How to Get Gum and Candy out of Carpet
One of the first words that come to mind to describe gum and candy is sticky. Gum and candy that has been in little mouths sometimes find their way to your carpet and inevitably get stuck in the fibers similar to getting stuck in hair we tend to think we may reluctantly need to reach for the scissors to remove the sticky mess but this isn’t always necessarily true. There are actually a number of methods you can try on your carpet before reaching for the scissors to cut it out.
Freezing
This is probably the best method to use on gum. Go to the freezer and get a couple of ice cubes. You can either put the cubes directly onto the gum or stick them in a plastic zipper bag and set it on top of the gum to avoid water in the carpet. Allow the ice to dry out and harden the gum or freeze it. Hardening and drying the gum out will take away much of its stickiness. Once the gum has hardened it will be easier to remove from the carpet fibers you can either very gently pull the gum from the fibers or grab a blunt object such as a butter knife or spoon to gently scrape the gum from the carpet.
Another method of freezing gum stuck in carpet is to take a can of compressed air like those used for cleaning keyboards and spray the gum. Then remove the same way as with the ice method.
Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter is a great way to get sticky objects out of hair likewise it can also work to remove objects from carpet. Simply apply the peanut butter to the candy or gum and allow a few minutes to go to work on the sticky components in the gum or candy and remove. Peanut Butter does have oils in it making it effective on sticky objects but some of the oils will be left behind in the carpet. For this a solution of mild soap and water or white vinegar and some blotting will remove anything left behind in the carpet.
WD-40
If you have been on Pinterest you are probably well aware of the miracle concoction that is WD-40 and its many uses beyond lubricating hinges and bike chains. One of the many uses of this wonder in a spray can is to remove sticky objects from carpet. Spray the area with WD-40 and the object should slide free from the carpet fibers. Make sure to test an unseen area of carpet such as in a closet with the WD-40 first to ensure it is safe for your particular carpet.
If there is any left behind sticky residue cleaners such as goo gone can be helpful to remove whatever is left behind. After using the goo gone be sure to clean the spot with a mild soap and water solution and leave a dry clean cloth on the spot to absorb any moisture.
If you find yourself with a stickier situation than you can handle don’t hesitate to give All Kleen a call.
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