How to Get Gum Out of Carpet?
Children equal messes. Children also like gum, and as hard as we try, gum will make its way into all sorts of places – carpet included. Gum is one of those things that gets progressively harder to remove the longer it sits, so taking care of gum sooner rather than later is paramount to keeping carpets looking good.
A word of warning to the wise – be careful when trying to remove gum. You are very likely to damage the fibers of the carpet and end up with more of an issue than when you started. What is needed is a multi-option process, one that this blog will address for you. Remember: if the gum is too stuck or you are not 100 percent certain, leave it to us at Imperial One Cleaning Services to handle it for you.
FREEZE
You can start with freezing the gum. You will need a bag of ice and about 20 minutes. Put the ice bag on the gum. The gum will become brittle and break apart in pieces. Chances are when you are done there will be some residue left. This is fine; leave it for us to take care of when we come to clean your carpets.
HEATING
This may seem strange, but it works. Put a paper sack or cloth over the gum. Take a hair dryer to heat the area. The gum will soften and adhere to the bag or cloth. Use caution as you may damage your carpet fibers doing this.
SOLVENTS
Some big box stores and DIY stores will have some gum removal products. You are welcome to try them, but it is not recommended under the best of circumstances. In fact, if you cannot remove the gum with one of the first two options, leave it be. Let us, Imperial One Cleaning Services, come and handle this for you. Solvents when used incorrectly can permanently stain carpet or even damage it. It is best to leave it be.
As always, regularly scheduled carpet cleaning is the best solution to gum, pets and any problems you may have with carpet. We have the tools and techniques to get carpet clean the first time, every time.
