Difference between revisions of "Get Chewing Gum off Clothes"
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== Steps == | == Steps == | ||
=== Freezing the Gum === | === Freezing the Gum === | ||
| − | #Remove the article of clothing and fold it. You will want to fold it so that the contaminated part is facing out, not touching any other part of the fabric. Try to peel off as much of the gum as you can with your fingers. You want to be careful not to smear the gum further into the fabric, and also careful that you do not accidentally stick it to other parts of the fabric.<ref>http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-remove-gum/</ref> | + | #Remove the article of clothing and fold it. You will want to fold it so that the contaminated part is facing out, not touching any other part of the fabric. Try to peel off as much of the gum as you can with your fingers. You want to be careful not to smear the gum further into the fabric, and also careful that you do not accidentally stick it to other parts of the fabric.<ref name="rf17107">http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-remove-gum/</ref> |
#*You could consider wearing rubber gloves during this process so that you do not have to deal with the stickiness of the gum. However, do not delay putting the garment in the freezer simply because you are looking for rubber gloves. | #*You could consider wearing rubber gloves during this process so that you do not have to deal with the stickiness of the gum. However, do not delay putting the garment in the freezer simply because you are looking for rubber gloves. | ||
#Put your garment into a plastic bag. It should be a bag that you can seal. When you put your article of clothing into the bag, make sure that the gum does not touch the bag and then smear (thus contaminating the rest of the garment). | #Put your garment into a plastic bag. It should be a bag that you can seal. When you put your article of clothing into the bag, make sure that the gum does not touch the bag and then smear (thus contaminating the rest of the garment). | ||
#*The plastic bag can be any size that you want--it doesn’t have to fit into a particular bag, it just has to be one that can fit into your freezer. | #*The plastic bag can be any size that you want--it doesn’t have to fit into a particular bag, it just has to be one that can fit into your freezer. | ||
| − | #Seal the bag. Once the bag is sealed, but it in the freezer. While this may seem like an odd thing to do, freezing the gum will actually make it hard and it in turn will lose some of its stickiness. Freezing the gum will make it easier to get off.<ref | + | #Seal the bag. Once the bag is sealed, but it in the freezer. While this may seem like an odd thing to do, freezing the gum will actually make it hard and it in turn will lose some of its stickiness. Freezing the gum will make it easier to get off.<ref name="rf17107" /> |
#*If you do not have access to a freezer, but happen to have some ice cubes on hand, you can rub an ice cube on the gum until it hardens from the cold. After it hardens, follow the next steps. | #*If you do not have access to a freezer, but happen to have some ice cubes on hand, you can rub an ice cube on the gum until it hardens from the cold. After it hardens, follow the next steps. | ||
#Keep the bag and clothing in the freezer for several hours. The harder the gum gets, the easier it will be to remove it from your clothes. Take the bag out of the freezer once the gum is hard. | #Keep the bag and clothing in the freezer for several hours. The harder the gum gets, the easier it will be to remove it from your clothes. Take the bag out of the freezer once the gum is hard. | ||
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#*You can also use a piece of brown paper. | #*You can also use a piece of brown paper. | ||
#Heat the iron to a medium heat without steam. Turn the dial on your iron so that it is at a medium heat. Medium heat is best because anything hotter would melt the gum. Instead, what you are going to do is try to heat the gum up so that it loosens from the fabric, rather than melting everywhere and making a mess. | #Heat the iron to a medium heat without steam. Turn the dial on your iron so that it is at a medium heat. Medium heat is best because anything hotter would melt the gum. Instead, what you are going to do is try to heat the gum up so that it loosens from the fabric, rather than melting everywhere and making a mess. | ||
| − | #Run the iron over the part of the fabric with the gum on it. The fabric with the gum should be face-down on the cardboard so that you are ironing the backside of the garment and the fabric is making a barrier between the gum and the iron.<ref>http://www.wisegeek.org/how-can-i-remove-chewing-gum-from-clothing.htm</ref> | + | #Run the iron over the part of the fabric with the gum on it. The fabric with the gum should be face-down on the cardboard so that you are ironing the backside of the garment and the fabric is making a barrier between the gum and the iron.<ref name="rf17108">http://www.wisegeek.org/how-can-i-remove-chewing-gum-from-clothing.htm</ref> |
#Continue to iron the garment until the gum loosens. Eventually, the gum should melt enough that it sticks to the cardboard rather than to the fabric. Pull the garment away from the cardboard. If the gum hasn’t stuck completely to the cardboard, continue to iron the spot until it does. | #Continue to iron the garment until the gum loosens. Eventually, the gum should melt enough that it sticks to the cardboard rather than to the fabric. Pull the garment away from the cardboard. If the gum hasn’t stuck completely to the cardboard, continue to iron the spot until it does. | ||
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#*<i>Hot water</i>: Submerge the piece of clothing so that it is fully covered by the water. Keep the garment submerged for several minutes. During this time, the gum will be getting loosened by the heat of the water. | #*<i>Hot water</i>: Submerge the piece of clothing so that it is fully covered by the water. Keep the garment submerged for several minutes. During this time, the gum will be getting loosened by the heat of the water. | ||
#*<i>Hot steam</i>: Hold the fabric with the gum on it directly in front of the mouth of the kettle (or where the most steam is being released from the kettle). The gum should absorb the steam, thus softening. | #*<i>Hot steam</i>: Hold the fabric with the gum on it directly in front of the mouth of the kettle (or where the most steam is being released from the kettle). The gum should absorb the steam, thus softening. | ||
| − | #*<i>Hot vinegar</i>: Apply the vinegar-soaked cloth directly to the area of the fabric with the gum on it. The vinegar should loosen the bond between the fibers of the clothing and the gum. The gum will become soft and pliable.<ref | + | #*<i>Hot vinegar</i>: Apply the vinegar-soaked cloth directly to the area of the fabric with the gum on it. The vinegar should loosen the bond between the fibers of the clothing and the gum. The gum will become soft and pliable.<ref name="rf17108" /> |
#Scrub the gum off with a toothbrush or knife. Once the gum has heated up, you will need to scrape it off. Regardless of the method you used, once the gum is thoroughly soaked and heated up, take a toothbrush (that you don’t care about) or a blunt knife and gently scrape the gum off of the clothing. If the gum doesn’t come off despite your best efforts, soak it again using your method of choice. | #Scrub the gum off with a toothbrush or knife. Once the gum has heated up, you will need to scrape it off. Regardless of the method you used, once the gum is thoroughly soaked and heated up, take a toothbrush (that you don’t care about) or a blunt knife and gently scrape the gum off of the clothing. If the gum doesn’t come off despite your best efforts, soak it again using your method of choice. | ||
#Wash the clothes in a regular washing machine. Once you have removed most, if not all, of the gum, place the garment in the washing machine and run it on a regular cycle to get any gum residue off of your clothing. | #Wash the clothes in a regular washing machine. Once you have removed most, if not all, of the gum, place the garment in the washing machine and run it on a regular cycle to get any gum residue off of your clothing. | ||
=== Using Peanut Butter === | === Using Peanut Butter === | ||
| − | #Place a gob of peanut butter on the gum. You will want to make sure that the gum is entirely coated on all visible sides. Add a bit of extra peanut butter so that it forms a thick coating around the gum. Peanut butter is a good product to use because the natural oil in the peanut butter works well to loosen the gum up.<ref>http://doitandhow.com/2011/04/26/use-peanut-butter-to-remove-bubble-gum/</ref> | + | #Place a gob of peanut butter on the gum. You will want to make sure that the gum is entirely coated on all visible sides. Add a bit of extra peanut butter so that it forms a thick coating around the gum. Peanut butter is a good product to use because the natural oil in the peanut butter works well to loosen the gum up.<ref name="rf17109">http://doitandhow.com/2011/04/26/use-peanut-butter-to-remove-bubble-gum/</ref> |
#Leave the peanut butter on the gum and fabric for roughly 60 seconds. You want to only leave it on for a very short period of time or else the peanut butter may stain your clothing. Leave it on for 60 seconds. | #Leave the peanut butter on the gum and fabric for roughly 60 seconds. You want to only leave it on for a very short period of time or else the peanut butter may stain your clothing. Leave it on for 60 seconds. | ||
#Use a butter knife to scrape the gum off of the fabric. If you don’t have a butter knife on hand, you can use any object that has a thin, sharp edge (a paint scraper, fingernail, or metal nail file should do the trick). Scrape until all of the gum and peanut butter are removed, but be careful not to scrape so hard that you damage the fabric. | #Use a butter knife to scrape the gum off of the fabric. If you don’t have a butter knife on hand, you can use any object that has a thin, sharp edge (a paint scraper, fingernail, or metal nail file should do the trick). Scrape until all of the gum and peanut butter are removed, but be careful not to scrape so hard that you damage the fabric. | ||
| − | #Put a stain remover on the affected area of fabric. Do this as soon as you have scraped away the rest of the peanut butter and gum. Though the oils in peanut butter are what make it great for removing gum, those same oils can also stain your clothes. Luckily a stain treatment will solve that problem. Add some to the spot and then put it in the washing machine on the cycle you would normally wash it on.<ref | + | #Put a stain remover on the affected area of fabric. Do this as soon as you have scraped away the rest of the peanut butter and gum. Though the oils in peanut butter are what make it great for removing gum, those same oils can also stain your clothes. Luckily a stain treatment will solve that problem. Add some to the spot and then put it in the washing machine on the cycle you would normally wash it on.<ref name="rf17109" /> |
=== Using Coconut Oil === | === Using Coconut Oil === | ||
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*You can also try using some household supplies, but these are much more likely to damage your clothes while removing the gum. These supplies include Goo Be Gone, adhesive removal spray, rubbing alcohol, WD40, and hairspray. | *You can also try using some household supplies, but these are much more likely to damage your clothes while removing the gum. These supplies include Goo Be Gone, adhesive removal spray, rubbing alcohol, WD40, and hairspray. | ||
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== Related Articles == | == Related Articles == | ||
