Get Gum Out of Your Hair

Getting gum in your hair is usually ends in tears, a trip to the barber and an unplanned hair cut. However, there are easier and less costly ways to remove that gum. From the classic peanut butter trick to using toothpaste, there are many methods you can use to remove gum quickly while keeping your hair intact.

Steps

Using Peanut Butter

  1. Use smooth peanut butter. Peanut butter is a classic solution, and most people swear by it. It works so effectively because its oil content lubricates the hair, while the natural qualities of the peanuts break down the gum. [1]
    • You usually want 80 grams of fat per 100 grams of peanut butter.
  2. Use a rubber band to separate the affected hair.[2] If possible, it’s preferable to separate your hair to keep the mess from spreading.
    • A small piece of foil will also work to keep slippery products from spreading across your head.
  3. Apply peanut butter using a toothbrush. Begin at the top of the gum, and work it downward with the toothbrush.
    • Use long strokes. As the peanut butter and gum are mixed, the gum will be broken down. After a certain point, you may want to switch over to a comb or your fingers to get larger chunks out of your hair.
    • Use the back of a spoon behind the gum as a hard surface to spread the peanut butter on.
  4. Use a towel to clean your hair. Once peanut butter breaks the gum down, use a cloth or paper towel to work the gum out of your hair.
    • Although peanut butter and a comb will work the chunks out, there may still be residue that can be picked up by a towel.
    • Peanut butter will require generous shampooing to wash out of your hair.

Using Lubricants

  1. Find a lubricant. Lubricants are found easily around the home, since many cooking and toiletry items contain a lubricant you are certainly familiar with: oil. [3]
    • Lubricants can include, but are not limited to, toothpaste, cooking oil, hair mousse, WD-40, cold cream, vaseline, hair silicone, and adhesive remover.
  2. Use a rubber band to separate the affected hair.[2] If possible, it’s preferable to separate your hair to keep the mess from spreading.
    • A small piece of foil will also work to keep slippery products from spreading across your head.
  3. Apply lubricants with your fingers. Most lubricants, like oil, can be poured on or squeezed on. Work it into the area surrounding the gum using your fingers, and then draw your fingers through the entire affected area.[4]
    • Try not to squeeze the gum too much until the area around it is completely covered in oil. If you move the gum around too soon, you will spread the mess.
  4. Finish cleaning your hair. After you work lubricants into your hair, a wide-toothed comb should be able to slide the gum out. Clean the comb frequently, as gum may stick to it.
    • Before shampooing lubricants out of your hair, use a soft cloth to soak up and get rid of any remaining oil or slippery substance.
  5. Shampoo your hair. Some lubricating products have a strong smell. Be sure to shampoo liberally after you get the gum out of your hair.

Dissolving the Gum

  1. Find a dissolver. Dissolvers are somewhat less likely to be lying around your house, but they are also effective for removing gum.
    • Dissolvers include, but are not limited to, eucalyptus oil, rubbing alcohol, adhesive remover, baking soda with water, lemon juice, white vinegar, and mayonnaise.[5]
  2. Apply dissolvers directly and let them sit for at least a minute. After the product has sat for awhile, begin breaking the gum apart with your fingers.
    • If the gum does not break apart, apply more and let it sit awhile longer. It should dissolve and break apart in your fingers.
  3. Clean the residue out of your hair. If the dissolvers have worked properly, they should come out with the use of your fingers. Clean the area afterward with a towel.
    • Cleaning the hair with a towel prior to shampooing is recommended for ease of washing.

Freezing the Gum

  1. Try ice. Ice works by hardening the gum and allowing it to be chipped out of the hair.
    • This method is known to be more painful than other methods, because the cold gum still has to be yanked out of the hair.[6]
  2. Use an ice wrap to harden the gum. If your hair is very long, you can close your hair inside the freezer. For those with short hair, apply an ice cube to the affected area and wrap it in a plastic bag. Hold it there for twenty minutes.
    • You can also apply salt water to your hair beforehand to lower the freezing temperature of the ice.
  3. Chip the hardened gum out of your hair. When the gum is hard and breakable, you will be able to chip it out of your hair. If it starts to soften, freeze it again.
    • If the gum is too stuck to your hair to pull off, you can add a small amount of cooking oil to it and freeze it again.

Tips

  • When shampooing, be sure to use lots of conditioner. Conditioner often contains lubricants that will make it easy to remove any residue that you may have missed.
  • Make sure to be careful about what products you use. Some products can ruin your hair, so make sure you read the label!

Warnings

  • Make sure you do this soon, because you wouldn't want to have sticky gum set in your hair for too long.
  • Be careful when using WD-40, as this substance can be harmful or fatal if consumed. Wash your hands after applying to your hair.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=2036
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-gum-from-hair/
  3. ↑ http://jezebel.com/5850613/how-to-get-gum-out-of-your-hair-and-everything-else
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs3ZB1H8ghk&feature=youtu.be&t=20s
  5. ↑ http://www.tipking.co.uk/tip/4451.html
  6. ↑ http://coolmenshair.com/2011/11/get-chewing-gum-out-of-hair.html
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