Chewing gum can freshen your breath in seconds. And just as quickly it can ruin your clothes. One awkward movement or innocent prank - and the sticky substance has already been absorbed into the fibers of the fabric and firmly fixed there. It's annoying, but fixable. Let's figure out how and what you can use to remove chewing gum from clothes at home.
Chewing gum stuck to clothing is not uncommon. But don’t despair: read our review on how you can quickly deal with this problem
Why is chewing gum difficult to wash off?
Once on clothing, chewing fruit gum penetrates deeply between the fibers into the fabric structure, filling the space between the threads.
The product clogs free micro-areas. Having dried, it becomes one with the canvas. It is difficult to clean an elastic band that has stuck to the fabric due to the adhesion of dirt and dust.
Folk methods for cleaning items of clothing from chewing gum can be divided into three groups:
- Cold cleaning.
- Hot cleaning.
- Use of special equipment.
How to choose the right cleaning method
To clean things from chewing gum, you should first of all focus on the manufacturer’s recommendations on the label, as well as the type of material:
- Synthetics absolutely do not tolerate solvents, just like silk. Therefore, it is best to clean delicate items using liquid soap, washing powder, and vinegar.
- Cold helps to cope with contaminants that have not yet become embedded in the structure of the fibers. If this happens, then re-freezing will not give any results, and new scrapings can damage the material.
- Hot methods of exposure are best tolerated by natural fabrics of plant origin - cloth, linen, denim, cotton, and so on. But it is better to clean alpaca wool by freezing or using an antistatic agent or hairspray.
- It is better to first test all aggressive agents on an inconspicuous area of clothing.
The temperature effect is selected strictly in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, regardless of the fabric.
Peanut butter
You can resort to vegetable oil: olive, soybean, sunflower, corn. Using a cotton swab, apply oil to the stuck gum, being careful not to stain the fabric with oil. Hold the item in this position for several minutes so that the oil dissolves the gum. After this, wash off the softened gum with hot water, using a brush and soap. Finally, wash the item.
Nut butters, such as peanut butter, can be used not only to make sandwiches, but also as a means to remove stuck gum from clothes.
Place the stained item on a flat surface, apply a little nut oil directly to the stain and leave for 20 minutes. Chewing gum under the influence of oil will lose its elasticity and can be easily removed from the fabric. After scraping off the stuck elastic, wash the product in hot water.
A few drops of eucalyptus oil should be applied directly to the stain, wait a few minutes, and then wash in hot water using laundry soap.
Remove chewing gum from carpet
Try rolling it with your fingers or scraping the gum off with something sharp. If that doesn’t work, proceed to freezing with ice placed in a plastic bag. Then take a teaspoon and start cleaning with the edge.
There are nuances that must be taken into account:
- the pile lies in a certain direction, so all actions must be carried out only in this direction;
- no lateral or anti-pile movements, otherwise the chewing gum will rub into the carpet pile.
Temperature method of pollution control
The method you choose to remove stains depends on the clothing on which the gum is stuck. Delicate materials such as silk, wool, satin and chiffon cannot be cleaned using hot methods. Fabrics are susceptible to high temperatures. Cold (placing the item in the freezer) is applicable to many types of textiles, but is not suitable for large items that cannot be put into the freezer (jacket, fur coat).
Application of cold
Cold methods for removing chewing gum from clothes include the following:
- freezing;
- use of ice;
- use of cold water.
Freezing soiled clothing is suitable for items made of dense material. Sequence of actions to clean matter from stuck chewing gum:
- Place the item with the stain facing up.
- Put it in a bag.
- Leave the bag in the freezer for two to three hours.
- Remove the item from the freezer and carefully scrape off any dirt.
You need to quickly remove chewing gum from your clothes to prevent it from melting. It is not recommended to use a sharp knife to avoid cutting the fabric.
Small stains from chewing tasty gum can be cleaned with an ice cube:
- Wrap the stained item in plastic so that the stain is directly underneath it.
- Place ice on top (preferably wrapped in film).
- Check whether the chewing gum is frozen and remove it with a knife.
Dry ice is commercially available to clean clothes. A product similar to freezing can be purchased at a radio parts store, called “Freezer,” or look for a special spray for removing chewing gum “Chewing Gum Removers” in the household chemicals section of supermarkets.
Hot ways
There are several ways to remove stains from clothes:
- Boiling.
- Using hot water.
- Steam cleaning of clothes from chewing gum.
- Ironing.
- Using a hair dryer.
Hot methods should not be used to clean clothes made from delicate fabrics. Silk, leather, wool, satin and others do not tolerate high temperatures and may deteriorate.
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Do not wash items made from synthetic fabric or colored cotton with hot water.
How to clean a gum stain:
- Immerse the soiled area of the item in hot water.
- When the fabric gets wet, use a sharp object (knife or scissors) in water to clean the chewing gum.
- Take out the clothes and rub the damage with your hands.
- Dry the item. If necessary, repeat the process.
You can clean chewing gum using hot water in a basin or pan. The item of clothing is soaked in it for five minutes, and then the area where there was dirt is scrubbed with a toothbrush.
If the fabric allows (you cannot iron synthetics with a hot iron), the stain can be cleaned with an iron:
- The clothes are placed on cardboard (or newspaper) with the stain down.
- The iron is heated at medium temperature.
- Iron the stained area until the chewing gum remains on the cardboard. She must be absorbed into it.
A bulky item can be cleaned with steam:
- Boil the kettle or keep it on the fire so that steam comes out of the spout.
- Apply to the stained area and wait until the rubber comes off.
- Next, clean the item with a brush.
You can use a hair dryer to remove gum. You need to direct a stream of hot air to the area of contamination, then rub it with a stiff brush. If a trace remains, it is worth repeating the manipulations.
Features of processing taking into account the type of fabric
First, inspect the affected tissue. If you pour vinegar on an expensive item and steam it at the maximum temperature of a hairdryer, you are more likely to have an even worse result in your hands.
The type of fabric should be indicated on the label, otherwise it is better to trust dry cleaning. If you are ready to take a risk, we have described the restrictions for fabrics below.
Cotton
Cotton fabric is unpretentious. For this, you can safely pick up a hairdryer or steamer, but use only warm temperature settings.
A freezer, chemicals that can be found in every home - vinegar, alcohol, or even hot boiling water - all this can be used to get rid of stubborn stains.
Linen
A more capricious fabric, the ideal option for it is a couple of hours in the freezer.
If you still decide to use alcohol or even vinegar, check their effect on the fabric in an inconspicuous area; this waste of time will save you from regrets in the future.
Hot processing is only permissible for pure linen, without additives, and not for elegant, delicate items.
Synthetics
Synthetics do not like heat; they shrink and lose color and shape, and the result is impossible to predict.
Take into account how thick your fabric is and whether there are complex patterns or designs. It is better to use simple soap, even liquid soap, to avoid surprises.
Wool
Because it is a very fluffy warm material, it will be almost the most difficult to handle. Chewing gum gets clogged into the pores and sticks the villi together.
The freezer should be able to clean such clothes, and then removing the chewing gum will be much easier.
The backup option is alcohol, which is also suitable for wool.
Leather, leatherette
How to remove chewing gum from a leather jacket? Expose it to negative temperatures for a short time, and peeling the gum off the skin will not be difficult. Residues are completely washed off with soap and plain water. Afterwards, it will not be superfluous to apply care to protect the material, a specialized spray or cream.
But remember - if the leather is not natural, then you should not freeze it under any circumstances.
It is recommended to wash stains from leatherette with a solution of soap and weak ammonia, or a solution of vinegar and water, just one tablespoon is enough.
Jeans
Real denim will not deteriorate from heat, so feel free to use it. Use a hairdryer or steam on the problem area, and the item will become as good as new. Alcohol and products based on it will also do the job perfectly.
The only thing to be wary of is that the jeans may fade or the fibers may be damaged by mechanical cleaning.
Velor, suede, nubuck
The most complex fabrics can only be trusted to be frozen.
But that’s not all - you should remove the chewing gum carefully, and then go through the villi of the material with a care brush. This will get rid of residue and return the fabric to more of its original appearance.
Cleaning with home remedies
Home remedies that allow you to remove dried dirt from clothes include vinegar, acetone, vegetable oil, salt, gasoline, and adhesive tape.
Chewing gum smeared on the surface of a fabric can be removed by gasoline. Before cleaning an area, it is recommended to test on a small piece of the same item.
- Boil a small amount of water in a saucepan.
- Pull the clothes over the steaming pan so that the stain falls in the center.
- Wipe the softened chewing gum with a cotton pad soaked in gasoline.
- As soon as the gum begins to come off, you need to clean it with a knife or a stiff brush with short bristles.
There are other ways to remove gum from clothing. Vinegar can help remove old traces of chewing gum that have dried out and become embedded in the fibers. Its solution must be poured into a pan and heated. Dip a brush into the warm liquid and use it to remove the stain.
For items made of dense, plain material (jeans, jackets), acetone is recommended as a cleaner. The product should not be used on thin fabrics; the aggressive component can damage the fibers and smear the chewing gum. To clean marks, you need to soak a cotton swab in acetone.
Vegetable oil can remove colored gum from clothes. Any will do: olive, sunflower, rapeseed. To avoid staining the entire item, it is recommended to treat the stain gradually, using a cotton swab or cotton swab.
Non-standard methods to clean stains include using Coca-Cola, hairspray or adhesive tape. If the chewing gum is fresh and has not yet smeared and become embedded in the fabric, tape will help. It is attached to the print, then torn off with a sharp movement. The chewing gum should stick and remain on the tape; wash the clothes by hand or in the washing machine to completely remove the chewing gum stain. Water the area of contamination with cola, and after a while the fallen off lumps are removed with a brush.
Chewing gum is treated on both sides with hairspray. After the product has hardened, it needs to be cleaned off with a knife and the item washed.
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One strange way is to remove the stain with chewing gum. The method is risky - a second one may stick to one rubber band.
Professional products
In addition to folk remedies, there are also professional ones. They are capable of not only chewing gum, but also glue from tape, posters, etc. These cleaning fluids remove even traces of tar stains.
In the vast majority of cases, the preparations do not emit a pungent odor and do not contain caustic solvents that are dangerous to humans. They can clean stains on fabrics, as well as wood, metal, stone (natural and artificial), glass and plastic. But if chewing gum sticks to rubber or latex, you should use gentle folk remedies. Professional “chemistry” harms rubber-based materials.
As a rule, cleaning products are supplied in the form of aerosol cans, but ordinary plastic containers with liquid are also available. The average cost is 300-900 rubles. per package.
Stain removers
On the shelves of modern hardware stores there is a huge selection of such products. The most famous ones include Vanish, Ecover, Amway, Sarma. You can also use the following tools:
- Universal stain remover Eksol D 60;
- Anti-sticker - aerosol "Khimitek" - a stain remover suitable for cleaning delicate fabrics;
- MULTI-PLAST – professional liquid stain remover with lemon scent for all surfaces, including textiles;
- Sapur Freeze – aerosol with a freezing effect;
- Megam S is a liquid aerosol product for removing sticky stains.
Before using the stain remover, carefully read the included instructions. Also, to avoid damage to items, it is recommended to test the stain remover on a piece of fabric, and only then apply it to the item. For white fabrics, use special products that cannot be used on colored fabrics.
You can remove chewing gum from clothes using special products. The product leaves greasy, white marks, especially noticeable on black plain fabric. To clean the product, take dishwashing detergent and apply it to the gum mark. Leave for five to ten minutes. Then the item must be washed using powder.
Special chemicals (stain removers), improvised means: nail polish remover, acetone, alcohol can cope with chewing gum prints.
Acetone can damage thin clothes; if you need to clean delicate material, it is recommended to take nail polish remover and make sure that it does not contain an aggressive component. The product is suitable for colored fabrics.
Alcohol is used for thin material; a cotton pad is soaked in it and left on the chewing gum stain for several minutes. Clothes must be washed by hand. Leather products damaged by rubber bands can be cleaned with a sponge dipped in soapy water or dishwashing liquid.
In large stores there are special products for sale to remove marks from gum, as it tends to be absorbed and dry out. The products can be used on clothing, furniture, carpeted floors, and walls.
It is important to follow the instructions for use, do not exceed the dosage and time (do not overexpose the product on the fabric), do not smear the gum, and clean the dirt carefully.
When you have tried all the methods, but the elastic is not completely cleaned, the stain has spread and left an unsightly mark, you should take the clothes to the dry cleaner. Stain removers used by professionals can dissolve chewing gum and clean the item.
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Ironing
Fast, effective and therefore very popular method. The soiled item is turned inside out and placed on a sheet of cardboard, felt or natural fabric folded several times. And then apply a heated iron (in the “Wool” mode) to the problem area and hold it there for some time.
At the same time, it is important not to press the iron tightly and not to move it back and forth, otherwise the elastic band will only melt, aggravating the situation. The heated mass should remain on the underlying canvas. True, a greasy stain will remain on the cleaned item, but it is easy to wash it off with laundry soap or dishwashing detergent.
Aerosol WD-40
This product, created to remove rust from metal surfaces, can be successfully used to solve our problem. Place the affected item on a flat surface and apply the product by pressing the dispenser directly onto the chewing gum stain. After waiting a few minutes, remove the gum with a nail file or knife. Use a brush and soap to sting the remaining gum particles.
The aerosol is not suitable for all types of fabric: natural and delicate fabrics should not be treated with it.
Rub with orange or peanut butter
If you have peanut butter or orange butter in your refrigerator, you can use them to remove gum. Using a toothbrush, apply a small amount of oil to the stain with the eraser, being careful not to touch the surrounding fabric. Wait 2-3 minutes, then carefully scrape off the gum with a knife, blade or other sharp object. The final stage is washing by hand or in a machine, which must be done as quickly as possible.
White
Prepare the soiled item by laying it on a flat, clean surface. Apply a few drops of “Whiteness” directly to the chewing gum stain and leave for 10 minutes. After time has passed, remove the dirt with a brush, and wash the product in hot water with the addition of a high-quality laundry detergent. To remove the smell of bleach, rinse the item in water and add a fragrant conditioner to it.
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This product is only suitable for white linen or cotton fabrics.
Application of solutions
You can also use the following methods to get rid of chewing gum:
- Alcohol. Alcohol is known as a good stain remover, and it is also suitable for working with sticky nuisances. Dip a kitchen sponge in it and thoroughly wipe the stained area. After a few minutes, try scrubbing it off the fabric using a blunt object.
- Acetone. Regular nail polish remover with acetone or pure liquid is another option for your salvation. Apply acetone to the gum and clean off the dirt. If you are trying to clean colored fabric, it is better to resort to using nail polish remover without acetone.
- Peanut butter. It turns out that this product is not only incredibly tasty, but also useful in household matters. Apply a small amount of oil to the sticky stain, but try to avoid getting it on the fabric itself. Try to tear off the elastic band and then wash the product.
- Duct tape. If you notice this useful and versatile item at home, cut off a small piece and stick it to the gum, trying to avoid the area around it. Remove the tape with a sharp movement and repeat until the clothes are clean. If you just recently noticed sticky gum, try to remove it using tape in the same way.
- Hair fixation spray. The cosmetic product is perfect to cope with the unpleasant problem of chewing gum on clothes. The ideal hairspray will have the strongest hold. Spray both sides of clothing, allowing the gum time to harden. Scrape off the slime and throw the item in the wash. This option is suitable for different fabrics, for example, it will be a good assistant in the question - how to remove chewing gum from trousers?
- Petrol. You should be as careful as possible with this method, because the substance is flammable. An alternative to gasoline can be lighter gas. Moisten the stain with the chosen product and clean with a spatula or toothbrush. Please note that it is better to use gas on the back side of the product. After such dry cleaning, wash the item by hand and then put it in the washing machine to get rid of the pungent odor.
- Dishwashing liquid. A home remedy is quite suitable, although not for everything. It is better not to use it for thick jeans, as it may leave a light stain. If this is not your case, soak the gum for 30-40 minutes and throw it in the wash.
- Stain removers. You can also try to clean a favorite item, such as pants, using a store-bought product. Choose an option that suits the color and density of the fabric and start cleaning the sticky spot; you may have to repeat the action more than once. To protect your favorite pants from possible negative consequences, first try the stain remover on the inside of the fabric.
- Liquid washing powder. This remedy will also be effective in solving the problem. Rub the powder thoroughly into the contaminated area of clothing, wait a little and scrape off the gum. After this, send the product to the wash.
Getting rid of chewing gum on clothes is not such an easy task, but prompt action and a few simple tips will certainly help you figure out how to remove chewing gum from a product without leaving the slightest trace of it!
Alcohol-containing perfume
Ammonia is a universal remedy that can remove many contaminants. Soak a cotton pad with ammonia and apply it to the sticky gum for a few minutes. After that, clean it with a brush.
To remove remaining small particles of elastic from the fabric fibers, wash the product in warm water using a high-quality laundry detergent.
Spread the affected product on a flat surface with the stain facing up. Moisten a sponge or rag in medical alcohol and vigorously wipe the problem area on the item. Scrub until the gum stain disappears.
Chewing gum stains can be removed using alcohol-containing perfume: cologne, eau de toilette, perfume, lotion. Apply perfume to the problem area and, using a brush, wipe off the dirt. Next, wash the item of clothing in hot water with the addition of high-quality washing powder.
Vinegar
The use of vinegar is appropriate when it comes to staining bright fabrics that are “afraid” of stain removers. True, the cleaning process is quite troublesome.
A glass of white distilled vinegar should be heated to a temperature of about 40°C. It is not safe to do this over an open fire; it is better to arrange a water bath. To do this, place a bowl of vinegar in a container of water and place it on the burner for 2 minutes.
You need to soak a white cotton or linen fabric (non-fading, without a pattern with bright dyes!) in warm vinegar for a minute and a half, and then put it on the problem area. After a few minutes, the acid will dissolve the chewing gum and it can be removed with a toothbrush, making circular movements. After this, all that remains is to wash the surface or wash the product.
Ice water
The soiled item can be soaked entirely in a basin of hot water, and then use the appropriate detergent and brush. Or you can soak only the stained area with boiling water, using a kettle or hot tap water. Also remove melted chewing gum from clothes with a brush. You can use an old unnecessary toothbrush.
The method is suitable if hot water is not contraindicated for the fabric from which the affected item of clothing is made.
Turn on cold water and place the area of the product where the chewing gum is stuck under the stream. The rubber band should harden when exposed to ice water. After this, using a knife, you need to scrape the chewing gum from the fabric. This must be done quickly and carefully. Be careful not to cut the fabric.
Different approaches to solving the problem
The main feature of chewing gum is that it softens at high temperatures and hardens at low temperatures. This property of chewing gum can be used when cleaning clothes from sticky substances. There are two ways to clean clothes - hot and cold. Each of them is effective in its own way on different types of fabrics. The hot method is associated with mechanical action, so it is better not to use it for delicate fabrics. In this case, it is optimal to put the item in the freezer and wait until the gum hardens, then calmly remove it. If a positive result cannot be achieved immediately, you can change methods until your favorite item becomes clean.
Boiling
This old-fashioned method is not suitable for all products. Only items made from light linen or cotton fabrics can be boiled. This could be towels, bed linen, tablecloths, and some wardrobe items.
Fill a boiling container with water, add the appropriate detergent, place the soiled items in the water and boil for a few minutes. Next, wash the items as usual. There will be no traces of chewing gum - it will dissolve during boiling.
How to restore purity and attractiveness to jeans?
Removing chewing gum from jeans at home is easier than from other clothes, since the fabric is dense and easy to rub with a brush or something sharp. Plus, this procedure is easy to perform at home, without using dry cleaning services.
Ice and a freezer will help tidy up your trousers. How to use these methods correctly, read above in the article. It is worth trying to clean off the dirt with a sharp object. If you don't have a knife at hand, a thick piece of cardboard or an old bank card will do.
If none of the above methods help to cope with the contamination, you need vinegar. It is poured into a bowl and placed in the microwave. Microwave the vinegar for no more than 45 seconds. In the absence of a microwave, vinegar is heated on the stove. Not in a water bath, but on the stove.
Soak a cloth in vinegar. You need a napkin that matches the color of your jeans. If the trousers are white, you need a white napkin and so on. It is not enough just to dip a napkin in vinegar. You need to hold it for a minute so that the solution is absorbed into the fabric. Now wipe the dirty area of your trousers.
If the gum does not come off immediately, place a napkin on top and wait a few minutes. Vinegar will make it softer
An old toothbrush will help remove traces of dirt. Smash her trousers in the “reasonable place”. No need to use a new toothbrush. It won't be as soft and flexible. It is unacceptable to use the same brush that you use to clean your teeth. After treating with vinegar, it should be thrown away.
After the vinegar treatment, the jeans are machine washed. The operating mode of the device is with minimal spin. Thin denim is easily damaged. By the way, vinegar will also help you remove sweat stains from clothes.
Saddle soap
Apply a few drops of any liquid soap to the stained area and leave the product in this position for a couple of minutes. After this, wash the stain under running hot water. To avoid burning your hands, wear rubber gloves. For convenience, you can use a brush.
This modern laundry detergent is very effective. Place the stained item on a flat, clean surface with the gum stain on top. Pour a small amount of this product onto the stain, rub into the fabric and leave for a few minutes. All that remains is to remove the dissolved gum, for example, with a nail file or scissors or an old toothbrush.
You can solve the problem with saddle soap. The product is ideal for cleaning leather products. Apply a small amount of saddle soap to the area where the gum is stuck, wait a while and rinse off with a rag or sponge. After this, the fabric item will need to be put in the washing machine. Leather items simply need to be wiped with a damp, clean cloth.
Tips and tricks
The first and most important advice. Do not try to scrub off the elastic without using any products, otherwise you risk being left with elastic smeared all over the item, which cannot be completely removed.
Another tip on how to remove chewing gum from trousers and other denim clothing. Add a small amount of toluene before removing gum from your jeans. There is a well-known folk method for dealing with stuck rubber bands. Take another chewing gum, chew it and roll it over the gum area.
The rubber bands are supposed to roll into one, which will be easier to tear off.
Often a soiled item is expensive; the surest way out of the situation is dry cleaning. Dry cleaning workers deal with such stains much more professionally, and the chance of being left without a precious item is much reduced.
Hot way
The hot method of getting rid of chewing gum is only suitable for thick fabric that can be washed in hot water. It is better not to use this method for delicate products. For example, this option can help in cleaning your favorite jeans. How to remove chewing gum from clothes using this method?
To get rid of chewing gum using the hot method:
- Iron. To use the technique, you need to heat the iron and iron the contaminated item through paper or gauze. The gum should stick to the sheet/gauze.
- Hair dryer. Turn on the device to the warmest air stream, heat the item from the back side. As soon as the chewing gum becomes soft, remove it with a hard object or an unnecessary toothbrush.
- Boiling water. For this method you will most likely need a helper. Heat the water to 100 degrees. One person should pour boiling water on the stained area, and the second should clean the gum with a toothbrush.
- Steam. It is not necessary to boil the gum; you can steam it. It will be enough to boil water in a kettle and hold the gum over the steam, and then try to remove it.
- Heated vinegar. Table vinegar should be heated. Dip your toothbrush into the solution and try to scrub off the chewing gum. Don’t forget to reheat the vinegar as it cools, and be sure to wash the item after cleaning to get rid of the unpleasant odor.
Effect of cold on chewing gum
Methods based on exposure to cold can successfully remove chewing gum from clothes at home.
Freezing
Freezing small items helps to successfully remove stuck chewing gum from small items. Keep in mind that this method is mainly used if denim items or a cotton T-shirt with a smooth surface texture are contaminated.
Procedure:
- Place the damaged product in a plastic bag. Make sure that the gum inflow does not touch the walls of the bag.
- Place the packaged item in the freezer, placing it approximately in the center so that contaminated areas do not touch the sides of the freezer.
- Leave for about an hour.
- Take out the item and tear off the frozen rubber band. If it does not fall off completely, use a blunt object to remove any remaining dirt.
It is important to perform all actions at a fast pace, without allowing the chewing gum to thaw.
Ice
If a jacket, coat, fur coat or other bulky item that cannot be placed in the freezer has been damaged by chewing gum, proceed according to a different scenario:
- Place ice cubes in a plastic bag and seal the bag.
- Apply it to the contaminated area of the product.
- After half an hour, use a stiff brush to remove the frozen gum.
The elastic band will lose its plasticity and roll up, which will allow it to be torn off from the fibers of the fabric. If the contamination is extensive enough, apply ice again, wait until it freezes and continue cleaning.
Using the same technique, it is possible to successfully remove chewing gum from suede products, a material that requires very careful handling. After the gum freezes under the influence of ice, scrape off any particles using a nail file.
Then clean off the remaining chewing gum with fine-grained sandpaper. You can use stationery plastic or a special product designed for cleaning suede material.
Cold water
If you notice chewing gum stuck to your clothes, open the cold water tap. Place the contaminated area directly under the stream by stretching it with your fingers.
After 4-5 minutes, when the elastic has cooled sufficiently, remove it from the surface of the clothing with a stiff brush. It is convenient to perform this procedure together, as it may take at least 10 minutes to remove all remaining sticky mass.
Exposure to high temperatures
If the material that requires cleaning from stuck chewing gum is made of natural fibers and has a dense structure, then heat-based methods can be used.
Boiling
Linen and cotton items tolerate boiling well, so you can use this method to remove chewing gum from them.
Sequencing:
- In an enamel saucepan, bring the water to a vigorous boil and turn off the heat.
- Dip the area of fabric where the chewing gum has stuck directly into boiling water.
- Leave until the liquid temperature drops to 40-45 degrees.
- Without removing clothes from the water, use a knife to remove the dirt.
- Then rub the fabric with your hands in the same liquid, removing any residue.
- When the product is dry, check the result. If necessary, repeat the boiling procedure.
You can also clean jeans, but first check the color fastness. If the fabric fades, then other methods must be used. Boiling is prohibited for satin, wool, synthetic and lace fabrics.
Steam
To remove stuck chewing gum from a plain product, you need to bring water to a boil in an enamel or metal kettle. When steam rises intensely, stretch and hold the fabric over the steam so that the hot stream falls directly on the sticky mass, softening it.
Then carefully remove the elastic from the product with a napkin, being careful not to smear it on the surface. The method is not suitable for delicate thin varieties of fabric.
If you have a household steamer or steam cleaner at home, it will be much more convenient to use than a kettle.
Hot water
Hot water will help remove chewing gum from pants made of smooth, dense material. The method demonstrates high effectiveness if traces of contamination are still fresh
Caution required when performing
You need to open the tap and wait for hot water to come out of it. Place the contaminated area of fabric, stretched by hand, under a hot stream. It is advisable to carry out the procedure together, so that an assistant, using a small brush, for example, a toothbrush, cleans the gum directly under water.
Iron and hair dryer
An iron will help save your favorite trousers, cardigan, jacket and other items made from heat-resistant dense fabric from sticking gum.
Algorithm of actions:
- Spread a waffle towel on a horizontal plane.
- Place a sheet of white cardboard on it with a loose surface without gloss.
- Place the item to be cleaned with the dirty side directly on the cardboard.
- Heat the iron at medium setting (about 100 degrees) and apply it up and down on the other side of the fabric until the chewing gum is completely transferred to the cardboard backing.
While working, you cannot move the sole of the iron in a horizontal plane over the fabric, or hold it for longer than 3-5 seconds on the area being treated.
Moisten the remaining greasy print with any dishwashing detergent and then wipe with a soft cloth.
Maria Avdonkina housewife, laundry specialist A hairdryer has a more gentle effect, so it is recommended for removing sticky elastic from various types of fabric. When carrying out the cleaning procedure, a warm air flow is directed onto the product, heating the contaminated area. At the same time, treat with a toothbrush. Since chewing gum loses its stickiness when exposed to heated air, it can be removed from textiles without damaging even delicate fibers.