How to remove chewing gum from trousers, effective home methods

Chewing gum stains are particularly stubborn because they contain synthetic polymers. There are several ways to get rid of them. Most often, it is recommended to remove stains by freezing and treating the fabric with chemicals. Steam and mechanical treatment are some of the effective ways to remove chewing gum from trousers. The cleaning method is selected based on the type of fabric, and it is important to remember safety precautions.

Basic methods

You can try to remove chewing gum from trousers using one of four popular methods. Before removing stains, you need to familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and take into account the type and color of the fabric. Otherwise, there is a risk of damaging the item.

Freezing

With this method, you need to perform the following steps step by step:

1. Place the pants in a plastic bag. The bag should be tightly tied, there should be no excess air inside. The stain on the pants should be at the top of the bag. It is important that the gum does not touch the edges of the bag.
2. Before removing the gum mechanically, you should put the pants in the freezer. There they should lie in a bag for at least a couple of hours.
3. Take the pants out of the freezer and quickly remove the gum with a stiff brush.
4. Wash the trousers in the washing machine.

The main advantage of this method is that it does not expose the fabric to aggressive chemicals. The gum hardens under the cold, making it much easier to scrape off the trousers. But this method is not suitable for cleaning items made of thin fabric. The marks will not be removed when freezing trousers made of silk or chiffon.

Thermal

You can use an iron with this method. An alternative would be a steamer. To remove gum from trousers with an iron, you need to:

1. First, lay the pants out on an ironing board and scrape off the top layer of chewing gum. It is important to do this so that it does not smear over the surface of the pants; for this, it is better to take a blunt object.
2. Place a thick piece of cardboard under the inside of the stain.
3. Place a thick cloth or paper over the stained area.
4. Heat the iron to medium temperature and go over the area where the gum is four times.
5. Remove the fabric or paper.

If everything is done correctly, the chewing mass will come off the trousers and stick to the material placed on them. After ironing, the soiled area of ​​the trousers should be treated with laundry soap. Then the trousers should be washed in a washing machine.

A steamer is used in the same way. It and an iron can remove gum from trousers, but only if they are made of thick material. When heated, the chewing gum melts, after which it comes off the trouser fabric better. But the disadvantage of this method is that the melted mass can be absorbed even more into the fabric. Plus, the fibers are severely damaged due to heating. The method is not suitable for cleaning delicate items.

Mechanical

This method is recommended when there is no way to remove gum from trousers at home. In such a situation, you can use scotch tape. It is enough to take a small strip of sticky tape and stick it to the gum stain. Then you need to quickly tear off the tape. It is recommended to repeat the procedure two or three more times, each time gluing new strips of tape to the dirty area of ​​the trousers. This method allows you to get rid of a significant part of the gum. But the tape will not help remove the gum stain completely.

You can also clean the pants with a special plastic scraper or brush. In the first case, you will be able to remove the gum layer from the pants, but you will not be able to get rid of the stain completely. In the second case, you will be able to peel the gum off the pants and clean their surface a little.

If you try to remove fresh gum with a brush, it will spread across the surface of the fabric.

Chemical

Household chemicals are more effective than other methods to solve the problem of how to remove chewing gum from trousers. But this method has a major drawback. The products have an aggressive effect on fabrics. After using them, the product may lose its original appearance, so it is important to use the chemical composition correctly when cleaning trousers from chewing gum.

You can use the following household chemicals and household products:

1. Spray Amway SA8. The advantage of the product is the effective removal of any stains not only from chewing gum, but also from plasticine and tar. The spray is suitable for children's clothing. The disadvantage is the high price of the liquid. The instructions on how to clean gum from trousers with spray are simple. It is enough to spray the stain with the product, wait 15 minutes, and then wash the trousers in the washing machine.
2. Fairy. Its advantage is its anti-fat effect. To remove chewing gum from pants, just apply a few drops of Fairy to the stain, rub thoroughly with a sponge until it disappears. Then you need to wash the pants in the washing machine.
3. Vinegar. Acid dissolves gum on trousers well, but it should be used with caution. Vinegar can damage fabric fibers. It is necessary to slightly warm up the acetic acid beforehand, apply a few drops to the dirty area and wait 5 minutes for the gum to soften. Then wet a toothbrush in vinegar and quickly clean the stain. The pungent smell will go away after washing.
4. Acetone. This product can effectively remove a chewing gum stain from trousers made of any fabric. However, acetone often damages colored fabric. It is recommended to use it in extreme cases and only on dense materials. It is enough to pour the liquid on the mass stuck to the trousers, wait a few minutes, scrape it off with a scraper, and then remove the remaining trace with a brush.

You can also use gasoline. It dissolves substances quite well. But a significant disadvantage of the product is that it leaves stains on the fabric. Gasoline also does not evaporate well. It is recommended to use it in extreme cases when other methods have proven ineffective. You can pour it on the dirty area of ​​the item, wait a couple of minutes, and remove the dirt with a brush. Then the pants will need several washes to get rid of the gasoline smell.

Precautions for different types of fabrics

It is important to consider the following nuances when choosing a method for removing gum from pants:

• heat treatment is not suitable for cleaning items made from any synthetic fabric (especially polyester), as well as velvet and corduroy;
• Do not remove gum from pants made of genuine leather or leatherette using heat treatment;
• Avoid using freezing if you need to remove gum from pants made of silk or chiffon;
• It is better to avoid using acetone when cleaning delicate or brightly colored fabrics;
• You should not try to wash chewing gum off pants made from fabrics that require careful handling with acetic acid.

Any method is suitable for removing chewing gum stains from thick fabric items. Denim is especially versatile in terms of cleaning options. When cleaning pants made of thin materials, aggressive agents cannot be used. Alcohol is used only when you need to get rid of chewing gum from pants made of plain fabric. This agent is contraindicated for colored materials.

How to remove old gum stains

To get rid of an old stain, you need to follow this algorithm:

1. Before you remove a chewing gum stain, you need to soften it. To do this, simply iron the pants through the fabric.
2. Remove any remaining gum with tape.
3. If necessary, apply a little solvent to the stain itself with a sponge.
4. Clean the item with a brush.
5. Wash the product with powder in the washing machine several times.

You can remove an old chewing gum stain from trousers made of thick fabric by alternating freezing and boiling methods. First, you need to freeze the pants in the freezer, then scrape off the gum. Then you should place the pants in hot water with soap and brush off the remaining stain.

How to remove from school trousers

If gum has stuck to school pants, it is recommended to try to remove it from the clothes with an eraser. Before rubbing gum off the pants, it is necessary to remove as much of its top layer as possible. Then you should carefully rub the stain with an eraser. Once at home, you need to place the pants in a basin, pour hot water into it, add half a bar of grated laundry soap. A scraper or a hard brush will help to wash out the gum in the resulting soap solution.

It is also recommended to use ethyl alcohol to clean school trousers. You need to take a cotton pad, soak it in alcohol and rub the gum with it. Removing gum in this way does not happen immediately. You need to wait a few minutes until the gum begins to gradually dissolve. It is recommended to change cotton pads regularly. You need to rub the stain thoroughly until it disappears completely. Ethyl alcohol is ideal for removing stains from synthetic sweatpants.

Chewing gum is a rather corrosive and difficult to remove substance. But there are proven methods that can help solve the problem. Items made of thin or delicate fabric can also be saved. The main thing is to use gentle methods. So, when faced with trouble, you don’t need to throw the thing away, you should try to save it.

Video

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