If you are a homeowner with kids, you know the dreaded feeling of getting a piece of chewing gum stuck on your carpet. Removing gum from the carpet can be tricky, but you don’t need to worry because we are here to help.
While you can always call professional carpet cleaning services, you can try some DIY methods to remove chewing gum from carpet using some household items like ice, a hairdryer, vinegar, and oil. Check out this article to learn more.
Ways to Remove Chewing Gum From Carpet
⤞ The Ice Method
In this method, you will use ice to freeze the gum. Once the gum is hard enough, you can remove it easily from the carpet. For this method, you will need the following items.
- Ice cubes/ Ice pack
- Resealable bags
- A dull tool like a butter knife
- Vacuum cleaner
- Carpet cleaning solution
Ensure you have all the items available to you, then start the following process.
- Place the ice cubes in a resealable plastic bag if you don’t have an ice pack.
- Lay the ice cubes on the gum for about 20-30 minutes.
- Once the ice hardens the gum, start scraping from the sides with a butter knife or other blunt tool. Be gentle while scraping to avoid removing the carpet fibres with the gum.
- If there is a stain left after removing the gum, apply a carpet cleaning solution to it.
- Vacuum up the leftover debris from the gum.
Pro Tip: Test the carpet cleaners on a hidden area of your carpet to ensure they don’t discolour your carpet.
⤞ The Hair Dryer Method
Another way to remove chewing gum from carpet is the hairdryer method. You can use the heat from the hairdryer to soften the gum. It will make it easier for you to remove the gum from your carpet. For this method, you’ll need the following.
- Hairdryer
- A cloth rag or a plastic bag
After acquiring these items, do the following.
- Carefully apply the heat from the hairdryer to the gum.
- After the gum starts to soften, blot it with a rag or a plastic bag.
- The gum should start to release from the carpet fibres.
- Lift the gum from the floor.
- If the gum starts to harden again, reapply the heat from the hairdryer.
Pro Tip: Be careful while using this method if you have a carpet with natural fibres, as it can lead to melting. Test the hairdryer first to ensure that it doesn’t melt the carpet fibres.
⤞ The Vinegar Method
Vinegar is a versatile household item. And it can even remove chewing gum stains from your carpet. Gather the following items for this process.
- Wet cloth
- Vinegar diluted with 1:4 or 1:2 water
- Old toothbrush
Start the following procedure after you have all the necessary items.
- Apply a bit of vinegar solution to the gum-stained area of the carpet.
- Work the vinegar into the carpet fibres with the toothbrush.
- Let the vinegar sit on your carpet for 20 minutes.
- Dab the vinegar off your carpet with a clean cloth.
⤞ The Solvent Method
If the gum has stained your carpet, you will need to apply solvents like oil to get rid of them. Just gather the following items.
- Blunt tools like a butterknife
- Solvent
- Clean damp-cloth
- Carpet cleaner
Then, follow these steps.
- Apply oil on the gum with the cloth.
- Scrape the gum from the carpet with the butter knife.
- Clean the stained area with water and carpet cleaning solution.
Dos and Don’ts Of Removing Gum From Carpet
Now that you have learned the best ways to remove chewing gum from carpet, there are some things that you need to remember during the process. Here is a list of dos and don’ts of removing gum from the carpet.
Dos
✔ Test out any solutions first on an inconspicuous part of the carpet before applying them to the carpet.
✔ Use dull tools to scrape the carpet.
✔ Dilute the items with water before applying it to the carpet.
✔ Start scraping from the edge of the gum-stained area.
✔ practice caution while using electronic equipment like hairdryers on the carpet.
Don’ts
❌ Scrape too hard with the tools.
❌ Try to pull off the gum by hand.
❌ Use any cleaning solutions directly over the carpet.
❌ Use sharp tools like a knife for scraping.
❌ Apply heat for too long with the hair dryer.
