How to Remove Gum from Clothes

Granted, gum in the hair is a much bigger nightmare than gum on a shirt, or in someone's pants pocket, but it can be a pretty depressing prospect if it has had the benefit of a cycle in the dryer!

However you discover the stuff has been applied to your laundry, the first line of defense is cold. Either rub with an ice cube, or if you don't have the time right then to work at it, lay it out and place an ice cube on top, and go do a couple of chores, then come back. For a small item of clothing, you can place it in the freezer for 3-4 hours, although this makes it difficult to hold if the item was wet when put in there.

Once it has been "fast frozen", scrape with a dull implement like a butter knife. In most case, it will come right off, although you can be left with a mark. Use a laundry stain remover, and toss it back in the washer.

Other methods are to let it harden, then dab the gum with alcohol, which helps to loosen it better. Another trick is dabbing with cooking oil, letting it soak in, then scraping off with a butter knife. But remember that you will then need a grease-breaking stain remover to launder the clothing. Applying warm or hot vinegar and then scraping it off, will also work.