Remove Chewing Gum from Carpet in 4 Steps

Chewing gum is notoriously difficult to clean up. We all know someone who has had to cut off their hair after an unfortunate gum incident, but that's not really a solution when it's on your carpet. 

Whether it’s trodden in on shoes or falls out of the bin, there are all sorts of ways that chewing gum can find its way onto your carpet. Luckily, there are some tricks to save your carpet from gum’s sticky clutches. 

Method one: Ice

When chewing gum gets cold, it hardens, making it easier to remove from your carpet. Follow these steps to remove chewing gum from carpet: 

1. Place a handful of ice cubes in a plastic bag. Don't place ice directly on your carpet, as it will melt and get your carpet wet.
2. Hold the bag of ice against the gum. It should start to solidify in around two minutes.
3. Use a knife to scrape away as much gum as possible. Do this gently to avoid damaging your carpet – you need to be very careful not to pull fibres out of the carpet backing.
4. If there is any residue left over, use a mixture of dish soap, water and white vinegar to blot it away.

Method two: Hairdryer 

If you don't have ice to hand, you can use the other extreme of temperature to remove chewing gum from your carpet.

1. Heat the gum with your hairdryer until it melts. Be careful not to hold it too close to your carpet, or you risk damaging the fibres.  
2. Blot the gum with a plastic bag or cloth. It should stick to the material and gradually lift away from your carpet. 
3. Repeat this process until you have removed all of the gum. You may have to keep heating up the gum, but stay patient and work gently.
4. Should there be any leftover residue, you can use a mixture of dish soap, water and white vinegar to blot the area.

Method three: oil

Cooking oil, like olive oil or vegetable oil, can make gum less sticky, reducing its ability to stick to your carpet. However, you will need to clean the oil off your carpet, so only use this method as a last resort. At this point, you’re probably much better off getting a professional in – more on this later.

1. Use a cloth to gradually dab cooking oil onto the gum. Be careful to only use as much as necessary to pry the gum away.
2. Using a knife, scrape the gum away from the carpet. As with previous methods, it's important to be gentle to protect your carpet.
3. Once you have removed the gum, use a mixture of dish soap and water to clean the oil, blotting the area with a sponge.
4. To prevent mould growth, use a towel to dry any leftover wet patches.

Hire a professional carpet cleaner 

It's difficult to remove chewing gum from carpet without damaging it, so the safest option is to hire a professional carpet cleaner. Every National Carpet Cleaning Association (NCCA) cleaner is highly experienced and accredited to clean all manner of stains and extend the life of your carpet. Simply enter your postcode into our carpet cleaner directory to get started.