Chewing gum creates big problems for hair, carpets and clothing.
Chewing gum is a tasty treat for people of all ages. Sometimes, however, that tasty treat turns into a nightmare when the gum accidentally falls out of a person's mouth or is pulled out of a child's mouth and used as an adhesive. Gum gets stuck in inconvenient places, such as hair and clothes. In some cases, the gum-gunked item is salvageable. Most gum-removal processes involve freezing.
Clothes
Put the gum-encrusted clothing in the freezer until the gum hardens. Peel off the gum, then put dry-cleaning agent on a clean cloth and blot the fabric until the dry-cleaning solvent absorbs. Continue this process until the gum is completely gone.
Skin
Blowing gigantic bubbles with chewing gum can often lead to sticky, grime-encrusted lips or cheeks. Remove chewing gum from your skin by blotting the gummed area with a cold, wet washcloth. Use your fingernails to scrape up the bits, and then wash your skin with warm water and soap. Repeat the process as needed.
Hard Floors
Freeze the gum with a couple of ice cubes over the spot. Use a butter knife or other dull knife to remove big clumps of chewing gum smashed into hardwood, linoleum or vinyl floors. Keep your knife level with the floor as you scratch the gum off the surface of the floor. Scrape horizontally to prevent scuffs and scratches in the floor. Dab the gummed area with a rag soaked in floor cleaner, wet or dry. If necessary, blot the gum spot with mineral oil repeatedly, occasionally bashing the area with the butter knife, until the stain disappears. Wipe away the gum residue with a cleaning rag.
Carpets
Drop a couple of ice cubes onto the gum stain. Use your fingers to scrape and pull the clumps out of the carpet fibers. Sprinkle a dry-cleaning agent onto a sponge or cloth and blot the stain. Continue blotting until the stain is gone. If that does not do the trick, mix 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid with 1 tablespoon white vinegar in 2 cups of warm water. Dab the spot until the stain disappears. Use a sponge or cloth to blot the area with cold water. Blot the spot with a dry cloth until it is dry.
Hair
Again, use ice cubes to freeze the gum solid. Put peanut butter on your fingers and rub it into the hair as you separate the individual hair strands. Wash the hair with shampoo. You may need to repeat this process a few times until all of the stickiness is gone.
Tags: area with, cloth blot, until stain, area with cold, butter knife, couple cubes, dry-cleaning agent
