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How To Get Gum Out Of Carpet? What Are Some Easy Ways To Remove Gum From Carpet And Many More.

The worst thing that can get into your carpet is chewing gum. It is difficult to remove gum from soft fibers like carpet, especially since gum adheres to most surfaces. Chewing gum’s pliable texture makes it easy to penetrate microscopic crevices and form a tight bond with just about anything it touches.

With your hand, you can’t pull gum off the carpet without leaving behind an ugly chunk of tacky residue.

How to get gum out of carpet?

How to get gum out of carpet? If you find yourself in a situation where your wonderful dog or even child has decided to chew some gum on the carpet, there are steps you can take to remove it. Chances are, this is happening because the chewing gum is stuck on something and either your pet or young children are trying to get at it by chewing. There are several things that you should do before attempting any removal of the gum.

First get rid of whatever is stuck with the gum. Use a butter knife or something similar if necessary but be careful not to damage anything underneath if possible. After removing the offending object, examine the surface for any traces of fabric so that when you have removed all signs of gum you will know whether or not the gum has damaged the surface of your carpet or furniture.

When is removal necessary?

Sometimes removing gum before it dries and becomes difficult to remove is the only option. There are three commonly used items that can be used to break down the gum so that it may be easy to pick up or vacuumed out of the carpet. These items include ice, oil and WD-40. A couple small plastic containers should also be included in order to store these things while they work on breaking down the gum.

The reason these items are effective for this process is because each one contains a different chemical composition which allows them to penetrate different parts of the structure of the gum itself. It has been found that when using an item such as WD-40 or any other petroleum based product it is actually possible to remove the gum stain from the carpet entirely, as well as the scent of chewing gum which will often linger after removal. However, if these products are not used correctly they may even cause more damage than good causing the nylons and dyes in your carpet to bleed and fade away.

Method to get gum out of carpet

Tools:

  • Ice cubes
  • Plastic zip lock bag
  • Vegetable oil (preferably canola)
  • WD-40 or other petroleum based product (use with caution!)
  • Scraping tool (toothpick works nicely)
  • Cheesecloth or cotton rag
  • 409 cleaner or equivalent

Step by step guide

  1. Place a few handfuls of ice cubes in a zip lock bag. You should have enough so that when you push the bag flat the ice is approximately 1/4” thick.
  2. Place the zip lock bag with ice directly onto the gum stain, or near it if you are using a scraping tool. This will harden the gum so that it is easier to remove.
  3. Use a scraping tool (such as a toothpick) to scrape around and under the hardened bits of gum until they break down enough to be easily removed with your fingers. Once this happens, proceed this immediately onward from here.
  4. If you need to use oil or WD-40 follow these steps:
    • Remove some vegetable oil from its container and place it in one of your plastic containers. Do not use peanut oil for this method.
    • Pour some WD-40 into the second plastic container. Do not use WD-40 that has been stored for a long time, it should be relatively brand new.
    • Apply the oil directly to the gum stain with your fingers or an old rag wrapped around your finger tips. If you accidentally get any on your carpet it is important to rinse it off immediately with warm water and blot dry with paper towels until all traces of the oil are gone. The oils will be able to penetrate different parts of the gum allowing for easier removal later on you can vacuum up or pick up what’s left.
  5. Next apply the WD-40 to the exact same area. You should notice that it will begin breaking down immediately and loosen any remaining gum tissue.
  6. Pick up any gum pieces and wipe away with paper towels leaving a thin layer of oil on the carpet. Then blot with another clean rag dampened in warm water, no soap is necessary because you have already applied this to your carpet when you used the oil or WD-40.
  7. If you are satisfied with the results then rinse out your rag in warm water without adding anything to it, then blot dry once more.

Read More: How To Get Rid Of Water Bugs? A Complete Guide

Get rid of gum from carpet without cutting or replacing

There are some methods by which we can get rid of gum from the carpet. All these methods are good. You can try any of these to clean your carpet.

Use enzyme cleaner

If you have replaced your carpet or are getting rid of an inexpensive piece of furniture that cannot saved due to contamination from chewing gum, you can simply use an enzyme cleaner to remove any trace of chewing gum. Enzyme cleaners are generally non-toxic and will not harm children or pets. If you get the gum off right away it shouldn’t stain too badly but if it dries in there, there’s little hope for removing it without either sanding it out or replacing the affected area.

Use of hair drier

Gum easily pulls off of hair when warm and soft after coming in contact with a hair dryer on high heat for 20 seconds. Since hair dryers usually reach much hotter temperatures than that, keep blowing over the spot until the gum is completely gone. Just ensure that there is nothing sensitive nearby that may melt from the high heat, such as a plastic object.

Use of Vinegar

You can soak up excess gum with vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. First of all, pour some white distilled vinegar over the gum and blot with a piece of cloth until the majority of the sticky material is absorbed by your fabric. If there is any sticky left after that, then put on a pair of rubber gloves and apply undiluted hydrogen peroxide onto the affected area and let it bubble for approximately five minutes before blotting at it. This will remove all traces of chewing gum from carpet fibers.

Use of bubble gum ice cube

Get an ice cube ready in advance so you can use it immediately remove gum from clothing or carpeting. Keep the ice cube inside of a plastic sandwich bag and rub it over the gum until it becomes hard, about 30 seconds or so. The gum should come off immediately when you peel back the bag.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it good idea to cut or replace the piece of carpet?

No, first you should try some methods to get rid of gum. If any of them is not working then you can cut and replace it.

Is there any harm to use all these methods?

No, these is no harm to you carpet if you are using these. But off course it is important that you should work with great care.

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