One of the most frustrating things that can happen to a person is getting gum on one of their car's seats. Not only is it hard to get off, but it's extremely messy if you simply try to pull it off. The gum stretches everywhere and gets all over the place, making the problem even worse. How can you get gum off of a car seat in an effective way without making the problem worse? We've done the research to give you a step-by-step guide on how to do so.
To get gum off your car seats, follow these steps:
- Freeze the gum with ice
- Scrape off the gum with a plastic scraper
- Rub a warm, vinegar-dampened cloth on the gum residue that wouldn't come off
- Use a mixture of dish soap, white vinegar, and water to scrub the area using a toothbrush
- Clean it thoroughly afterward
To see the slightly different process for leather car seats and for more details on this gum-removal guide, keep reading below.
How To Remove Chewing Gum From Leather Car Seat
You may be wondering if removing gum from a leather car seat involves a different type of cleaning process. Leather is way more delicate than a normal fabric found on cheaper car seats. With leather, you have to be more gentle when attempting to remove chewing gum. This alters the process to ensure the leather is kept in mint condition.
Removing chewing gum from leather involves freezing the gum with ice like usual, but differs after that step. With leather, using a scraper is not a good idea. This will scratch up the surface and leave it looking worse than it did with the gum on it. Instead, try using a blunt object such as a spoon, a credit card, or something similar. The next step involves cleaning and scrubbing with saddle soap.
Saddle Soap
Saddle soap is soap designed to clean and take scum, dirt, or other residues off of leather. If there is any leftover gum that isn't coming off, saddle soap will help take it off and clean up the area while preserving the leather.
To apply saddle soap to the gummy area, get a warm, wet cloth and put some saddle soap on it. Then rub the gum-filled area to lather the soap onto it. Once this is done, use a toothbrush to scrub away gently at the leftover gum particles.
Afterwards, take a cloth to wipe away the saddle soap. Leaving moisture on leather can damage it, so make sure it is dry after you have removed the gum and cleaned it off.
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Leather Conditioner
Leather conditioner is used once you are finished with the cleaning process. It helps to maintain the leather's color after it has come in contact with so many chemicals from the gum and cleaner. This is an important step in the restoration process. After all, the whole reason you're removing the gum is to keep it from ruining the leather and looking bad. If you don't use a leather conditioner, the whole process could be in vain.
Put some leather conditioner on a cloth like you did with the saddle soap and rub it around on the affected area. This final step will ensure the affected leather will last as long as the other parts that didn't come in contact with the gum.
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How To Remove Chewing Gum From Fabric Upholstery
Removing chewing gum from fabric upholstery is a little less intense than removing it from leather, although it also presents its own challenges. Whereas leather is a flat, smooth surface, fabric is traditionally a carpet-like surface with lots of bristles for gum to get tangled and stuck to.
So while leather requires tedious care of the leather to prolong its color and lifespan, fabric upholstery requires a deeper, tougher cleaning routine to make sure the gum is completely gone.
Generally, you want to follow the same steps outlined a the beginning of the article. Start by freezing the gum as soon as possible, lest it becomes more difficult to get out. You can do this with ice (the most common method) or by using compressed air, although that involves purchasing it if you don't have it.
Next, take a scraper that is sharper than a credit card or spoon because you'll need it to get all in between the fabric, and dig it out from the hard-to-reach places. A butter knife is a good tool to use.
Then use some warm soap and water and a cloth to scrub the extra gum particles you couldn't get up with the butter knife. Since this is fabric, you can be less gentle than you were with leather. You need to scrub with a little more force in order to get the gum out of all the crevices.
Finally, to ensure you get all the gum out of the area and to help dry off the fabric, use a small vacuum. This will help to clean everything you couldn't with your hand and a cloth.
Once everything is done, find a way to dry off the area either by using a dry cloth or towel to vigorously wipe up anything left over, or place a fan on the area for a while to dry it up.
Best Soap To Use
The best kind of soap to use on car seat fabrics is dish soap. This is perfect when mixed with a little warm water. It helps lift out grease and other unwanted properties from your car seats safely.
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Will WD40 Remove Chewing Gum?
Yes. The process for removing chewing gum from a fabric upholstery with WD40 is fairly simple. Take WD40 and spray it on the chewing gum area generously.
After you let it sit for 5-10 minutes, take a toothbrush or something similar, and scrub away at the area until the gum disappears. This may involve spraying the area again with WD40 and repeating the process until the entire stain is gone. WD40 is a great way to clean gum off of a fabric, car seat.
The process is similar for gum on leather seats as well. WD40 is safe to use on leather and can actually remove stains from leather as well.
Take the WD40 and spray it on the gummy area, then use a credit card or spoon to scrape off as much gum as possible after letting it sit for a few minutes. Then use a warm, wet cloth to wipe off the leftover gum. You may have to spray the area again with WD40. Make sure you do not spray too much and make sure you clean up afterward. You do not want the leather to stay wet for a long time.
In Closing
When gum gets on your car seat it can seem like the end of the world, as it is sticky and difficult to get off with just your fingers or a rag. In reality, following these simple steps makes getting gum off your car seat easy and quick, no matter if you have leather or fabric upholstery seats.
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