Peppermint gum is one of the best options to freshen your breath during a holiday get together, but when gum finds its way onto the carpet, it can be an embarrassing to your ego and cause irreversible damage to your rug. Rather than make it cause for alarm, try these at-home solutions to remove gum from your area rug or carpet.

How to Remove Gum from Your Area Rug or Carpet: Ice

One common way to remove gum from your area rug or carpet is by freezing it. When gum freezes, it becomes brittle and much easier to scrape away. Grab an ice cube from your freezer and run it over top of the affected area until the gum has fully hardened. Next, grab a butter knife or scraping tool and gently scrape away the stain. Vacuum your carpet as usual.

How to Remove Gum from Your Area Rug or Carpet: At Home Stain Remover 

There are several at-home area rug cleaning solutions that can work against gum stains. You can purchase these products at your local drug or hardware store. If you have a pet at home, make sure the solution is non-toxic and pet friendly as many pets spend the majority of their time on your floors. Before applying the product to the gum stain, read the directions carefully to ensure the stain is carefully and safely removed. Treat the stained area and vacuum as usual.

How to Remove Gum from Your Area Rug or Carpet: Peanut Butter 

Peanut butter?! Yep, that’s right. Peanut butter works as a natural stain  agent and its natural oils can dissolve gum. To treat the gum stain, grab a jar of oil based peanut butter from your pantry. Work the peanut butter into the gum stain and scrape it away as it begins to loosen from the carpet or rug fibres.

Professional Carpet Cleaning

At Gibson’s we offer both in home carpet cleaning and area rug cleaning. Gum can cause irreversible damage to your area rug, and it’s important to ensure it is removed using a safe and proper cleaning method. If your rug is an investment piece or of sentimental value, we highly recommend using our services. Schedule your free area rug pick up here.