Gum is one of those substances that is very difficult to remove. Whether it is in hair, clothes, or carpets, gum is just plain hard to get out. And, if you are not careful, even if you do manage to get it out you will find that there can be a residue left to stain the area. There are many different ways to remove gum from a variety of places. But you should realize that the most important thing to do is to get the gum removed as soon as possible, lest you end up with a gum stain when all is said and done.

The first trick is a time-honored way of cheaply removing gum. It involves ice, a plastic bag, and a small hand towel. Place the ice in the plastic bag and place the bag on the gum. If it is in hair, wrap the bag around the gum. The hand towel is used to protect your hand from freezing while you hold the bag of ice on the gum for 20 minutes. The next step is to chip away at the gum. This can be done using a dull knife. Do so slowly, and do not yank at it. If the gum begins to get stretchy again, apply the bag of ice to re-freeze it. You can keep up with this process until you have successfully chipped all of the gum away. You can pull the frozen gum away from clothes and carpet with the help of some very sticky tape, like packing tape. It is important to note that this method is not a good idea to use when leather is involved, as you will probably scratch, score, or otherwise damage the leather in the process. A gentler method of gum stain removal is important for use with leather.

Oil is another way that you can remove gum from clothes, hair, or carpets. Oil based products like lotions can also work. But baby oil and cooking oils are equally effective. All you have to do is rub the oil into the gum and use a paper towel to remove. This works especially well when the gum is in hair. Be careful with using it on clothes and on carpets or upholstery, as the oil can cause a new stain. It is possible to remove this stain, however, by pressing out with a dry cloth and then using a cloth dipped in turpentine to treat it. Dry the area with a lukewarm iron, and you are set.

Other ways to remove gum include those things that can be bought (fairly cheaply) at the store. These are products like Goo Gone, WD-40 (yes, that oil in a handy can), and compressed air products that freeze the gum completely. If you use the compressed air method of gum removal, you should know that by hitting the gum with a hammer, it will shatter everywhere. Use a vacuum to clean up all of the pieces. You can use a credit card to rub the gum, keep the pieces better contained. But the gum will still break completely apart, meaning that you will still have to vacuum it up.