum comes off rinse the carpet with normal water and let it dry.

How to get gum out of carpet? - Liquid laundry soap

When it comes to cleaning, laundry soaps are the most versatile tools. It’s semi-liquid state, the presence of sodium and different forms of phosphates makes laundry soap a powerful cleansing agent that can dissolve easily. Even the tough gum stain on your sleek carpet can not resist it. Liquid laundry soap breaks through the gum fibers rendering it loose and brittle.

• Cover the gum affected area totally in liquid laundry soap.
• Use a toothbrush to completely drench the gum in the laundry soap.
• Allow the soap to sink in for about 5 minutes.
• Use the same toothbrush to scrape the gum off the carpet.
• Wash the area with lukewarm water and let it dry.

In the end

These are a bunch of methods every household can confidently use to get rid of the gum stain. There are several alternatives to choose from according to one’s needs and convenience. These hacks are not only effective but also easily available. What takes gum out of carpet is one of the biggest concerns of most of the housewives who have kids. Now that this query is addressed and sorted out in so many ways, sit back relax and let the kids have fun.