During use, sofa upholstery is subject to various contaminations and the most difficult thing to remove is stuck chewing gum. It contains elastomeric and rubber components endowed with the characteristics of viscous substances. After mixing with saliva, it becomes very sticky and exhibits increased adhesion to surfaces.
There are no difficulties with timely disposal of chewing gum, but sometimes a stain appears on the sofa. Action must be taken immediately. You can try to remove chewing gum from sofa upholstery using traditional methods, using household chemicals.
What can't be used?
You cannot remove chewing gum using:
- shower gel and shampoos;
- perfumery products;
- laundry soap;
- dishwashing detergents.
Substances prepared at home should be used with caution. Not all of them provide effective removal of chewing gum; some can damage the sofa upholstery or damage the filling.
Advice! It is safer to use industrial formulations that are designed taking into account the nature of the contaminants and the type of materials. There are no universal remedies.
Have you ever removed chewing gum from upholstery?
Not really
Top 3 special compositions
There are quite a lot of products on the household chemicals market that are designed to remove chewing gum. These products are fast-acting and effective, allowing you to remove stuck lumps from various surfaces.
If a little prankster who loves chewing gum lives in the house, and problems with gum in unexpected places often arise, it makes sense to purchase the appropriate product.
Spartan Chewing Gum Remover
The drug is available in an aerosol can. Its action is to remove the gum by freezing. Weight – 84 grams. In addition to chewing gum, Gum Remover is suitable for removing wax and other sticky substances.
Application is very simple, since the product is completely ready for use. Gum Remover is sprayed onto the affected area and the frozen gum is scraped off with a scraper. Price – about 320 rubles.
SAPUR FREEZE
SAPUR FREEZE aerosol is designed to remove gum by freezing. The drug is applied by spraying onto the stain. The freezing process is very fast. Having become fragile, the elastic band is easily cleaned without leaving any stains behind. Price – 700 rubles per bottle.
Anti-chewing gum Lucky Bee
Lucky Bee is produced in Russia. Release form: gel. The drug is packaged in small convenient bottles of 30 ml. Anti-chewing gum is applied directly to the gum, allowing it to be removed not only from clothing, but also from other materials. Does not leave behind stains. Price – from 155 rubles.
How to remove using folk remedies?
Most often, chewing gum is removed from sofa upholstery using folk remedies. Among them there are many budget ones that are convenient to use at home.
Cold
Synthesized artificial polymers act as the basis of chewing gum and give it elastic properties. During the freezing process, these characteristics are lost. This is an excellent opportunity to get rid of sticky stains, not only on the sofa, but also on the carpet, clothes or shoes.
Advice! You can use special cooling aerosols that help with injuries; they are used during the assembly of parts and to identify damage in microcircuits.
Such aerosols are sold in pharmacies, as well as in sports and household goods stores. As an alternative to freezing, consider ice cubes from the freezer.
Before use, the ice should be placed in cellophane so that the water formed during its melting does not get onto the sofa. Moisture is harmful to many materials.
Proceed sequentially:
- Remove the top layer of chewing gum.
- Apply a bag of ice cubes to the remaining dirt.
- Wait about half an hour.
- Gently scrape off the mass with a blunt object.
If the chewing gum becomes soft during removal, the manipulation should be repeated. The mark left on the material can be treated with a liquid used to remove varnish. Give preference to products without acetone. All scraped pieces must be collected to prevent re-sticking.
This technique is effective and versatile, but some types of fabrics, for example, flock, cannot be subjected to mechanical stress. Attempts to scrape off the gum or scrub it with a brush can cause damage to the material.
Scotch
Try removing chewing gum from your couch using duct tape. Press it against the dirt and gently pull the end. If everything is done correctly, it will come off along with the chewing gum.
Heating devices
In the fight against chewing gum stuck to the sofa, you can use heating devices. All housewives use an iron.
- Cover the chewing gum with a cotton cloth or paper sheet. You can use a regular piece of paper from a school notebook.
- Heat the iron to a maximum of 110 degrees.
- Iron the paper so that the rubber mass melts and is absorbed into the paper base.
- Remove the leaf along with the gum.
- Repeat the manipulation until the sticky mass is completely removed, each time using a sheet of paper or cloth.
It is not advisable to hold the iron in one place for longer than 3-5 seconds.
The method is very risky, since not all upholstery materials can withstand high temperatures. It is also worth taking into account the fact that as the chewing gum melts, it can penetrate deeper into the base, in which case it will be almost impossible to remove it. Professionals advise using this technique only in extreme cases.
To remove chewing gum from delicate materials, use a hair dryer instead of an iron.
Oils
You can eliminate traces of chewing gum using oils that neutralize its stickiness. The method of application is quite simple. For this purpose, you can use olive, eucalyptus or peanut oil.
It is bought in pharmacy chains, stores selling food or cosmetics:
- Dampen a cotton pad and apply it to the stain for 10 minutes.
- Use gentle movements to remove chewing gum from the upholstery.
- Use soapy water to remove any traces of gum and oil from the surface.
Some types of oils can change the shade of the coating, for this reason, before using them, you need to test on a small area on the back side.
Important! Cleaning with this method is carried out with care so that no greasy stains remain on the upholstery, otherwise they will also need to be removed later.
Saddle soap
First, a piece of chewing gum is carefully removed with a blunt object. Then they apply soap to the material, treating the residue with it.
Table vinegar
Using solvents, you can stimulate the process of decomposition of polymers in chewing gum and reduce its stickiness. To do this, use table vinegar, which is available in any kitchen:
- Soak a clean cloth, preferably cotton, in vinegar.
- Apply to the chewing gum for 8 minutes, being careful not to come into contact with the upholstery.
- Scrape off the substance with a plastic or wooden spatula. It is recommended to perform movements in one direction.
- Remove the remaining chewing gum with soapy water or a special foam used for dry processing.
To enhance the effect, heat the vinegar in a water bath. Recommended temperature is 45 degrees. Treat the sofa upholstery with this liquid using a toothbrush.
Attention! This method is not suitable for all upholstery. It is not advisable to treat natural, artificial leather and delicate fabrics with vinegar.
Steam treatment
You can get rid of stuck chewing gum using steam coming out of the nose of a boiling kettle. In this way it is easy to remove rubber from furniture upholstery. If you have a steam cleaner, you can do without special tools.
The device provides steam exposure to the adhered mass. It needs to be heated and a thin nozzle should be installed, directed towards the surface at a 30 degree angle. After the chewing gum has softened, remove it with a napkin without smearing it on the surface.
Attention! This technique cannot be used on leather and velor coverings.
Do you use folk remedies to remove chewing gum?
Not really
Getting rid of chewing gum by freezing
Open any refrigerator and you will find ice cube trays. Fill the mold and place in the freezer until completely frozen. Once hardened, place the ice in a plastic bag to prevent moisture from getting on the sofa upholstery. Don't be afraid to use up chunks of ice; there must be enough of it, otherwise the sticky stuff won't harden. We immediately warn you that the process is not quick, but rather lengthy. Deep freezing will make it easy to scrape off the substance with a wooden spatula or a not too sharp object. It happens that after the removal procedure, a white spot remains, which can be easily removed by using nail polish or acetone.
How to scrub using household chemicals?
In addition to organic products used to clean sofa upholstery (acetone, gasoline), domestic manufacturers offer industrial sprays with emulsions.
They ensure the destruction of the chewing gum structure and do not harm the base. Their disadvantage is their high cost.
Specialized products for leather products
Experienced housewives advise using the following means:
- Spray Megam S.
- Refrigerant Gumex Spray.
- Taski Tapi Gum.
Megam S. spray removes chewing gum from textile and leather surfaces. With its help, you can really get rid of even old stains; the whole process takes 10 minutes. But first you need to test the sensitivity of the contaminant to the solvent included in the product. The spray costs about 300 rubles. for 0.5 l.
Gumex Spray refrigerant promotes the destruction of the structure and provides instant freezing. This allows you to easily remove the substance from the textile base.
Taski Tapi Gum, a clear spray, helps freeze the stain, preventing it from being sticky. It contains no freons, is safe for surfaces and acts instantly. Costs from 1 thousand to 1.2 thousand rubles. for 0.5 l.
Before processing, be sure to study the manufacturer’s recommendations for using the product and evaluate its compatibility with the upholstery material.
Removing chewing gum from various materials
Regardless of the type of material, chewing gum should be removed from the upholstery as quickly as possible, otherwise it will penetrate deep into the pores.
Important! Try not to use sharp objects for this purpose.
Economy upholstery fabric
Economy class upholstery fabric is considered to be flock with cotton and scotchgard. Contaminants are removed from them using the dry method or wet using a soap solution.
The use of aggressive cleaning compounds that contain chlorine and alcohol should be avoided:
- Velor upholstery is cleaned with soap or vinegar solution. This fabric is resistant to household chemicals and fibrous rags.
- Only dry cleaning is suitable for artificial suede. It is damaged by moisture and mechanical stress.
- The tapestry needs dry cleaning; it does not tolerate moisture.
Dry stain removal methods involve the use of industrial cleaning products designed for furniture care and foam.
Premium upholstery
Natural leather requires careful cleansing. To do this, prepare a solution based on oils and one small spoon of vinegar (you can use hairspray). Treating stains with saddle oil also helps. Chlorine-containing compounds should not be used, nor should the upholstery be exposed to high temperatures.
Caring for artificial leather is similar; you should not resort to mechanical scraping of stuck chewing gum. Owners of expensive furniture are advised to consider the option of professional cleaning. Improper use of folk remedies can cause serious damage to the sofa.
Find out how to remove green stains from a leather or fabric sofa.
Remove from leather sofa
Leather upholstery requires careful handling. You can remove stuck gum from its surface with your own hands using ice and a soap solution.
Observe the following instructions:
- For processing you need to use a lint-free cloth.
- It is not advisable to wet the chewing gum before using ice.
- To rinse, use a small amount of soap solution.
- Treat the contaminated area with a toothbrush.
You can wash the entire sofa with a soap solution so that the mark does not stand out, and then use leather conditioner. Choose products that do not darken the material. Avoid using peanut butter and other greasy substances that leave a residue.
You will find 11 effective ways to clean a leather sofa at home in this article.
Thermal heating with an iron or hair dryer
Plug in the hairdryer and use a hot jet to heat up the stuck dirt. Elevated temperatures will lead to deformation of the substance, the substrate will begin to melt. The softened material can be easily removed with a regular dry, clean napkin or cloth; if you have a paper towel, use it. We will remove the residual whitish trace using any degreaser, for example, acetone. To do this, apply a little liquid to a cotton swab and carefully remove the stain from the skin. At the final stage, rinse the area with water.
A similar effect is achieved if you iron a paper napkin previously placed on the sticking area with a hot iron. A softening process will occur, the napkin will absorb the softened substrate. If necessary, change the napkin until completely absorbed. Follow safety precautions when working with the hot surface of the iron without touching other areas.
Advice from professionals
In order to avoid the problem of material damage and damage to the furniture in the process of removing chewing gum from the sofa upholstery, you need to follow the recommendations of professionals:
- Before cleaning, determine the type of coating and read the manufacturer's instructions for caring for it.
- Test the product on a small area, preferably from the back.
- Refrain from using liquids that contain chlorine and alcohol (bleach, vinegar), which can change the color of the coating.
- To clean stains on light-colored upholstery, use white napkins; colored ones can stain it.
- Delicate surfaces should only be cleaned using dry cleaning.
The effectiveness of removing chewing gum from a sofa is determined by several factors. To completely remove contamination, cleaning must be done immediately.
Use products recommended by the manufacturer and professional ones. Avoid sharp objects and excessive wetting of the surface.
To keep the sofa looking presentable for as long as possible, you need to cover it with a blanket or cover - this will prevent chewing gum from sticking directly to the upholstery.
Find out also how to wipe the handle off a sofa made of fabric, leatherette, or velor.
Common elimination methods
Essentially, we have the following effective algorithms:
- Freezing with carbon dioxide from a gas canister.
- Direct heating with hot air from a hairdryer or iron.
- Removing chewing gum with substances containing solvents, such as acetone.
- Using essential oils of plant origin.
- Using special-purpose household chemicals.
The methods are effective even against handgam (chewing gum for hands). Let's look at the issue more fundamentally in order to save energy and nerves.
