How to clean chewing gum from clothes

Gum sticking to clothes is a fairly common problem. You can solve it at home, so do not rush to carry the thing to dry cleaning. Use one of the methods suggested by Expertology and your clothes will be like new again.

Features of cleaning clothes

All methods for removing sticky chewing gum can be divided into three categories:

1. Thermal impact, «hot» methods.

2. «Cold methods».

3. The use of improvised means.

Before using any of the suggested methods, make sure that the material from which the item is sewn will withstand such processing. For example, if an elastic band is found on chiffon, satin, silk, it is not recommended to use hot water or an iron to solve the problem. And if woolen or synthetic fabric needs processing, boiling water, hot steam, industrial solvents should not be used. Many types of materials are sensitive to household chemicals with an aggressive composition. Therefore, in order not to damage the thing even more, first test the product on an inconspicuous area of ​​the clothing. Cold gum removal methods are completely safe for fabrics, but they can be ineffective if the gum has eaten into the fibers and dried out. But you can try at least one of them, since there will be no harm from this.

Use of water, iron, hair dryer

Consider how to remove pollution by exposure to high temperatures:

1. 
   Hot water. You can wet the area of ​​the fabric on which contamination has occurred with hot water. Just before the procedure, you need to take precautions so as not to get burned by water or steam. After wetting the material, wait a minute for the gum to soften, then try to brush it out of the fibers with a small brush, for example, you can take a new toothbrush. You can also immerse the product in hot water for a few minutes, and then try to clean the chewing gum mechanically.

2. 
   Iron. Cover the stained area with a clean cotton cloth or paper napkin folded in several layers of toilet paper, then iron it with an iron. The blotting paper or cloth can be changed several times as it gets dirty. To make the stain go away better, you can also rub it with a brush.

3. 
   Hair dryer. Turn on the hair dryer at maximum power so that it emits a hot stream of air. We direct the jet to the dried gum, wait until it softens, scrape it off with a brush.

After heat treatment, the item must be washed in the usual mode, setting the highest possible temperature regime suitable for the fabric.

Cold cleaning methods

If hot methods cannot be used, as is the case with delicate materials, you can try to clean the item with cold. The easiest way is to put it in the freezer for several hours, then “pick out” the main part of the chewing gum, and gently scrape off the remnants stuck in the fibers with a knife, scissors, or something sharp. If the thing is too big and does not fit in the freezer, you can use ice cubes. We place the cubes in a plastic bag, apply it to the place of contamination, wait a few hours, and proceed to processing. Another option that is used in winter is to take clothes out on the balcony so that they freeze, and then try to clean them of chewing gum.

What tools can be used

Several ways to get rid of sticky chewing gum with the help of improvised means:

1. 
   Vinegar or rubbing alcohol 96%. We heat the liquid to 40 degrees in a water bath. Wet the toothbrush in vinegar / alcohol, rub the stain in a circular motion until the dirt is cleaned from the fibers.

2. 
   Vegetable oil. Treat the contamination in the same way as described in the first paragraph. However, the oil will leave a greasy mark behind, so the thing should be washed immediately with a detergent containing surfactants that remove grease, laundry soap is also suitable for this purpose.

3. 
   Solvent, for example, nail polish remover, refined gasoline. If you are sure that the fabric is not sensitive to acetone, put a few drops of solvent on the chewing gum, then try to mechanically clean the dirt from the fibers.

If none of the proposed methods helped to get rid of the problem, you will have to seek the help of specialists. Take your clothes to the dry-cleaner, they will return them to you clean, without traces of chewing gum, washed and ironed.