How to Remove Gum From a Towel
- 1). Gently pull as much of the gum from the towel as possible. If the gum is still soft, pulling it can assist in removing the large parts, which makes your cleaning effort a little easier. If the gum has hardened, do not attempt to pull off large parts--it can rip the fabric.
- 2). Rub an ice cube over the stain. This causes the gum to harden, which makes it easier to pick off. When the gum is frozen, use a knife handle of a butter knife to break up remaining gum and scrape the rest off with your fingernail.
- 3). Use aerosol spray to freeze the gum. According to Aslett, hardware and janitorial supply stores carry aerosol chewing gum remover to freeze the gum. Spray the gum with the aerosol remover for a few seconds, followed by breaking it with the handle of a butter knife.
- 4). Sweep off remaining crumbs of gum with your hands. You can also shake the towel off or use a small brush to remove gum residue. According to Aslett, this step is very important as any remnants will become gooey and set into the towel when warmed up during the drying process.
- 5). Sponge gum spot with dry-cleaning solvent. According to Good Housekeeping, a dry-cleaning solvent can help remove the remaining gum residue without staining your towel. Dry-cleaning solvent can be found in the cleaning aisle of most grocery stores.
- 6). Spray the spot with a pre-treating solution. Wash your towel on a cool temperature setting with a mild laundry detergent. If gum remains, use your fingers to pull off any that remains and dry the towel on a no-heat setting in the dryer.
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