While most soil come out of clothes with a bit of detergent and few spins in the washing machine , gum stain are another story . Not only is gum resistant to machine - wash , but attempts to wipe , scrape , or skin gum out of wear with bare hands often leave in an even boastful mess . So what should you do when you find a slice of Trident affixed to your favorite sweater ?
As it plough out , there are plenty ofnifty hacksto flock with this in particular sticky situation . Some commend freezing chewing gum and scraping it off once it hardens , others suggest the accurate opposition : Heating gingiva until it ’s lenient and gooey , then using a range of substances — let in earthnut butter , orangish fossil oil , and Bengay — to tease apart it from apparel .
Both freezing and heating system technique are utilitarian , according to theInternational Gum Chewing Association . That ’s because of the uniquemolecular makeupof chewing gum . Gum is wash car - immune because it ’s made from hydrophobic polymers , have in mind it ’s piddle insoluble . It revolt body of water molecules and sticks to oily surfaces , making it super difficult to remove . But it also responds chop-chop to change in temperature , becoming muggy and pliable when it ’s heated by saliva , and rapidly cool off and hardening when you spit it out .
All of this means two thing for gum remotion : First , water alone is no lucifer for jaw gumwood , and 2d , both hotness and stale can be used to remove chewing gum from wearing apparel in different way . When gum is stay put to clothing but not mashed into its fibers , freezing is generally a honest way to apace harden it and scrape it off in one clod . But when gum is stuck to more frail clothes , heating tends to be a well strategy for removing it without damage clothing . Since heat up alone just realize mucilage more pliable , another component is needed to relax it from material .
In the video above , Consumer Reportsreveals one prove scheme for remove gum from apparel by applying estrus . They commend using a hairdryer to soften the gum , then applying Bengay to fade away the glue base . While it ’s not the only manner to get gum out of your clothes , it ’s one of the most effective and is supported by the International Gum Chewing Association ( they urge deep - heating rub , of which Bengay is a pop brand ) . Check it out above .
[ h / tLifehacker ]
Know of something you think we should traverse ? Email us at tips@mentalfloss.com .
