Carpet is a popular choice for the home flooring decor where people seek some extra warmth and comfort under feet besides adding glamour to the ambiance. It often gets dirty due to users. People often found misusing the carpet by wearing their shoes in the house on it, spilling drinks, dropping food, etc. Therefore you have to clean the carpet regularly. However, other than regular dirt and grimes, chewing gum is one of the many elements that stick to carpet where it’s not supposed to be and create mess on your carpet. Removing chewing gum from carpet is very difficult as it easily damages delicate carpet fibres. Have you ever got stuck in the same problem with your carpet due to chewing gum? Then don’t worry, and just keep reading this article till the end, and know the handy remedies to remove chewing gum from carpet.
Tips to Remove Chewing Gum from Carpet
How to Clean Gum from Carpet with the Hairdryer Method?
The most popular method to remove gum from carpet is to start “Blow Drying” on the gum, and you have to switch on the warm (not hot) mode of setting of your dryer. Watch the gum carefully, as you also don’t want to melt the carpet fibres. As soon as the gum seems soft and sticky, put a small plastic bag around it and gently pull of the bag, bringing the gum with it. Repeat the process until all of the gum is removed out of the carpet, or there is just a little bit left on the carpet. For that little bit, smear the petroleum jelly (Vaseline), rolling the gum into it. Then wash the spot with a gentle laundry detergent and finally rinse with water.
Removing Chewing Gum from the Carpet Using Ice Cubes
First, scrape the chewing gum with a dull knife. Place a few ice cubes in a plastic bag and put against the chewing gum that has dropped on the carpet. The ice will make the gum brittle and you will be able to break it off or carefully pull it off the gum. This is one of the easiest methods of carpet cleaning. If the gum spot is still remaining visible and you are feeling awkward, use warm vinegar to remove gum from carpet. Just apply it and allow it to set for some time. Rinse it off using clean water. To get rid of the unwanted stickiness on the carpet after you have removed the gum, use fresh lemon juice.
How to Get Gum Out of a Carpet with the help of Oil?
Oil decreases gum stickiness and this can be a very effective method for chewing gum removal from the carpet. When you have gotten rid of the gum, the next challenge is washing the oil off the rug. On a clean cloth, put some cooking oil such as olive oil and add it to the gum. Saturate the gum with oil by constantly adding oil to the fabric. Scrape the gum gently off the rug using a knife. Each time, scrape in the same direction and clean the knife blade after each time you gave used for scrapping. It will help you to prevent the gum from being returned to the rug. Repeat the process till the chewing gum is completely gone. Clean the gum smeared portion with a mix of dish soap and water in order to get rid of the oil stains. With a clean cloth dipped in the solvent, scrub the rug. Blot with a towel to dry. Until it gets dry, don’t step on the rug.
How to Get Gum Out of a Carpet with Peanut Butter?
After the excess gum has been scraped up (if you first freeze the gum with ice cubes, the removal task will become easier), catch the peanut butter and rub it into the carpet. Ensure that the butter is the only spread on the area affected. Wipe the gum on the carpet fibres with the aid of a clean cloth after rubbing the peanut butter on the spot. It will leave behind a bit of butter. There is no need to worry, though. You can use mixture of 1 teaspoon of liquid dish washing detergent together with 1 cup of warm water to get rid of the excess peanut butter. Dab the affected area with this solution. The carpet will look just as before while it dries. Use paper towel to blot the area so that it gets dried faster.
How to Get Gum Out of Carpet with Vinegar?
Depending on your carpet material, make a vinegar solution. Combine 1/4 of a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar with 4 cups of water for cleaning of delicate carpets or rugs. To clean a synthetic carpet, blend 1/2 cup vinegar with 1 cup water. For natural fibre rugs, mix 1/2 cup vinegar with 1/2 cup water. Dip the cloth in vinegar solution and dab at the residue of the gum. Don’t rub it. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes until the spot is saturated in the vinegar solution. Wet a clean cloth with cold water, dab the stain again and rinse the vinegar away. Let the carpet thoroughly air dry. Until the stain disappears, repeat this cleaning process.
Use of Other Solvents to Remove Gum
You can also apply solvents like dry-cleaning cleaner, citrus dependent degreaser, and mineral spirits to the gum. The gum polymers would be dissolved by these solvents making them less sticky and easier to clean from the carpet. Use a cleaning cloth to apply the solvent directly to the wad of gum. As a solvent, a muscle rub substance containing methyl salicylate can also be used for improved efficiency. Always apply a small amount of solvent on a hidden portion of the carpet to make sure that no staining will form after using the solvent to remove chewing gum. Give time for the solvent to be absorbed into the gum. Before you start attempting to extract the gum, wait for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the stubborn character of the gum. The solvents will work their way through the gum polymers during this time and release the chewing gum build up, thereby will help you to eliminate the gum flawlessly from the carpet. With the gentle help of a butter knife, you can slowly scrape the gum off. To avoid damage of the carpet fibres, use a scraping motion in the same direction for every pass. You have to make a solution of 1 teaspoon of mild detergent and 1 quart of lukewarm water to sponge the area. Finish the cleaning process by removing all residues of the solvents with soap and water. Use a towel to blot dry, and once it gets over, you will get to enjoy your clean and chewing gum-free carpet.
Using above tips, you can gently remove chewing gum from carpet. These safe and effective carpet cleaning tips will leave sticky, dirt attracting residue behind, so that your home and home décor looks sparkling clean and hygienic for longer!
Apart from chewing gum cleaning from carpet, Gharpedia has also given tips for cleaning the carpet’s coffee stain. Have a look here.
Before you take a leave, check some useful blogs about carpet, which will surely help you.
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