How to get gum off clothes

Why freezing gum is the first step

Gum base is soft and sticky at body temperature and turns hard and brittle when it is cold. In that brittle state it stops gripping the fibers and can be cracked and lifted off in pieces instead of stretched into strings. That is why the University of Georgia Extension, Clorox and Tide all start in the same place: harden the gum with ice, then scrape. Every other method on this page is for what is left over.

Resist the urge to pick at it first. Pulling warm gum stretches it across clean fabric and works it deeper into the weave, and pulling hard can distort or tear the threads. If the gum is still very soft, leave it alone and go straight to the ice. The same caution applies to rubbing it with a napkin, which mostly spreads a thin sticky layer over a larger area.

How to get gum out of clothes with ice

This method works on almost any fabric, including jeans, cotton, polyester and wool, because it uses no chemicals at all. Check the care label before you move on to the washing step.

1. 01

   Harden the gum

   Put a few ice cubes in a sealed plastic bag and hold it on the gum, or fold the garment so the gum faces outward, place it in a plastic bag and leave it in the freezer for about an hour. The bag keeps melting water off the fabric. The gum is ready when it looks dull and feels hard when you tap it with a fingernail.

2. 02

   Scrape it off with a dull edge

   Lift the edge of the gum with a butter knife, the back of a spoon, an old gift card or your fingernail, then pop it off in pieces. Work from the outside in and keep the tool flat to the fabric. If the gum starts to soften and stretch again, stop and refreeze it rather than pulling.

3. 03

   Look at what is left

   On smooth, tightly woven fabrics the gum sometimes comes off completely. On denim, knits and textured weaves you will usually see a thin, slightly shiny film or a faint colored mark where the gum sat. That residue is the part that needs a remover, described in the next section.

4. 04

   Wash, then check before drying

   Once the residue is gone, wash the garment as the label directs. Air dry it and look at the spot in daylight. Heat from a dryer can melt any remaining traces into the fibers, so only use the dryer once the area feels completely smooth.

What dissolves gum residue

Gum residue is oily and waxy, so it responds to products that break down oils rather than to plain water. Iowa State University Extension treats gum as a combination stain: remove the oily, waxy part first with a solvent based stain remover or stain stick, rinse, then apply liquid laundry detergent before washing. A prewash stain remover in an aerosol or gel works well here. Citrus based gum and adhesive removers are made for exactly this job, and they are worth testing on a hidden seam first because some can affect dyes and finishes.

If you have nothing like that at home, oil is the kitchen version of a solvent. Cornell Cooperative Extension lists lubricating gum with lard or mineral oil as an alternative method, which is the principle behind the peanut butter trick you may have heard of. Rub a small amount of cooking oil or mineral oil into the residue with your fingertip, and the gum loosens and balls up so you can scrape it away. The catch is that you have now made an oil stain. Follow straight away with dish soap or heavy duty liquid detergent worked in from both sides, then rinse in warm water, as our guide to getting grease out of clothes explains.

Rubbing alcohol is often suggested and can soften thin residue on sturdy fabrics such as cotton and polyester. Dab it on with a cotton pad, give it a minute, then scrape and rinse. Test it first on an inside seam, keep it off silk and anything labeled dry clean only, and remember that it is flammable, so use it in a ventilated room away from flames. Warm white vinegar is another common home option; it may help soften residue, though it is gentler and slower than a solvent. If a colored mark remains after the gum is gone, the dye from the gum is the problem, and a soak in oxygen bleach before washing usually handles it on washable fabrics.

How to get gum out of clothes after washing and drying

Gum that went through the wash is usually still removable, because washing water does not dissolve it. The dryer is the harder case: heat melts the gum and presses it flat into the fibers, and sometimes onto other garments in the same load. Treat it like fresh gum. Freeze the garment, scrape off whatever lifts, then work on the flattened film with a prewash stain remover, a citrus remover or the oil and dish soap method. It may take two or three rounds, and a soft toothbrush helps work the remover into the weave between rounds.

Check the rest of the load before you put anything else in the machine. Look inside pockets, where the gum probably started, and run your hand over the dryer drum once it has cooled. Any gum stuck to the drum can transfer to the next load. Follow your dryer maker's instructions for cleaning the drum rather than scraping it with anything sharp, which can scratch the finish.

Gum on wool, velvet, silk and dry clean only clothes

Freezing is safe on almost any fabric, so it is always the first move. The risk comes in the scraping and the removers. On knitwear, scrape gently along the direction of the knit so the tool does not catch and pull a loop; our guide to washing wool covers how to rinse it afterward without felting it. On pile fabrics such as velvet and corduroy, make sure the gum is completely frozen through before you lift it, because partly frozen gum can pull tufts out of the pile.

On silk, acetate and anything labeled dry clean only, stop after freezing and gently lifting what comes away. Solvents, oils and alcohol can spot these fabrics or strip their finish. Take the garment to a dry cleaner, point to the spot and tell them it was gum; professional cleaners have solvents that dissolve gum without harming the cloth. If you are not sure what your garment can tolerate, our guide to reading laundry symbols explains what the label is telling you.