Accidentally got a sticky chewing gum on your clothing..? Let’s see what to do next. When chewing gum comes into touch with fabrics while it's still soft and malleable, it may get attached to the clothing. As the gum cools and hardens, it could cling to the fabric's fibers, making the removal a difficult process. The gum may also become stuck if it is stepped on or pressed against clothing. Chewing gum can be removed from clothing by either freezing the gum and scraping it off, or by adding rubbing alcohol or vinegar, to dissolve the gum. Keep reading to know how.
Simple Ways to Remove Chewing Gum From Clothes
Although it can be a stressful and challenging task, chewing gum removal from clothing can be accomplished successfully with the correct techniques and equipments. Different techniques may be more effective than others depending on the fabric type and the amount of gum that needs to be eliminated.
1) Scrape Off the Gum
Use a blunt instrument, such as a butter knife or plastic scraper, to successfully remove chewing gum from clothing. If the gum is still soft and malleable, use a solvent like rubbing alcohol or vinegar to dissolve it, and then use a blunt object to scrape it off. Alternatively, apply pressure to the gum to break it up into tiny pieces, scrape in one direction. Work slowly and in portions if the area is huge.
2) Freeze Remove Using Your Refrigerator
Freezing is one of the most widely used techniques for getting chewing gum out of clothing. Clothing made of cotton, polyester, or other synthetic textiles responds best to this technique. Put the garment in a plastic bag and freeze it to utilize this approach. The gum should become brittle and simple to break off once it has frozen. To remove the gum from the fabric, use a butter knife or a similar object. Be careful not to stretch or harm the fabric by pulling or tugging too hard.
3) Remove gum with Alcohol or Vinegar
Utilizing solvents, such as vinegar or rubbing alcohol, is another well-liked technique. These solvents have the ability to dissolve the gum and facilitate removal. Apply a small bit of vinegar or rubbing alcohol on the gum and let it sit for a few minutes to employ this technique. Then, scrape the gum off the fabric with a butter knife or a similar instrument. To ensure that the solvent won't damage or discolour the fabric, test it on a hidden portion of the fabric first.
4) Using Peanut Butter to Remove Gum from clothes
Peanut Butter is a great home solution to remove gum off clothes, apply some Peanut Butter on the gum, wait for a few minutes and then scrape it off gently with a butter knife.
5) Remove gum with Iron steam
To remove chewing gum from clothes using an iron with steam, first, place the clothing on an ironing board and put a cloth or brown paper over the gum. Then, set the iron to the steam setting and hold it about an inch above the gum. The steam will soften the gum, making it easier to scrape off with a blunt tool such as a butter knife or plastic scraper. Once most of the gum is removed, you can iron the area with a warm iron to remove any remaining residue. Be careful not to press the iron directly on the fabric as it may cause damage or burn the fabric. Repeat the process if necessary.
6) Remove With Liquid Laundry Detergent
Chewing gum can also be eliminated from clothing using laundry detergent. Apply a small amount of laundry detergent on the gum and rub it into the fabric with your fingertips to employ this technique. After that, wash the item as usual in the washing machine. Before putting a clothing in the washing machine, make sure to read the label to see if it needs to be dry cleaned or hand washed.
7) Remove Chewing gum from clothes Using Coconut Oil
Coconut oil can be used to remove chewing gum from clothes. Apply a generous amount of coconut oil on the gum, let it sit a few minutes to soften the gum, use a blunt tool to gently scrape off the gum. Repeat the process if necessary, and once you removed most of the gum, wash the clothing as usual to remove any remaining oil residue. Be sure to test the coconut oil on small inconspicuous area of the clothing first and keep in mind that it can be greasy and may leave a stain on light-colored fabrics.
Professional Care
If all the above methods fail, or you're dealing with a delicate garment, take it to a professional cleaner. They have specialized equipment to remove gum from clothes, such as dry cleaning solvents and specialized cleaning machines. They will be able to handle the situation carefully and effectively.
It's important to remember that the gum will be harder to remove the longer it sits on the cloth. In order to prevent gum from setting and adhering to the fibers of the fabric, try to remove it as soon as you can if you detect it on your clothing.
In summary, there are several methods to remove chewing gum from clothes such as freezing, solvents, Peanut Butter, laundry detergent and specialized products, or taking it to a professional cleaner. Each method has its own pros and cons, and it's important to test the method on an inconspicuous area of the fabric before attempting to remove the gum. Act fast is the key to remove gum effectively.