How to Get Gum Out of Clothes?

Put the garment in the freezer for about an hour, then chip the hardened gum off with a spoon or blunt knife. Freezing makes gum brittle instead of sticky, and it comes away in pieces rather than smearing. This is the most reliable method and it works on almost any fabric.

The freezer method:

1. Put the garment in a plastic bag, positioning it so the gum doesn't touch the bag.
2. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, until the gum is rock hard.
3. Take it out and work immediately, while it's still frozen.
4. Chip the gum off with a blunt knife, spoon edge or an old credit card.
5. Pick off any small remaining pieces.
6. Launder as usual.

If the item is too big for the freezer, hold an ice cube in a bag against the gum for 10–15 minutes instead.

Heat instead of cold — the hairdryer method. Some fabrics respond better to softening the gum and lifting it away:

1. Aim a hairdryer on medium at the gum for 30–60 seconds until it's soft and tacky.
2. Use a plastic bag over your fingers to grip the gum and pull it away gradually.
3. It should lift off in one piece as it stretches.

This works especially well on carpet-like or thick fabrics where chipping is awkward. Keep the heat moving and don't scorch synthetic fabrics.

Vinegar for stubborn residue:

1. Heat white vinegar until warm but not boiling.
2. Dip an old toothbrush in it and scrub the gum while the vinegar is still warm.
3. Work from the outside of the stain inwards.
4. Rinse and launder.

Vinegar breaks down the gum base and is particularly good on denim and sturdy cottons. Test on a hidden seam first with delicate or coloured fabrics.

Oil-based methods for the greasy residue left behind:

• Peanut butter — the oils dissolve the gum base. Smear on, leave a few minutes, scrape off, then treat the oil mark with dish soap before washing.
• Cooking oil or olive oil — same principle, less messy.
• WD-40 — effective, but strong-smelling and must be washed out thoroughly.

The catch with all of these is that you swap a gum stain for an oil stain, so pre-treat with washing-up liquid before laundering.

Other things that work:

• Rubbing alcohol — dab on, let it sit a minute, then scrape. Good on many synthetics.
• Hand sanitiser — the same alcohol effect, and often closer to hand.
• Ice and a dull blade — the low-tech version of the freezer method.
• Commercial adhesive removers such as Goo Gone, following the label and testing first.

Method by fabric:

The one rule that matters most: do not put it in the tumble dryer until the gum is completely gone. Heat sets the residue permanently and can spread it across the drum onto other clothes. Always check the fabric after washing and before drying.

Cleaning up afterwards. Once the bulk of the gum is off, treat any remaining shadow with a stain remover or a little dish soap, work it in gently, and wash on the warmest setting the care label allows. Air dry and inspect. Repeat if needed — it's usually faster than trying to do it all in one pass.

If gum has gone through the wash and dryer already, it's harder but not hopeless: freeze it, chip what you can, then try warm vinegar or an adhesive remover on the remainder.

Gum in hair, since it often comes up alongside: use oil — olive, coconut, or peanut butter — worked through gently, then comb out. Never use ice on hair, and don't reach for scissors first.