How To Remove Gum From Carpets

Things You’ll Need To Remove Gum From Carpet

Here are some of the items you’ll need for getting rid of chewing gum stains:

• A piece of cardboard with a hole cut out: It’s not absolutely necessary but having this extra item on hand makes cleaning more smoothly.
• Ice or a commercial aerosol chewing gum remover: This will freeze the gum for easy removal.
• A plastic bag: You don’t want the bag to have holes because that would be counterproductive. Putting the ice cubes in a plastic bag prevents them from melting everywhere.
• A tool for scraping: Avoid using tools that have sharp edges since this can harm your carpet fibers. A thumb scraper is an excellent choice for lifting off the gum.
• Lacquer thinner: This is vital for dissolving any remaining gum residue.
• Citrus-based cleaners: These solutions are a replacement for lacquer thinners; however, they may require more time and effort to soften and eliminate the residue.
• Dry cleaning solvent: There are cases where these solvents cause colors to run, so it’s best to try it on an inconspicuous area first.
• Paper towels and sponges: The two can be used interchangeably to remove gum residues and small bits from your carpet.

Steps For Removing Gum From Carpets

When you try to remove gum from the carpet with your bare hands, it will stretch and tear off, leaving a clump of gooey residue in its wake. Additionally, you run the risk of damaging your carpet’s delicate fibers.

Ridding of the sticky remnants is especially tricky for the uninformed, but once you figure it out, getting gum out of carpets is a piece of cake. Follow these steps on how to get gum out of carpet and be free from the stress.

1. Get the Area Ready

For this step, you’ll need a piece of thin cardboard with a hole cut out for the chewing gum. As an example, a notebook’s back cover would be ideal. This cardboard serves as a barrier to shield the carpet as you remove the gum from the surface. The cardboard should be placed on top of the area surrounding the gum.

2. Remove the Gum Through Freezing

Freezing gum is a traditional method for removing it from the carpet. To do this, put one or two ice cubes in a plastic bag, then place them on top of the gum wad. 

Since the melting ice is contained within a plastic bag, nothing gets wet. Then, rub the bag over the gum until it freezes. Gum solidifies and becomes brittle when frozen, like many other things.

Because the molecules compress and loosen because of the freezing process, it is much easier to extract the frozen gum from the carpet than it would have been otherwise. 

Aside from ice, you can also freeze the gum by spraying it with a commercial aerosol chewing gum remover.

Freezing gum works best when it has only recently made contact with the carpet and has not become firmly embedded in the threads.

3. Scrape Off the Remaining Gum

Using a dull knife or a spatula, carefully scrape the gum from the carpet once it has hardened enough. Take care not to damage the carpet fibers by gently lifting the gum off. 

Allow it to crumble and break into pieces before removing as much as you can. Repeat applying ice to any stubborn spots that will not budge. If some resistant bits or stains remain, go to the next step.

4. Clean Away Any Residues

Spot cleaning may be necessary after you’ve frozen and scraped the gum to eliminate any leftover residue or stains. Apply lacquer thinner to the leftover bits of gum with a sponge. 

Lacquer thinners are highly flammable and may generate toxic fumes, so be sure to follow any safety instructions on the packaging. 

Alternatively, you might try using a product with a citrus component to remove the sticky residue. Scrape or wipe the remaining gum until it’s completely gone.

5. Eliminate Lingering Stains

Gum residue might linger on your carpet even after you have removed all of it. The best way to clean older stains from chewing gum is by using a gel-based solvent like oil, grease, and adhesive remover.

Mix one tablespoon of mineral oil with eight tablespoons of a liquid dry-cleaning solution to get rid of these stains from your carpet. Using a sponge, apply a tiny mixture to the stain and blot vigorously. 

To wipe the stain more effectively, discard the piece of cardboard during this step. Avoid rubbing the stain as this could make it worse. It’s best to keep repeating and blotting until the residue has been removed completely.

6. Rinse And Thoroughly Dry The Area

To complete the cleaning process, use soap and water to remove any remaining solvent residue. Then, dry your carpet by blotting it with a towel.

The Bottomline

Getting gum on your carpet can be a frustrating experience, and however, you can definitely get rid of this gooey annoyance from your carpet by going slowly and steadily. In this article, we’ve shared different carpet care tips and steps that you need to take to resolve this problem.

If you’ve done everything you could, but the gum stain refuses to budge, getting the assistance of a professional carpet cleaning company like SaniClean Dry Carpet Cleaning can help. 

Our expert technicians have years of experience when it comes to removing pesky stains without damaging your carpet. We use a dry carpet cleaning method that’s quick and convenient, as well as safe for your kids and pets. 

With our help, you can keep your carpets clean, safe, and healthy. Contact us today to learn more about our services.