If you have kids, you have probably experienced (or will eventually) a large mess that they made in your home. Although you still love them very much, children can end up coloring on the walls, playing in the kitty litter, or can even cut up your favorite shirt. However, there is one secret weapon that kids have access to that parents should be worried about: gum. That’s right, if you have kids, it is probably safe to say that you have found gum in places you would have never thought of. One place you do not want to find gum is in your carpet, which can end up being a huge pain and something you won’t want to deal with.

Getting gum out of carpet can be a more difficult task than most people think. And, the longer gum is in the carpet, the harder it gets, which makes it harder to remove. We are confident that most parents will come across gum in their carpets sooner or later, so we decided to share some tips that are almost always effective when it comes to removing gum.

Before you start pulling and clawing at the gum, it’s important to remember that it can damage the carpet’s fibers, causing a much larger problem than what you began with. So, if you find gum in your carpet, try one of the methods listed below so that your carpet can get back to looking fresh and clean.

Freezing Method

One of simplest ways to get gum out of carpeting is to freeze it. This can be done many different ways, but there is one method that is trusted by many parents. Follow the steps below to freeze the gum out of your carpet.

1. Grab a bag and fill it with ice.
2. Place the bag of ice on the gum, and let sit for about 30 min.
3. Once the gum seems frozen, pry the gum with a knife or your fingers.
4. Remove residue and blot dry.

This method freezes the gum, making it less sticky, which will allow you to remove it from the carpet more easily. Again, you want to make sure you aren’t pulling up fibers. If the fibers are coming up, try holding them down below the gum with your fingers in an attempt to avoid any ripping. Once you have a majority of the gum removed from the carpet, you can get rid of the sticky residue that is left behind by simply applying a small amount of liquid soap on the affected area and flushing with water. Then, you can use towels to blot the area until dry.

Classic Commercial Tip: Be careful not to scrub the affected area to avoid fraying carpet fibers.

Heating Method

If trying the freezing method doesn’t bring you any luck, you can try the opposite and attempt to remove the gum from the carpet with heat.

1. Put a clean cloth over the gum
2. Use a hair dryer to apply heat to the area and soften the gum.
3. As the gum loosens, it will begin to stick to the cloth.
4. Once the gum is soft, lift the cloth and some of the gum should be removed.
5. Continue to blot the gum with the cloth, removing as much gum as possible.
6. Gently pick the rest of the gum out and remove the residue, being cautious of the fibers.

The heating method is much trickier than the freezing one. The goal of this method is to simply heat harden gum back up so it becomes pliable. When gum is in a warm and sticky state, it will likely stick to another surface that you can use to pull it away from the fibers in the carpet.

A lot of times, a combination of heating and freezing will work best. Start with freezing and break away as much as possible. After that, heat the gum and blot it up with your cloth or paper bag. You can repeat these steps as necessary, as long as you are continuing to get the gum out without breaking down the fibers of the carpet underneath. Like the freezing method, this strategy will most likely leave a sticky residue behind, which can be removed with a small amount of soap and water.

Solvent Method

If you’re really worried about damaging the carpet fibers using the heating or freezing method, you can try using certain solvents or cleaners to try to remove the gum. You can find solvents specifically for gum or goo removal in most department stores. If you do decide to go this route, it is crucial to read the instructions of the product you purchased before using it to ensure that it will be safe for your carpet. To be safe, start with a small amount of the cleaner to the affected area, and work in gently with a toothbrush that is not for personal use. Slowly working the cleaner into the gum, and the affected carpet area will begin to break the gum down and soften it. Once it is softer, you can simply use a vacuum to clean the area. When using solvents for gum removal, keep repeating the process until the gum is broken down. And, of course, you can clean the area using light soap and water once finished.  

Classic Commercial Tip: Be careful, as too much solvent can end up breaking your carpet down, too.

Although each of these methods can be effective for removing gum from carpeting, the best and safest option to remove gum is to schedule an appointment with a professional carpet cleaning company. If you have gum in your carpet or are just in need of a good carpet cleaning, contact the professionals at Classic Commercial!

The experts at Classic Commercial specialize in removing all kinds of stains and spots from carpet, and they can safely remove gum from your carpeting without causing any damage to the carpet fibers. For more information, or to get a free carpet cleaning estimate, contact Classic Commercial Services.