Removing Gum from Rugs

Impacted gum stuck on rugs is maybe one of the most irritating and annoying issues that rug owners can ever deal with. Here’s a guide to removing sticky and gross gum from your rug fibers in an efficient fashion, as prepared by the experts at Aladdin Oriental Rug.

Hair Dryer Carpet Gum Removal

Blow hot air onto the gum with a hair dryer to soften it. It should then be able to stick to a rag or plastic bag and let go of the fibers of the carpet as you pull it from the floor. Make sure to do this operation slowly in order to limit the chances of hurting the fibers of the carpet, and make sure to continue blotting and lifting the gum until all of it is removed from the carpet fibers. Feel free to keep applying heat from the blow dryer to re-soften it as it begins to harden again. BE CAREFUL THOUGH: if the carpet is made of a synthetic material or wool, try to use a lower heat, as high heat can easily melt it’s fibers. Try to stay aware of any possible melting while using it, and better yet, pre-test it using a small hidden area of the carpet.

Ice Cube Carpet Gum Removal

Use ice cubes to freeze off the gym. The ice cube itself won’t remove the gum per se’, however it will harden it to the point of making it much easier to remove from the carpet. Hold an ice cube to the gum for 20 minutes – and once the gum has hardened, pick it at its edges slowly to avoid ripping the fibers of the carpet. You should be able to manually remove the majority of gum from the carpet using this technique, but it’s possible that small traces of it will be left behind. These extra gum traces can be removed through light scrubbing with a gentle carpet cleaning detergent – specifically one with methyl salicylate. Make sure to test any carpet cleaning solution on a small non visible area of the carpet in order to verify that it won’t stain or damage the rug. Once all the gum particles have been removed through scrubbing, simply vacuum them up.

Carpet Cleaning Solution Gum Removal

If the gum has remained on the carpet for a while, it’s likely you’ll have to apply a dry cleaning solution or a gel-based solvent in order to remove it. Pre-test solutions on a small non visible area of the rug, and if it works, apply it to the gum. Then, scrape it with a spatula or spoon – don’t use a knife or anything with a sharpened edge, as this can easily damage the pile of the carpet. Make sure to rinse out any cleaning solutions from the carpet using a mixture of water and baking soda. Blot the rug with a clean rag weighted down by something heavy to remove the remaining water. And if this methods fails – contact a licensed carpet and rug cleaning professional, like those at Aladdin Oriental Rug!