How to Get Gum Out of Leggings
There is, perhaps, no stain more gag-inducing than the thought of gum chewed by somebody else getting stuck to your clothes or shoes.
It’s something you want to get rid of immediately. But what do you do? There are actually a lot of options that you can use individually or in combination, depending on how gummed in there the gum actually is. Let’s take a closer look:
7 Ways to Get Chewing Gum Out of Clothes
These are seven of the best ways of getting gum out of clothes. However, it’s worth noting that some fabrics are more delicate than others. Before you try something like vinegar or rubbing alcohol, we’d recommend a little spot test on a hidden piece of fabric.
1. Freeze the Gum From Clothes With Ice
Bubble gum is easier to remove when it’s hardened. Rubbing the gum with ice cubes or an ice pack will freeze it so it loses its stickiness. Then you can take a blunt knife (a butter knife is ideal) to it and scrape it off, making sure not to pull at the fibres of your fabric. Clean your leggings or garment as usual once the gum is removed.
2. Get Gum Out of Clothes with Help from Your Freezer
If you want a “set it and forget it” option, you can also just put the entire garment in the freezer. We recommend popping it in a freezer bag or plastic bag first, with the gum facing out so it doesn’t stick to another side of the garment.
Leave it for an hour or more, and then scrape off the gum with a blunt knife (like a butter knife) or something like a credit card. Don’t use anything too sharp or you risk tearing the fabric of your leggings or garment. Launder as usual once the gum is removed.
3. Try Vinegar to Get Gum Off Leggings
Is there anything vinegar can’t do?! Heat some distilled vinegar in the microwave for a few minutes and then dip a soft, old toothbrush into the vinegar and gently scrub the gun off with the toothbrush.
This may take some repetition, Be sure to pull the gum off the toothbrush as it lifts off your leggings. Once the gum is removed, put the leggings through a normal laundry cycle and let them air dry laid flat.
4. Canned Air Can Help Get Gum Out of Clothes
Canned air is often sold for cleaning keyboards and camera equipment. Blowing canned air onto the gum will dehydrate it quickly and allow you to scrape the gum off (always being gentle with this part). Once the gum is removed, put the leggings through a normal laundry cycle and let them air dry afterwards.
5. Remove Chewing Gum With Rubbing Alcohol
Try pouring a little rubbing alcohol on the gum. Leave it a few minutes to start to work on the gum and then remove the gum. Repeat if necessary until the gum is fully removed. Once the gum is gone, put the leggings in a cold water wash to remove any last residue of the rubbing alcohol and air dry them as usual.
6. Spot Treat Gum With a Little Detergent
Detergent can work to remove gum. It will take a lot of the stickiness out of the gum, thereby making it easier to remove. You can apply a little to the garment dry and work it into the gum. Then use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the gum away.
This technique may take a lot of work when used on a large piece of gum. But if you’ve used the freezer technique and still have a little residue to take care of, it can be very effective. Put through a delicate (cold water) washing machine cycle once the gum is gone.
7. Remove Gum With Duct Tape (or Something Else Sticky)
Take a small piece of duct tape and place it over the gum. Your goal here is to cover the gum but not the material of your leggings. The gum will stick to the duct tape so when you pull it away, it should pull the gum away with it.
This may take a few repetitions to get all the gum, or you can use this technique to get the bulk of it and then remove the last bit of residue with a little detergent (tip 6 above).
Be More Cautious With These Ways to Get Gum Off Leggings
There are other popular methods for removing bubble gum or chewing gum from clothing that we’d advise you to avoid when it comes to leggings.
1. Avoid Using Your Iron to Remove Chewing Gum From Leggings
If you’ve ever removed candle wax from clothing, this method will be familiar to you: You place the garment gum down on a piece of cardboard or brown paper and then iron the other side with a warm iron. When you gently pull the card away from the cardboard, the gum should stick to it.
I’m not as big a fan of this method as a too hot iron will just melt the gum and make an even bigger mess. Moreover, some gum has colouring in it and heat could make that worse. When it comes to leggings, heat can also cause stretching and elastic to break. So, even if you’ve had success with this method before, I would avoid it for leggings.
2. Take Care Using Steam to Remove Gum from Leggings
Similarly, steam can be used to remove gum on some garments. You simply hold the item over boiling water (a boiling kettle is perfect) and then scrape the gum off.
Personally, I prefer the freezer method as it is less finicky (and I always tend to scald myself around boiling water). But more than that, you want to avoid extreme heat when it comes to leggings.
3. Be Careful With Oil-Based Treatments Like Peanut Butter
The classic peanut butter removal method certainly works. The oil in the peanut butter loosens the gum’s grip.
The possible downside of this method is that you then have an oil stain to deal with. While odds are this will easily come out in the wash, it’s just not worth the risk when there are so many other methods that work!
Once the Chewing Gum is Out, Launder As Usual
A Cool Washing Machine Cycle Is Best for Leggings
Hot washing machine cycles are great for tough fabrics that can really take it, and need a very thorough clean. But most garments with stretch need a gentler touch. This is because elastics can break under high washing machine temperatures — and leggings have A LOT of stretch.
Sometimes this is even visible to the eye, you’ll see “elastic stubble” on a garment. And that’s a sign that the spandex or lycra has snapped in places. Not only will this mean your leggings have less stretch (i.e. they could become baggy in places), it could also affect opaqueness (i.e. your leggings start to become see-through). As well, it could just overall make your beloved leggings look a little grubby.
So stick with the cold wash cycle for your leggings and other items with a lot of stretch (like sports bras and wireless bras).
Skip Fabric Softeners
Fabric softener is great for cotton items like bedding and towels. It gives you that soft and fluffy feel. But it is all wrong for synthetics.
Fabric softeners will leave a very noticeable residue on the top of your leggings. Not nice. This residue can also dull and discolor your leggings. If you use softener in your laundry, make sure you separate the items you want to use softener on from your synthetics before you pop them in the machine.
Protect Leggings From Getting Tangled in the Machine
No judgement though if you can’t be bothered hand-washing. The thing you really want to avoid in the machine is clothes getting pulled and stretched. Try to wash leggings with items of a similar weight (t-shirts, underwear etc.)
If you do wash them with larger or heavier items (bedding, towels, sweaters), consider popping them in a mesh bag so they don’t get knotted up with these items.
Ideally, Lay Leggings Flat to Dry
Whether you hand-wash or machine wash your leggings, it’s your choice. But if there’s one hard rule it’s on drying: Drying machines are an absolute no-no. Instead opt for an air dry.
When clothing is wet, it weighs more. That means hanging leggings when they’re wet can stretch them out more. Instead, lay leggings flat to dry. You’ll be surprised how quickly leggings dry!
And that’s it! Hopefully at this point, the gum is long done!
We hope you found this post informative — but remember: we’re not doctors and this post is not medical advice! While all posts are fact-checked and well researched, we always recommend you chat with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have regarding a medical condition. We’re here to support and educate, but never with the aim of disregarding professional medical advice you’ve been given. Phew, now that that’s out of the way, you can go on living unapologetically free.