Chewing gum is one of the most popular confections in the United States. One survey showed that 79.6% of children and teens have chewed gum in the three months before the study launched. Meanwhile, 61.8% of adults had candy in the past six months.
It might be the favorite candy of a lot of Americans, but it’s the bane of house cleaners all over the country. This sticky mess gets on every surface, from carpets to clothes. Many parents even had to deal with getting gum out of their child’s hair.
We’re here to teach you how to remove gum from whatever surface it has stuck to. There are certain techniques that professional cleaners use. Most of them involve getting the gum to loosen its hold.
Slather with Oil
There are two ways to get chewing gum off someone’s hair. One is to cut it off. The other is to slather it with something oily. Peanut butter and mayonnaise are two great options. Slather any of the two on the affected area. You can use your fingers or you can put a dab of mayo or peanut butter on an old toothbrush.
Leave it for several minutes. The oil will make the gum harder and less sticky. You can then work it out of the hair. Wipe off any remaining substance once you got out all the gum. Wash the hair so it doesn’t smell like a sandwich.
Chip It Off
Many cleaners for hire will suggest that you freeze the gum. It’s easier to chip it off the material. You can stick the object in the freezer for about an hour. You can try breaking it off with your hands once it hardens. You can also use butter or a small paring knife to chip the gum off.
Another way is to put ice cubes in a zip-lock bag. Place it on top of the sticky area. Leave it for a few minutes. You can try to scrape off the gum once it hardens. Wash off any sticky residue.
Try Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is the best multi-purpose cleaner you have in your home. It can clean almost anything. It can also remove stubborn and sticky chewing gum.
Heat a small amount of vinegar. Dip an old toothbrush in it then scrub away. That gummy mess is sure to loosen. It will fall or become picked off with ease. Wash the item with cold water once the gum is gone.
Extract with Heat
It’s not easy getting rid of chewing gum stuck on the carpet. The best independent cleaning services will often bring out the big guns to deal with this. The most effective one is a hot water carpet steam extractor. The machine heats water for up to 200 degrees. The resulting steam will dissolve any gum. The residue is then washed off by the detergent in the tank. You get a clean carpet with no traces of chewing gum.
Look Inside the Fridge
Raw eggs or lemon juice are also effective in removing gum. Separate the yolk from the clear part of the egg. Place the white substance on the gum. Leave it to work its magic for about five minutes. The gum will be easier to pull off after.
Lemon juice also works. Pour several drops right on the gum. Rub the juice in. Make sure the liquid doesn’t saturate the fabric. Leave it to soak for at least five minutes. You can then scrape it off.
Making Homes Look Fabulous Since 2008
There’s a reason why Clean My Space CT is one of the top cleaning service companies in Connecticut. We’ve perfected our cleaning skills in the decades we’ve been operating. We also make sure we only use the best cleaning products. Our services include commercial and residential cleaning. We also provide office cleaning and disinfection services. Give us a ring at (860) 539-8725 or message us at info@cleanmyspacect.com.
