USEFUL TIPS
4 Tips on How To Get Gum Out of Sheets
5 min read
5 min read
We've all been there — you accidentally fall asleep while enjoying a minty strip of chewing gum, and you awaken to a bed full of sticky stringy gum stains. Chances are gum has gotten the best of you before, whether it be your favorite shirt, hair, or now your bedspread. While gum is a little tougher to get out than your average stain, it's not impossible.
Chewing gum can benefit you in many ways, including improved focus or stress relief. So don't feel like one uh-oh means you should cut it out of your life completely; maybe just try to avoid it near your bed sheets. Sleeping with chewing gum can be a choking hazard too, so this may be the perfect opportunity to break a habit. We know how near and dear your sheets and blankets are to you, so we've formulated a guide on many ways to get gum out of your sheets, blankets, or pillowcases.
Tip 1. Freezing Method
Comforters and sheets aren't what they used to be — they're much more high-tech and high-quality. From heated blankets to cooling comforters, nobody wants to lose their favorite bedding to a gum stain. While there was a time when gum stains were equivalent to a piece of fabric being completely ruined, thanks to tons of nifty hacks, that's not the case anymore.
Starting off, we'll share our go-to hack for gum removal, the ice method. You may have heard of this one before, and that's because it works!
The freezing method is when your beloved garments get to enjoy some time in the A/C (aka, the freezer.) The cold air causes the sticky, sugary substance to harden. Once the gum on the fabric is frozen solid, it should easily peel or scrape off. You're welcome to use your fingers, but if you want a boost, pull out a spatula or butter knife.
Putting the entire piece of fabric into the freezer is the more traditional approach, but we understand if the thought of your bedsheets next to your dinner is a little odd to you. If you're uncomfortable putting your sheets in the freezer (or just don't have the space), you can use an ice cube too.
The idea is the same; the process is just a little different. All you have to do is take your ice cube and rub it on all gum-covered areas. The ice cube should freeze the gum, resulting in an easy removal process!
Tips for the Freezing Method:
Freezing your sheets may sound simple enough, but here are some extra hints that may lead to better results.
Tip 2. Hair Spray
You read that correctly: Hair spray is a great gum removal method. The effect hair spray has on your hair will have the same effect on the gum — it should harden it.
Hair spray is known for its ability to get your hair to stick and stay, but it has the opposite effect on those pesky gum stains. After you spray your gum stains with a generous amount of hair spray, wait a few months, and that gum should be rock solid. Once it's hardened, you can go ahead and scrape it off.
Tip 3. Lemon Juice and Vinegar
Any hack that involves ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry is a win-win in our eyes. Lemon juice or vinegar solutions can help remove gum stains from your sheets.
If you haven't had any luck so far, perhaps try dipping the gum-stained area of your sheet in a lemon juice solution. After the gum soaks for one to two minutes, try to scrape the gum off of the sheet.
If you've decided to use vinegar, you'll first want to heat one to two cups of vinegar in a medium-sized bowl or small pot. Some people leave the garment to soak for hours, and others just a few moments. To air on the side of caution, one to two hours might be your best bet.
Now that the sheet is well-saturated, it's time to utilize your strength and put some elbow grease into those stains. The vinegar solution should have helped loosen the gum resulting in an easy-breezy removal process.
Tip 4. Oil
The word oil and sheets may not go well together; it might be your saving grace if nothing else has worked. Usually, we actively avoid getting oil or grease on our sheets or beloved garments, but sometimes you have to do the unexpected.
Unlike the first few removal methods, applying oil to your gum stain has the opposite effect — instead of hardening the gum, it softens it. If you're having flashbacks to when one of your parents covered your hair in peanut butter to get gum out, you're not alone. Peanut butter is very high in oils and saturated fats, making it a classic gum removal solution.
You can use peanut butter, mayonnaise, or cooking oil; it is totally up to you. The process is quite simple, just take your oil of choice, and rub it into the gum stain. Once the gum is softened, use a spatula or finger to scrape off every last bit. Next, use a towel to wipe away any excess oil.
To avoid the oil staining your sheets, wash them immediately after removing the gum.
How To Wash Sheet Post-Gum Removal
You want to wash your sheet after any of these gum removal processes, and we say, don't wait! If you're sure all the gum is off, put your sheets in the washer immediately. Use a laundry detergent you can trust — like Zero Waste Detergent Sheets.
Washing your sheet before removing the gum can worsen the stain as a wash cycle may move the sticky gum around even more, but as long as you get all the gum off, you should be in the clear.
Miracle Tip: Regardless of gum stains or not, you should always read the wash label on your sheets and blankets. These tags provide essential information regarding what you can and cannot do when washing this particular fabric.
Say Goodbye to Gum Stains
We know how much love you can have for your sheets and blankets, especially if you use Miracle Made Ultra-Luxurious Sheet Set. The Miracle Made Sheet Set is made with anti-microbial silver, which prevents up to 99.99% of bacterial growth. With natural silver-infused sheets, you can wash your bedding three times less than traditional options. You love your sheets and don’t want to bid them sweet dreams.
While you may feel like those stubborn gum stains will never come out, hopefully, after you try a few of these tips, that pesky gum stain will soon just be a distant memory.
Sources:
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11 Genius Tricks Guaranteed to Get Gum out of Clothes | Better Homes & Gardens -
How To Get Gum Out of Your Hair: 4 Effective Home Remedies | Healthline
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Understanding the Science Behind Chewing Gum | Institute of Food Technologists
