3 easy ways to remove gum from clothing
Fear not! Removing gum from clothing is actually pretty painless. We have three ways to conquer it.
Acid method: Microwave a bowl of vinegar for 1 minute. Dip fabric in bowl of vinegar and scrub off gum with an old toothbrush.
Hot trick: Heat gum with a hair dryer and scrape with a plastic knife. Place a dollop of analgesic rub on residue and rub a zip-top bag over it (the methyl salicylate in the topical pain reliever sticks to plastic).
Cold approach: Lay ice cubes on the gum for 30 minutes. Move fabric to a flat surface and scrape off frozen gum with a knife.
A version of this article appeared in our September 2016 issue with the headline “How to remove gum from clothing,” p. 34. Illustrations by Sarah Rafter.
Read more:
How to make slip-on shoes
How to teach kids to put shoes on the right feet
How to ease an earache
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Amy is a freelance writer and editor based in Toronto, Ontario. Her work can also be found in publications like Chatelaine, Toronto Life and The Globe and Mail.