How to Remove Gum from Fabrics
Place clothing in the freezer., Freeze the gum with ice cubes., Pick off the hardened gum., Remove residue with dry-cleaning solvent or mineral spirits., Clean the fabric according to the care instructions.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Place clothing in the freezer.
If you've gotten gum on your favorite blouse or sweater, carefully fold the clothing so the gum is facing the outside.
Clear a space in your freezer so you can set the folded clothing in it.
Leave the clothing in the freezer until the gum hardens.
Depending on how thick the gum is, you may need to freeze the clothing for an hour or two.Avoid covering the clothing with something that the gum may stick to.
You can simply put it on a shelf of the freezer. -
Step 2: Freeze the gum with ice cubes.
If you're trying to remove gum from a material that can get wet, place an ice cub directly on the gum.
If you shouldn't get the material wet, place an ice pack or bag filled with ice over the gum.
Leave the gum on the ice for 10 to 15 minutes or until the gum becomes firm. , Once the gum has hardened from the freezer or ice cubes, use your fingers to pick away as much of the gum as you can.
Then you can take a butter knife or spatula to scrape away the little bits of gum that might still be on the clothing.Avoid scraping the fabric with anything that might damage the fibers. , Squirt a dry-cleaning solvent onto a sponge and blot the area of fabric where the gum was.
Keep blotting with the sponge until the area isn't sticky anymore.
If you don't have dry-cleaning solvent, you can use a sponge dipped in mineral spirits., Read the care label inside the clothing or fabric so you know how to clean it correctly.
You can usually spot clean the area if there's residue or a stain left from the gum.
Wash the fabric as usual, but check it before you dry it.
If there's still a stain, treat the stain again.If you dry the fabric while there's still a stain, you may set the stain.
This will make it harder to remove. -
Step 3: Pick off the hardened gum.
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Step 4: Remove residue with dry-cleaning solvent or mineral spirits.
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Step 5: Clean the fabric according to the care instructions.
Detailed Guide
If you've gotten gum on your favorite blouse or sweater, carefully fold the clothing so the gum is facing the outside.
Clear a space in your freezer so you can set the folded clothing in it.
Leave the clothing in the freezer until the gum hardens.
Depending on how thick the gum is, you may need to freeze the clothing for an hour or two.Avoid covering the clothing with something that the gum may stick to.
You can simply put it on a shelf of the freezer.
If you're trying to remove gum from a material that can get wet, place an ice cub directly on the gum.
If you shouldn't get the material wet, place an ice pack or bag filled with ice over the gum.
Leave the gum on the ice for 10 to 15 minutes or until the gum becomes firm. , Once the gum has hardened from the freezer or ice cubes, use your fingers to pick away as much of the gum as you can.
Then you can take a butter knife or spatula to scrape away the little bits of gum that might still be on the clothing.Avoid scraping the fabric with anything that might damage the fibers. , Squirt a dry-cleaning solvent onto a sponge and blot the area of fabric where the gum was.
Keep blotting with the sponge until the area isn't sticky anymore.
If you don't have dry-cleaning solvent, you can use a sponge dipped in mineral spirits., Read the care label inside the clothing or fabric so you know how to clean it correctly.
You can usually spot clean the area if there's residue or a stain left from the gum.
Wash the fabric as usual, but check it before you dry it.
If there's still a stain, treat the stain again.If you dry the fabric while there's still a stain, you may set the stain.
This will make it harder to remove.
About the Author
Michael Ramirez
Specializes in breaking down complex DIY projects topics into simple steps.
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