The ice-and-peanut-butter gum rescue

You will need

• Ice cubes in a zip-lock bag · From your freezer — free
• Butter knife or spoon · From your kitchen drawer — free
• Smooth peanut butter (no added salt is fine, just regular) · Woolies/Coles — ~$3–5, you'll barely use any
• Dish soap (e.g. Morning Fresh or Fairy) · Woolies/Coles — ~$3–4
• Clean white cloth or paper towels · From your kitchen — free or ~$2 at Woolies

Step 1

Freeze the gum solid

Press the zip-lock bag of ice cubes directly onto the gum for about 5–10 minutes. You want the gum to go completely hard and brittle, like a rock. Don't rush this step — the colder the better.

Step 2

Chip it off

Once frozen solid, use the butter knife or spoon to gently chip and flick the gum away from the carpet fibres. Work from the outer edge inward so you don't spread it. Most of the gum should pop off in pieces — if it softens up again, re-freeze it.

Step 3

Rub in peanut butter on the residue

For any sticky residue left behind, smear a small amount of smooth peanut butter over it and work it in with your fingers or the cloth. The natural oils in peanut butter break down the gum's polymer — this is the non-obvious trick most people don't know. Let it sit for 2 minutes.

Step 4

Lift the residue away

Use the cloth to gently rub the peanut butter and loosened gum residue out of the carpet fibres. You'll see it clump together and lift away cleanly. Use a fresh part of the cloth as it picks up gunk.

Step 5

Clean up the oily patch

Put one small squeeze of dish soap onto the spot and work in a little cold water with a clean cloth, dabbing (not scrubbing) to lift the peanut butter oil. Blot dry with paper towels and let air dry fully. The carpet should come up looking clean with no sticky patch remaining.

The stop point

If the gum has hardened into a large matted clump covering more than a palm-sized area, or if the carpet fibres are tearing when you try to chip — stop and call a professional carpet cleaner rather than risk damaging the pile.

Mendy calls tradies for you. Your first booking is free, then $3.50 a booking.

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