How to get gum out of carpet: freeze, scrape, then dissolve the rest

Step by step: how to get gum out of carpet

Safety first. Solvent spot removers can be flammable and give off fumes. Open a window, keep flames and lit candles away, wear gloves, and use only a small amount on a cloth, never poured onto the carpet.

1. 1

   Pick off what you can

   Pull away any loose lump of gum by hand, but do not tug on gum that is gripping the fibers, or you will stretch it deeper and pull tufts loose. If it is fresh and soft, go straight to freezing.

2. 2

   Freeze the gum with ice

   Put ice cubes in a zip-top bag so no water drips on the carpet and hold or rest it on the gum for about 15 minutes. A piece of cardboard with a hole cut to the size of the gum keeps the cold, and any shattered bits, off the surrounding pile. The gum is ready when it feels hard and brittle.

3. 3

   Scrape it off while it is brittle

   Slide a dull knife, spoon or plastic scraper under the edge and pop the hard gum off in pieces, working from the outside toward the center. Pick up chips as you go so they do not soften and stick again. Re-ice if it starts to get soft.

4. 4

   Dissolve the residue

   Put a small amount of solvent or citrus spot remover on a white cloth, not directly on the carpet, and dab the remaining film. Keep the backing as dry as you can. Let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes, then work the softened gum out of the fibers with the cloth, turning to a clean section often.

5. 5

   Clean off the remover

   Mix 1/4 teaspoon of clear dish soap into 1 cup of warm water. Blot it onto the spot with a clean cloth to lift the oily remover, then blot with plain water. Any remover left in the pile will attract dirt and leave a dark spot.

6. 6

   Blot dry and fluff the pile

   Press a dry towel onto the spot, stand on it if you like, until no more moisture transfers. Brush the fibers upright with your fingers and let the area air dry for a few hours before walking on it.

7. 7

   Trim a last strand if needed

   If one or two fiber tips are still coated, snip just those tips with small scissors, level with the surrounding pile. Do not cut down into the carpet or pull loops on a Berber, since a pulled loop can run.

Which gum removal method works best on carpet?

Freezing and scraping removes most gum; a solvent finishes the job. Heat and oils are options for small amounts, but each has a catch on carpet.

What the stain guides recommend

Both university and manufacturer guides start with cold. The University of Georgia Extension gum guide for carpet says to use a cardboard shield with a hole the size of the gum, freeze it with an ice cube in a plastic bag, scrape it off, then clean what remains with a dry-cleaning solvent on a clean white pad while keeping the carpet backing dry. It lists Goo Gone among the spot removers that contain the petroleum distillates that dissolve gum.

For fabric, Tide suggests about 15 minutes of ice on soft gum before scraping, and warns that gum can bond so strongly that pulling it tears fibers. That is why you scrape from the edges rather than pull.

Finish the way the Carpet and Rug Institute advises for any spot: blot, do not scrub, then blot with clear water to remove the cleaning product.

Gum on wool, shag and Berber carpet

Go gentler on natural fibers and long or looped pile. The ice method is safe on all of them; the solvent step needs care.

• Wool. Test any remover on a hidden spot and use as little as possible. Skip heat entirely.
• Shag. Freeze, then work strand by strand with your fingers; a scraper can pull long yarns out. See our shag rug guide.
• Berber and loop pile. Never cut or pull a loop; lift gum off the top of the loops and dissolve the rest.
• Area rugs. If the rug is small, put it in a chest freezer for an hour, then scrape.

Mistakes to avoid

• Pulling soft gum, which stretches it deeper into the pile.
• Using hot water or a hair dryer on wool, which can damage the fibers and spread the gum.
• Pouring solvent straight onto the carpet, which soaks the backing.
• Leaving the spot remover in the fibers, so the spot turns dark with dirt.
• Cutting deep into the pile or snipping a Berber loop.