How to remove chewing gum from clothes without leaving stains?

Careless movement, inattention to the surrounding conditions or an innocent child's prank can lead to the formation of the most persistent and unpleasant stains. Quite often, housewives have a question about how to remove chewing gum from clothes when it has already dried and turned into a dense crust on the fabric.

Slightly fewer problems arise if fresh and juicy chewing gum has to be peeled off the surface of your favorite trousers or other expensive item. At the same time, greasy stains remain, which even an industrial stain remover cannot always get rid of. There is no need to panic ahead of time; even at home, you can take many steps to restore the damaged product.

Options for cleaning fabrics using high and low temperatures

To remove chewing gum from clothes made from delicate fabric, the first step is to try options that involve freezing the contamination. A hardened product that has lost its adhesive properties can be easily cleaned from the surface of the material without damaging or stretching the fragile fibers.

• We take the spoiled product, wrap it in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer for at least an hour. Then we take out the object and try to mechanically remove the dirt. This approach is very convenient when cleaning skirts, trousers, blouses and other small items of clothing.
• If a sticky substance is stuck to a larger item or at a particular moment there is simply no way to remove the item, then ice will help. We wrap several cubes in polyethylene (but not in fabric, otherwise this will soak the elastic and cause a stain to form) and apply it to the problem area for a few minutes. Then, again, we just try to wipe off a piece of dirt.
• The option with a freezing spray is no less effective. You just need to remember that using the product on the product while it is on the body is prohibited. First you need to take off your trousers or blouse, straighten the contaminated area and only then start processing.

Before removing gum from clothing using the cooling technique, you need to make sure that it is already dry, otherwise stains will remain on the material, which will be very difficult to get rid of.

Using high temperatures is another effective and quick method to solve the problem. It is not recommended to use it only if the matter categorically does not tolerate such influence.

• We immerse the soiled item in hot water, wait a while until the high temperature affects the chewing gum and it becomes softer and more pliable. Then we try to remove the chewing gum from clothes by hand or using a soft-bristle toothbrush. If the item is quite large and takes a long time to dry, for example, trousers made of thick fabric, then we simply direct a stream of hot water to the problem area and proceed according to the same scenario.
• To remove gum from jeans or other pants, we recommend trying the iron method. To do this, turn the trouser legs inside out, place cardboard under the contaminated area and press a hot iron against it.We only apply the device to the stain, but do not make any movements on the fabric itself.

Tip: Do not apply the iron to the front side of the product through the auxiliary material or directly onto the chewing gum. This may lead to an increase in the affected area or damage to the surface of the household appliance.

• To clean your pants directly on your body, use a hair dryer with a crevice attachment. We direct a stream of warm air directly at the contamination and wait until the product dries, losing its adhesiveness and elasticity.

Heat treatment allows you to peel off chewing gum from almost any material, but it is worth considering that this approach may not work on heavily contaminated surfaces. It is also better to treat old formations with chemical components, this reduces the risk of the formation of residual streaks and stains.

Removing chewing gum by exposure to chemical compounds

To quickly and efficiently remove chewing gum from clothes, it is recommended to try one of the following approaches:

• Vinegar. One of the most effective approaches if you need to remove chewing gum from denim trousers. Heat a little vinegar until very warm, dip a soft-bristled toothbrush into it and try to clean the dirty area. After such exposure, the trousers must be washed using the traditional method.

Tip: Some craftsmen claim that chewing gum can be easily torn off if you apply fresh chewing gum to it. In fact, it will only increase the risk of stubborn stains that are very difficult to get rid of at home.

Gum Remover Spray

• For adherents of modern techniques and innovative products, special stain removers and sprays for removing chewing gum have been developed.According to the principle of operation, they do not differ from traditional analogues, but they are much more expensive.
• Before removing chewing gum from pants or other tight items, you can apply a little toluene directly to the dirty stain. Then subsequent washing will deal with the formation without any problems.
• If the listed methods do not help clean clothes from elastic that is firmly ingrained into the material, then the last hope is washing. First, soak the product in hot water, applying a large amount of washing powder or any other detergent to the stain. This should help remove gum from clothing. Then we run the item through the washing machine once or twice.

In addition, there are several more non-standard methods designed to wipe off the gum. For example, the peanut butter option. Apply the composition exactly to the chewing gum, being careful not to touch the clean fabric, and scrape it off with a blunt instrument. You shouldn’t act this way if you need to clean your trousers. The oil will definitely go beyond the desired zone and create additional problems. If oil gets on an undamaged surface, you will have to additionally use an oil stain remover.

Techniques to help remove chewing gum stains from fabric surfaces

Often, after you have managed to remove chewing gum from clothing, a greasy or colored stain is found on the material. Do not try to scrub it off with water or detergents. You can remove chewing gum stains using solvents. Here are just some of the successful approaches:

1. Acetone. Quite an aggressive product, but sometimes only with its help it is possible to remove greasy marks from the surface of trousers and other dense fabrics.We apply it directly to the stain, after a few minutes we collect the composition from the periphery to the center and wash it in the traditional way.
2. Nail polish remover. A more gentle option. If you are processing colored clothing, it is recommended to use a composition without acetone; it will not leave streaks and will not affect the color of the product.
3. Stain removers. Chemicals in this group must be selected exclusively for the type of matter and its color, otherwise you can only completely ruin the thing.

Regardless of the approach you choose, you need to act quickly. The longer chewing gum remains on the surface of clothing, the less chance there is of getting rid of stubborn dirt and not damaging the fabric structure.