How to Get Gum Out of Carpet

A lot of homeowners have a love-hate relationship with gum. A piece of mint gum is great after a garlicky meal or before a first date. Maybe you enjoy fruitier gum to cure your sweet tooth in the afternoon. Those are the benefits of gum, however, gum can quickly turn into a sticky mess. One place you don’t want a piece of freshly chewed gum to end up is in your carpeting.

There are a few methods out there that will show you how to get gum out of carpet. We will be sharing with you just one method on how to get gum out of carpet. We’ve found this to be the most successful method that won’t cause too much damage to your carpeting. Follow along below with our step-by-step guide on how to get gum out of carpet.

How to Get Gum Out of Carpet

1. Place a handful of ice cubes into a plastic bag and place it on the gum.
2. Wait for the gum to freeze/harden.
3. Break off or cut off the hardened gum. You can also use a knife to try to scrape the gum.
4. Blot any remaining gum with a dry cleaning solvent
   • This can be a mix of water, soap, and vinegar
5. Allow solvent to set for a few minutes
6. Blot dry
7. Repeat until all the gum is out of the carpet

This method works best for removing hard or dried gum from your carpet.

If you have soft, fresh gum that needs to be removed from your carpet, this process will work well for that.

1. Grab a wipe (such as a GooGone wipe).
2. Pinch the gum at the root of the carpet and pull up. Do your best to pull as much of the gum up from the base of the carpet as possible.
3. Repeat this process until the gum has been removed.

You can follow this process up with a home detergent solution to clean the area.

Home Detergent Solutions

Home Detergent/Biz – Mix solution of: 1 quart warm water, 1 tsp. Biz brand detergent booster, 1 tsp. liquid dish detergent. Using mainly suds and a soft household scrub brush, shampoo the area gently. Do not rub too aggressively or you may cause texture change. Dab lightly.

Home Detergent/Ammonia – Mix solution of: 1 quart warm water, 1.6 oz. Ammonia, and 1 tsp. liquid dish detergent. Use the same technique as with Home Detergent/Biz solution.

WARNING: Never mix ammonia and bleach together.

Looking for more stain removal tips? Check out our Stain Removal Guide. Woodard is always available to help assist if you have troubles. Please reach out to us and a crew would be happy to assist you. You can call us at (314) 227-3932 for a free quote or submit a form online.

About Woodard Cleaning & Restoration

Woodard Cleaning & Restoration was founded in 1946 by Earl and Nancy Woodard. Located in St. Louis, Missouri, Woodard services the greater metro area (Illinois, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, St. Louis County, and many more). Woodard is proud to serve as the preferred provider for cleaning & restoration services. Our cleaning services include carpet, hard surface, furniture, and rug cleaning for both residential and commercial properties. We also provide water, fire, board-up, storm and smoke restoration services for residential and commercial clients. For information or questions submit a form online or call us at (314) 227-3932.

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Updated 7/31/2020