Chewing gum stuck to clothes is the result of a moment of inattention. You can get it on your clothes in any transport, public institution or even at school. But how to remove chewing gum from clothes? Many people think that the only way is to take the damaged item to the dry cleaner or throw it away altogether. We will tell you about the most effective methods for solving this problem.
Nuances of choosing a cleaning method
There are many methods that help remove stuck gum from clothes. But which one should you choose? These cleaning methods can be divided into several categories:
- using household chemicals;
- using available means;
- cold;
- hot.
To make the right choice, you need to consider the degree of contamination, type and color of the fabric. For example, woolen clothes cannot be cleaned with hot steam or boiling water, and for chiffon, satin, silk, methods that use an iron or hot water are strictly prohibited.
Cold methods are the most acceptable, but they only work on fresh stains. Completely removing gum from clothes in this way, if a lot of time has passed, is almost impossible.
The easiest way to remove chewing gum from clothing is with chemicals - these are more radical methods and they can ruin many types of fabric, leaving faded stains and other marks.
How to get rid of chewing gum on clothes with a chemical agent without damaging the fabric? You need to conduct an experiment in advance: treat a small and inconspicuous area of the fabric with the selected substance and watch the reaction. If the fabric remains in order, you can start cleaning.
In order not to damage your clothes, it is important to know which methods are suitable for which types of fabric. Cold and hot cleaning methods are the most universal. However, there are exceptions for the hot method in the form of delicate fabrics. It is more difficult with chemicals - they can damage the fabric or leave marks on it. Let's figure out which product is most suitable for which type of fabric.
Thick fabrics and jeans
It is easiest to clean gum from such fabric. To do this, use:
- oil;
- hairspray;
- vinegar;
- alcohol;
- kerosene or gasoline;
- solvent.
Natural fabrics (linen, silk, satin)
They are most susceptible to damage during the procedure. For them, use:
- liquid soap (gel), dishwashing detergent;
- soap solution;
- stain remover;
- alcohol.
Pile types of fabric (fur, wool, velvet)
They are the most difficult to clean from gum, because the gum sticks directly to the villi. After treatment, they must be put in order: combed with a comb with short teeth or a special brush.
Suitable for their processing:
- vinegar;
- alcohol;
- heat treatment;
- whiteness, solvent.
Best methods using improvised means
Let's move on directly to how to remove gum from clothes. As already mentioned above, there is a certain classification of cleaning methods. In addition to the type of fabric, the freshness of the stain is also important. An expensive, but the easiest and most effective way to get rid of gum on clothes is to take the item to a dry cleaner. But if the stain is fresh, you can remove the stain with liquid soap and a toothbrush:
- Wet the item a little so that it is damp, then apply a lot of liquid product;
- We thoroughly treat the contaminated area with a toothbrush;
- Use a nail file or knife to remove the gum from the fabric and wash the item as usual.
Fresh chewing gum also cleans well when exposed to low or high temperatures.
Cold cleaning methods
As a result of exposure to low temperatures, chewing gum quickly hardens. In this state, it loses its adhesive properties, so it is easy to peel it off the fabric fibers.
Common cold methods:
- Freezer. Fold the clothes and place them in a plastic bag. It is important that the gum is on top, but does not touch the bag. Leave the item there for 2-3 hours. If you cannot fold the item so that the gum does not touch the bag, make a hole in the plastic, the size of the gum, and sort of expose it to the outside;
- Ice (you can use dry ice). This method is for things that don't fit in the freezer. Take an ice cube and rub it thoroughly on the dirty area. You can replace the ice with very cold water;
- Cooling aerosol for microcircuits, or for pain relief in case of injury. Simply spray the product around the gum and tear it off with a blunt object (knife, nail file, wooden spatula);
- The problem of how to remove chewing gum from clothes is quite common, so there is a special spray for removing chewing gum with a cooling effect.
The final stage in all the listed methods is the same - the gum hardens and before it heats up, it must be removed from the clothes with the blunt side of a knife, a brush or tweezers. In some cases, it falls off on its own.
Thermal methods
In essence, the principle of this method is very similar to the cold method: chewing gum is thermally processed, only under the influence of high temperatures it does not harden, but on the contrary, softens and becomes elastic, after which it becomes much easier to clean it.
Boiling water is used only for processing natural and dense fabrics (cotton and denim). Synthetic and delicate materials may be damaged during processing. Cleaning sequence:
- Carefully pour boiling water on the dirty area, simultaneously rubbing it with a toothbrush. For such manipulations, 2 people are needed;
- Pour boiling water into a bowl and soak the clothes in it. Wait until the water cools down to a temperature where you can dip your hands in it. Then, without taking the item out, use a knife to tear off the rubber and scrub off the remaining marks with a brush.
When the question arises of how to clean gum from clothes, the most common iron can come to the rescue. The essence is that the gum is heated and glued from one surface to another (cardboard, paper or fabric):
- Place cardboard or paper (for example, baking paper) on the contaminated area. It should be in contact with the gum;
- Using a heated iron, run it over the cardboard or paper, without pressing too hard or ironing too hard;
- Remove the paper, the gum should remain on it.
A hair dryer is another handy tool that can remove gum from clothes. It is used to clean only those materials that can be washed and ironed at high temperatures. Put a concentrator nozzle on the hair dryer, which directs the air flow, turn on the device at maximum power. Heat the gum from the inside of the clothes. When it begins to melt, take tweezers or a knife and remove it.
Improvised means
How to remove chewing gum from clothes using improvised means without heat treatment? Such methods are no less effective than those presented above, but require much less time and money.
One of the effective ways to quickly remove chewing gum from clothes is to use another chewing gum. You need to chew it until the sweet taste disappears, and carefully stick it to the first stain. Then it will be very easy to peel off the two gums.
Handy cleaning tools:
- Vinegar. Pour a small amount of vinegar into a container and place it in the microwave. Heat the liquid, wet a toothbrush in it and rub the dirty area well. Treat it intensively until the gum is completely clean. It is not recommended to use this product on delicate items. You may have to reheat the vinegar. After this, the item should be washed to get rid of the vinegar smell;
- Medical or ammonia alcohol. It removes stains from clothes well without damaging them. Pour a little alcohol onto a new dish sponge and rub the dirty area. Leave it for a few minutes and use a wooden spatula to remove the rubber from the fabric;
- Hairspray. Apply hairspray generously to the outer and inner sides of the garment in the stained area. Wait until the gum hardens and simply remove it from the fabric. After the procedure, the garment should be washed in a washing machine;
- Scotch tape. How to clean gum from clothes with adhesive tape? It's very simple! Press a small piece of tape to the stuck gum. It is important that the tape touches the gum, not the fabric. Rip off the tape quickly and repeat the procedure until the stain is completely removed;
- Peanut (olive) oil. Few people would think that this delicacy can act as a cleaning agent for clothes. Simply apply peanut oil to the dirty area, trying not to get it on clean fabric. Rip the gum off the clothes with a knife or other blunt object. Then send it to the wash. It is important to remember that this product is best used on pants or trousers;
- Lighter gas, gasoline, kerosene. How to get rid of gum on clothes using these products? Treat the contaminated area with one of the liquids, scrape off the gum with a spatula, knife, tweezers. Regular machine washing will help get rid of the smell. Lighter gas is used a little differently: it must be applied to the inside of the clothes. It is important to remember that these substances are very caustic, and when cleaning gum, they should be kept away from your hands. It is recommended to wear gloves during the procedure;
- Nail polish remover. Apply acetone or another nail polish remover to the chewing gum. Rub the treated area gently with your hand, and when the gum comes off, wash the item. This will help get rid of the smell;
- Toluene is a technical liquid that helps get rid of stuck gum. It is applied to the stuck gum and the gum is scraped off with a knife. Then the item is washed in the usual way.
In addition to removing the gum itself, it is important to know how to remove gum stains from clothing. In most cases, a white mark remains on the clothes, which also needs to be removed.
For this you can use:
- laundry soap;
- liquid soap;
- stain remover (select according to the type of fabric);
- dishwashing detergent;
- washing powder diluted with water.
Step by step instructions:
- Before removing the stain, the item must be soaked in warm water;
- Treat the area with the selected product, leave for 20-25 minutes;
- To remove a smeared stain, rub it well with a brush;
- Wash the item as usual.
Household chemicals
For those who do not like to experiment with their clothes and prefer to use proven chemicals, we have selected the most effective professional products for cleaning gum from clothes:
- Premiere Chewing Remover is an expensive but effective spray for combating sticky stains on fabrics of any type. It is colorless and odorless, leaves no traces. It works instantly;
- Pramol-Chemie AG Gumex is a liquid product for combating sticky stains. Suitable for thick and fleecy fabrics. It can be used to clean chewing gum from clothes in just a minute;
- Primera Break Up - you can use it to remove chewing gum from furniture and carpets. It smells nice and leaves no marks;
- AXEL-9 Anti-gum is a product for removing sticky stains on fabric. It works quickly and effectively. It leaves no traces and has virtually no odor;
- MULTI-PLAST — is used for any surface and different types of fabric. The product is a professional solvent.
- Exol D 60 is an effective and universal stain remover;
- Chewing Gum Remover Gel is a stain remover in gel form. It is highly effective, leaves no traces, and removes stains in a couple of minutes;
- Sapur Freeze is a freezing aerosol. Effectively fights against stuck chewing gum, allows you to quickly remove dirt.
Stain remover is a universal product that is sold in any store and many housewives have at home. How to wash chewing gum from clothes with it? In the case of white clothes, you can use regular bleach. It is necessary to check the reaction of the fabric to this or that product in advance by treating a small area in a hidden place. After treatment with such a product, the chewing gum will immediately fall off. It may be necessary to carry out several procedures.
Is gum stuck to your clothes? Don't know what to do? No need to throw away the stained item, just know how to clean gum off properly. We've shared the most effective and proven ways to combat this problem and hope they'll help you.
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