Chewing gum stain..... :(

[passatdoc]

Yeah, my fault, I had some Trident, wrapped it in the wrapper and forget it was in my shirt pocket. Shirt went through the washer and dryer, discovered a dime-sized gob of gum in the pocket. I froze the shirt, then scraped off all the gum, as much as I could, but there is still a pink stain (cinnamon....). Is there a way to remove the stain? Pre-wash spray perhaps? Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[aegokocarat]

try soaking your shirt overnight, or you could scrunch in some detergent (liquids if you use them) and leave it absorb into the shits fibers and then wash it. other hope it helps
Tom

 

[iheartmaytag]

Liquid detergent.
Also might try WD-40. It's great for removing gum from carpeting, kids hair, etc. Of course you have to then clean the WD-40 out of the area cleaned, but it does cause the gum to break it's bonds.

 

[vintagekitchen]

Zippo Lighter fluid

I know we "arent supposed to" use flammable things to clean, but, it's the only thing I have found that really removes chewing gum residue from clothing and carpet. Follow by a hand wash with dishwashing liquid, and repeat until the lighter fluid smell is totally gone, before washing in the machine.

A little trick I picked up from a friend's mom, whose grandmother worked in the local laundry service her entire life. Compared to other tips she had like using a dishpan of gasoline to wash oil and grease out of work clothes, this one isn't frightening at all, lol.

 

[passatdoc]

Got it all out

This way:

1. Threw shirt in freezer. Scraped off as much as I could with a knife

2. Put shirt in a Soak only cycle in my FL, with 1/2 dose detergent

Repeated the process a total of three cycles: freeze/scrape, soak, freeze/scrape, soak, freeze/scrape, soak, and finally a normal wash.

There is no trace of residue or stain. Thanks for all of your advice and help.

 

[passatdoc]

to clarify

There was a thin film of gum stuck on the fabric, as opposed to a set stain. It was inside the shirt pocket and the color "showed" on the outside. I googled "remove gum from fabric" and nearly everyone suggested freezing the garment, then scraping off the gum with a knife or other tool. The gum becomes brittle at that temperature and is easier to remove as a "solid". I ran a cold water soak with detergent in the FL between each of three freezing sessions. It was a blue and white checked gingham pattern long sleeve shirt. The spot is still barely visible if you know where to look for it, but is basically hidden by the pattern. The results might not have been quite so stellar on a solid shirt. I did not use a pre-wash spray or any solvents, other than soap and water.