If you have kids, you have probably had to deal with chewing gum in various places, including your carpet. Unlike stains which can be cleaned using detergent, chewing gum clings to the carpet fibers and has to be removed before any form of cleaning can be done. Trying to pull out the gum can damage the carpet fibers and ruin its aesthetic appeal; therefore, you need to find a way to get rid of it while protecting your carpet. Here are some safe and effective techniques that you can use to remove chewing gum without ruining your carpet.

Freeze the gum

One of the best ways to remove fresh gum is by freezing it first. Freezing hardens it and makes it more brittle and less sticky, allowing you to break it out without damaging the carpet fibers. Here are the steps you can follow to freeze and remove the chewing gum. Take a plastic bag, fill it with ice, and place it over the gum. Leave it for around half an hour until the gum is cold and hard and use your fingers or a blunt knife to pry the gum from the carpet.

Do not pull too hard at the fibers when removing the gum. If some of it doesn't come out, you can use another technique that doesn't involve ruining your carpet.

Heat the remaining gum

It is possible to have some gum left behind after using the freezing technique. The most efficient way to get rid of it is by applying heat to the carpet. Place a piece of cloth or paper sack over the gum and heat it using your hair dryer. Don't use too much heat as it can cause unsightly burn marks on your carpet. As the gum is heated, it will become more sticky and stick to the paper or cloth. Lift the cloth and repeat the procedure using a fresh one to get out as much of the gum as possible.

Clean the carpet

After applying the cold and heat treatment, you need to clean the carpet and remove the sticky gum residue. Apply a small amount of liquid detergent or dishwashing soap to the carpet and let it break down the sticky residue. You can gently scrub the carpet using a soft brush and rinse it to get rid of the residue. When done, blot the carpet with a clean cloth or paper towels to avoid attracting dirt to the wet area.

Follow these simple steps to get rid of chewing gum on your carpet without ruining its aesthetics or damaging the fibers. Contact a company like Stain Busters Carpet Cleaning for more tips.