Clothes full of chewing gum patches are disgusting and annoying! You've scraped it off but there's still a piece of gum still stuck to it. Fortunately, there are some tricks and techniques you can try to remove chewing gum from clothes, such as freezing, boiling, using alcohol, label remover spray, ironing, using peanut butter, laundry soap, hair spray, duct tape, lanacane, gas lighter fluid, orange oil, and WD-40. Choose one method based on the ingredients you already have at home, and consider trying several methods if the first method doesn't work.
Step
Method 1 of 15: Liquid Laundry Soap
Step 1. Cover the area affected by the gum with liquid laundry soap
Step 2. Rub the toothbrush on the gum that has been coated with the detergent
The gum will scatter.
Step 3. Use a dull knife and gently scrape the gum
Step 4. Finally, use your fingernail to scrape off the remaining gum stuck to the fabric
Step 5. Wash as usual
Method 2 of 15: Ironing
Step 1. Place the clothes or cloth on the cardboard with the gum down and against the cardboard
Step 2. Iron the area affected by the gum, setting the iron to medium heat
The gum will move off the fabric and stick to the cardboard.
Step 3. Repeat until all the gum has moved from the clothes to the cardboard
Step 4. Wash the clothes or fabric
Any remaining gum will be lost.
Method 3 of 15: Rubbing with Alcohol
Step 1. Use rubbing alcohol for a soft cloth
The alcohol will not stain or remove color from the fabric.
Step 2. Take a rag or sponge and pour some alcohol
Step 3. Rub the gum with a sponge
Wait a few minutes for the alcohol to work.
Step 4. With a spatula or wooden stick, gently pry the gum out
You can definitely get rid of the gum easily.
Step 5. Soak the affected area of gum with deodorizer and wash it with soap and water
Rinse and dry.
Method 4 of 15: Freezing
Step 1. Fold the garment or fabric so the gum is outside the fold
So, the gum should be visible.
Step 2. Put it in a plastic bag
Chewing gum should not stick to plastic bags. To prevent the gum from sticking, place the part where the gum is exposed to the top of the plastic bag.
Step 3. Close the plastic bag tightly and place it in the freezer for a few hours
This is for freezing the gum. Depending on the size of the gum and the outfit, this step can take about two or three hours.
Make sure there's enough space in the freezer so the clothes don't touch anything in there or make a separate space for the plastic bag. Do not let the bag contaminate the food in the freezer
Step 4. Remove the garment or cloth from the freezer
Open the plastic bag and remove the contents.
Step 5. Remove the gum from the clothes as quickly as possible
Use a dull knife or a butter knife (to avoid tearing the fabric). Don't let the gum melt, because frozen gum is easier to scrape off.
If the gum has melted before you scrape off all the gum that's stuck to the clothing, freeze the garment again or use ice cubes (read more tips below)
Method 5 of 15: Boiling
Step 1. Dip the area affected by the gum in very hot water
Step 2. While the cloth is still submerged, scrape the gum off with a toothbrush, knife or kitchen knife
Step 3. Brush the cloth while it is still submerged in the boiling water
Step 4. Let the clothes dry and repeat if necessary
Step 5. Alternatively, use the kettle method to vaporize the gum
Boil hot water using a kettle. Place the affected area of the gum over (not inside) the mouth of the kettle, so that the steam from the kettle hits the gum directly. Leave it for a minute or so to soften the gum. Scrub in one direction with a toothbrush to remove the gum.
Method 6 of 15: Label Remover
Step 1. Use a label removal spray, such as Servisol Label Remover 130, to spray the affected area of the gum
Step 2. Leave it for 1 minute
The adhesive in the spray takes time to function.
Step 3. With a soft-bristled wire brush, brush off the gum
Chewing gum can definitely be removed easily.
Step 4. Add soap to the area and rinse off the label remover
A label remover will easily clean the garment or fabric, but if you're not sure, test it on an unused cloth first.
Method 7 of 15: Peanut Butter
Step 1. Spread peanut butter all over the surface of the gum
Cover the gum with as much peanut butter as possible.
But remember, peanut butter can tarnish cloth because it contains oil. If the peanut butter stains, use a stain remover to remove the grease before you wash the clothes.
Step 2. Scrape the gum gently with a dull knife
Scrape and mix the gum with the peanut butter you applied earlier, until the gum is no longer attached to the fabric.
Step 3. Wait until the gum softens and loses its stickiness
Step 4. Scrape the gum from the clothes
Apply stain remover to the oil-affected area, scrub, and wash as usual.
Method 8 of 15: Vinegar
Step 1. Heat a cup of vinegar in the microwave or on the stove
Remove when the vinegar is almost boiling.
Step 2. Dip the toothbrush in hot vinegar and scrub the gum with the toothbrush
Do it quickly, because the hotter the vinegar, the better the results.
Step 3. Continue dipping and rubbing until the gum is gone
Reheat the vinegar if necessary.
Step 4. Wash the clothes to remove the vinegar smell
Method 9 of 15: Goof Off
Step 1. Set up Goof Off
Goof Off is a powerful stain remover and can be used to remove chewing gum. You can buy it at the nearest store or supermarket.
You can also use Goo Gone to remove stains from clothes. You can buy this product in stores, supermarkets or via the internet
Step 2. Spray a small amount of Goof Off on the hidden areas of the clothes to test whether this product makes your clothes fade or not
Or, spray on the same type of fabric but not used, to check if Goof Off makes the fabric fade or not.
Step 3. Spray Goof Off on the gum
Scrape immediately with a butter knife.
Step 4. Rub the remaining gum with a paper towel to remove any remaining gum
You may have to spray more Goof Off for the gum to completely disappear.
Step 5. Air the clothes outdoors until the Goof Off has evaporated
Method 10 of 15: Hair Spray
Step 1. Spray some hair spray on the gum
Chewing gum will harden due to hair spray.
Step 2. Immediately scrape or pick the candy by hand
Hardened gum can be taken easily.
Step 3. Continue until all the gum is gone
Wash as usual.
Method 11 of 15: Duct tape
Step 1. Cut the duct tape to the size of the gum
Step 2. Press the duct tape firmly against the gum
If possible, cover the entire surface of the gum with duct tape. Be careful not to let the entire side of the duct tape stick to the clothes or fabric, as this will make it difficult for you to open it later.
Step 3. Remove the duct tape
Remove the gum from the duct tape or cut a new piece of duct tape to repeat the action.
Step 4. Repeat until all the gum is gone
Method 12 of 15: The Lanacane Method
Step 1. Remove as much gum as possible
The smaller the area affected by the gum, the less gum will have to be removed.
Step 2. Apply Lanacane on the gum, wait 30 seconds or less
You can get Lanacane at drug stores or grocery stores.
Lanacane contains Ethanol, Isobutane, Glycol, and Acetate. These chemicals accelerate the release of gum from clothing
Step 3. Scrape the gum with a dull knife
You can also use a sharp knife for better results, but it can tear the fabric if not done carefully.
Step 4. Wash as usual
Method 13 of 15: Gasoline or Fill a Match
Step 1. Drizzle the gum with gasoline
The gasoline will dissolve the gum. Be careful with gasoline, because it is flammable and dangerous. Just use a little.
Step 2. Scrape off any remaining gum with a knife, toothbrush, or putty knife
Step 3. Soak your clothes, separate from other laundry and wash as usual
This will remove the gasoline smell that has stuck to the clothes.
Step 4. If there is no gas, use the contents of a gas lighter
Dip the back of the cloth with the gum in the gas lighter. The contents of a gas lighter are liquid to refill a match that runs out of fuel.
- Turn the cloth over, and you should be able to scrape the gum off easily.
- Add a little more gas fill to remove any remaining gum, then rinse thoroughly before you wash it as usual. The washer dryer will remove the remaining liquid from your clothes.
Method 14 of 15: Orange Oil
Step 1. Use orange oil extract, which is made from orange peel
Step 2. Apply a small amount of oil on a clean cloth or sponge
Step 3. Brush the gum
Use a dull knife or a spatula if necessary.
Step 4. Wash clothes as usual
Method 15 of 15: WD40
Step 1. Spray WD40 on the area affected by the gum
Step 2. Rub the gum with a cloth or brush
Step 3. Wash as usual
Step 4. Now, everything is clean
Tips
- You should know that substances like peanut butter and orange oil can leave stains permanently. So think twice before using it, because you are at your own risk.
- Try rubbing ice cubes on the gum to freeze it if the gum is just a little stuck to your clothes. To prevent the cloth from getting wet because the ice melts, put the ice cubes in a plastic bag. Once the gum is completely frozen, quickly scrape it off with a butter knife as described above.
- If all else fails, or if you don't want your delicate and expensive clothes or fabrics to be damaged, take them to a washer to have them cleaned without staining or damaging the fabric. It does cost money, but your expensive clothes will survive.
Warning
- Scrubbing with a toothbrush, scraping with a dull knife, or heating clothes can also permanently damage clothes.
- If vinegar, peanut butter, and the other ingredients listed above are not used to remove gum, but are used for something else on clothes, they can damage the fabric.
- Do not use flammable cleaning fluids near heat, sparks (including "static" sparks), or exposed electrical connections.
- Gasoline is a carcinogen and has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Do not get on the skin and inhale the smell.
