Chewing Gum on Carpets

How to undo a really tough "sticky" situation.

You discover to your dismay that you’ve got chewing gum smeared into your carpet; there is a solution beyond tearing it out. Start by taking your hair dryer and applying low heat to the gum. Don’t overheat it or it will melt into the carpet even deeper. Once it’s softened a bit, place a plastic sandwich bag over your hand and gently start working the gum loose. As soon as it cools, it’ll start sticking to the plastic. Once enough of it adheres, turn the bag inside out, throw it away and repeat the heat-and-baggie treatment. After a few passes, apply some methylsalicylate, which you can get at any pharmacy. Then spray some foam carpet cleaner on top, scrub with a brush and warm water and blot until dry with a rag or paper towel. And that's the On The House tip for today.

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