[Skip to Content]
University of Illinois Extension
Chewing gum

Chewing gum

Treat stains as soon as possible after staining. The older the stain, the more difficult it will be to remove.

All stain removal methods should be applied prior to laundering washable garments. Stains that have been laundered and dried are almost impossible to remove.

Washable Fabrics

What you will need

  • Pretreatment laundry stain remover
  • Heavy-duty liquid detergent
  • Chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach
  • Dry cleaning solvent
  • Absorbent paper towels
Special notes about solution

Rub area with ice and scrape with side of dull knife. Proceed as above.

Steps to Clean

  1. Saturate area with pretreatment laundry stain remover (aerosol types work better on greasy stains) Wait one minute for product to penetrate the stain. For stubborn stains, rub with heavy-duty liquid detergent. Launder immediately.
  2. If color stain remains, soak/wash in chlorine bleach if safe for fabric, or in oxygen bleach.
  3. For extra heavy stains, apply dry cleaning solvent to back of the stain over absorbent paper towels. Let dry, rinse. Proceed as above.

Carpet

Chemical solvents and supplies

  • Ice cube
  • Citrus based product
  1. Freeze the chewing gum using an ice cube in a plastic bag.
  2. Shatter the frozen chewing gum with a knife handle and vacuum.
  3. Shampoo. Let dry, and then vacuum.
  4. Some citrus based products such as De-Solv-It® or Orange-Sol® have been demonstrated to break down the stickiness of gum so that it can be removed.

Steps to Clean

Upholstery

What you will need

  • Dry cleaning solvent
  • Ice cube

Steps to Clean

  1. If the wax is still soft, freeze it by applying an ice cube wrapped in a small plastic bag, and then scrape off the excess wax.
  2. Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the dry cleaning solvent.
  3. Blot until the solvent is absorbed.
  4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until the stain disappears.