How to Get Gum Out of Carpet??

Updated on August 06, 2008
M.O. asks from Hutto, TX
31 answers

I was walking through the parking lot at walmart and accidently stepped in someones gum!! I didn't realize it and got in my car, so now there is blue gum smudged in my rug! Can I please get some ideas on the best products to get it out??

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So What Happened?

I just wanted to thank everyone for all of your responses!! I don't have any of the products yall told me about, except for ice. It did the trick!! I knew everyone would know just what to do!

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N.T.

answers from Austin on

Hi M., the exact same thing happen to me at Walmart. Let me know what kind of answers you get. I am in need of help also. Sorry, I could not be of more help.

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G.L.

answers from Houston on

Put peanut butter on the carpet for a while. The oil in the peanut butter is help dissolve the stickiness. Then later, all you have to do is clean the carpet and pull up the gum. It really works, I have 3 children of my own.

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M.R.

answers from San Antonio on

First, try ice. Hold the ice on the gum until it hardens a bit then you can usually pull it off. This has always worked for me but I also heard to use peanut butter.

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L.B.

answers from Corpus Christi on

VERY EASY ice, put several ice cubes on gum let sit, after awhile you can use a spoon or kitchen butter knife and just scrap it will come off. May need to repeat but that can be done while popping bon bon's. Try not to use peanut butter it has oil in it, that can lead to another clean-up. No such problems with ice.

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A.R.

answers from Houston on

Hey there, M. - yuk, what a mess!

I have used ice cubes . .. just hold on and then peel off with the edge of a table knife. I also like GOO GONE, if you are looking for a product.

I read the other responses and will certainly try the vinegar. If it were is your hair, I'd say a little peanut butter. . the oils in the peanut butter cause the gum to slide off, but I don't know that's I'd want peanut oil on carpet!!

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J.C.

answers from Odessa on

I think putting ice on it for a moment will harden it so that it can be removed. If does not work try WD 40. Might want to try it where if it stains it will not be seen first.

Good luck

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H.P.

answers from Killeen on

My husband got gum on our carpet and I used ice to freeze it then used tweezers to help get it up, I would through the tweezers away afterward though. Hope it works for you. Good luck.

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C.H.

answers from Houston on

Hi M.,
Try a laundry pretreat like Shout. Just rub the area for a few mins. The Shout will break down the gum in just a few mins. It shouldn't change the color of the carpet, but I can't be certain. Then I'd suggest using a spot carpet cleaner to remove the Shout residue. I used this on a child's long hair. It worked like a charm. HTH

ps. I would not suggest using an iron on the carpet. One of my daughters ironed her pants on the carpet and it melted the nylon fibers in the carpet.

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B.W.

answers from Houston on

Hi M. - I use WD40 - spray it on - let it sit for about a minute (will break down the gum) and then rub with an old towel - repeat as needed. Works great.

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M.G.

answers from Austin on

I did the same thing to some pants about a week ago... try Goo B Gone, it worked on my pants. Becareful if you have colored carpet, but it worked on my brown pants. Good luck!!

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J.D.

answers from San Antonio on

ice, or suave kids shampoo. lather it up like you would the little one's hair..good luck. gum sucks.

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M.S.

answers from San Antonio on

I was told to put ice on it. Once the gum hardens, then you can break it off/pull it out. I tried it once a long time ago and it worked.

D.B.

answers from Houston on

One way: Take ice cubes and freeze the gum area, then pick off the pieces. Second thing to try: Goof-Off, which dissolves the matter, then wipe area up, use foam carpet cleaner or simple solution of dishwashign liquid and water over the area to get the Goof-Off solution out of the carpet (if left there the soles of your shoes could be affected).

R.W.

answers from San Antonio on

Try ice cubes, gets the gum out of carpet in your home. It will probably work on the carpet in your car.

Good Luck.

Rosie

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L.L.

answers from College Station on

Hi M.. The only way I know how is to freeze it. Use an ice cube until it peels off. Good luck.

L.

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T.A.

answers from San Angelo on

Shaklee Basic H2 is great for gum, glue, cleaning everything. The gum and glue just ball up and come off. It also won't leave an oily residue like WD40 or Goo-Gone. Check out my member perks for T.'s Shaklee Distributor. I would be happy to send you a small sample. Good luck.

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D.S.

answers from Corpus Christi on

either you can put ice on the gum to semi freeze it, then scrape it off or use WD-40, just spray the area and the gum dissolves. follow with a soap and water rinse

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M.F.

answers from Austin on

My sis-in-law told me about this, and I NEVER thought it would work:
Use -warm- vinegar
(I don't know why it needs to be warm, but after seeing it work, I'm not going to question it.)

Her kids kept getting gum on their clothes, and she'd use that. I used it on my carpet here. SCARY how good it worked.
Please drop me a note and let me know how it works for you.

M.

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C.G.

answers from Houston on

Put a damp cloth preferrably white so as not to get another color on the carpet and then put your heated iron on top for a few seconds but you have to does this probably about five or six times with the same cloth that is what a carpet cleaning service did for us and it worked

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S.B.

answers from Houston on

Hi M., The best way to remove gum is with peanut butter. smear the gum with the peanut butter and let it sit. after a few minutes the oils in the peanut butter will loosen the gum. It works great in hair also.

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L.D.

answers from Houston on

Try a product called "Goo Gone"..not sure where my husband got it..think at an auto parts.. It is wondewrful. Also, rub peanut butter in and let set a few minutes then rub. It is great also.
L. D.

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L.H.

answers from Killeen on

hi M.,,
try paper and a towel then a hot iron to melt the gum ,put the paper down 1st then the towel then iron very hot ,that should do the trick
good luck L.

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Y.G.

answers from Houston on

Try rubbing ice on it. It works great to take gum out of carpet, shoes, clothes and believe it or not even hair.

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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

I am sure you got alot of ice cube responces, if that dosent work try peanut butter. Mom always put peanut butter in my hair when I sleept with gum and got it stuck. If your not sure if this will actually work eat a pice of gum and a bite of peanut butter at the same time see what happens! Be near a trash can! But then you have to take your car to the wash and use one of those carpet cleaners to get out the peanut butter. Hope the ice works! If its not too in the carpet you could cut it out! be careful not to leave a hole!

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B.J.

answers from College Station on

My mom used lighter fluid to get tar off the carpet. I don't know if it would work on gum, but if all else fails, you might give it a try.

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J.W.

answers from Houston on

Ice cubes freeze the gum and make it easy to remove. Just keep rubbing fresh and colder cubes onto the gum taking care not to rub it further into your carpet.

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N.H.

answers from Houston on

Hints from Heloise says to use a dry cleaning solvent on the gum & wait til it hardens & hit it w/a hammer to 'bounce' it up off the carpet. If that doesn't work then you may hafta apply more solvent & wait to harden then pry it up but she demonstrated that on I think Oprah's show, I know I saw it on one of the talk shows, pretty sure it was Oprah. Good luck!

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G.S.

answers from Austin on

You know the canned/ compressed air that is used for cleaning computers? Hold a can UPSIDE DOWN and aim the air at the gum. It will freeze the gum. Much easier to clean up once it has hardened. This is what a high school janitor taught me, and I figure he's probably one of the best experts on the subject!

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L.L.

answers from San Antonio on

goo gone and a razor blade

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A.P.

answers from Austin on

ice and lemon juice will do the trick!

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S.J.

answers from Austin on

That's what I leared as well but used ice to do the trick. That would work faster to use the computer stuff. But if you want a cheap way just use ice to freeze it. Good Luck.

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