Have you ever had gum stuck to your faux leather car seats, jackets, shoes, purse, or couches that you need to have removed? It is one of those things that always seems to happen by accident.
With this article, I will be showing you how to remove the gum without damaging the faux leather.
In sum, one of the easiest ways to remove gum from the surface of faux leather is by using ice to harden the gum and then chipping it off with a blunt tool but do not use a sharp knife.
This is however not the only way to remove gum from faux leather. So for the rest of this article, I will be discussing a few more methods you can try.
1. Using Ducktape To Remove Gum From Faux Leather
One way to remove gum from faux leather is by using rubbing alcohol and ducktape. This will require a little preparation before you start the removal process.
The rubbing alcohol will help to break down the gum and the ducktape will help to stick to the gum and remove it from the faux leather.
You use scotch tape or essentially any sticky tape for this method. Let’s now get into the step-by-step guide on how to remove gum from faux leather using rubbing alcohol and ducktape.
The Pros:
- The gum will come off with the ducktape so you don’t have to worry about any residue left behind.
- It’s a very quick and easy method to remove gum from faux leather.
The Cons:
- It can be a little bit messy if you’re not careful.
Things Needed:
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Qtip
- Ducktape
- Microfiber Cloth
Procedure:
Step 1:
- Start by soaking the Qtip in the rubbing alcohol.
Step 2:
- Once the Qtip is soaked enough, you can then apply it to the gum that’s stuck onto your faux leather.
- Be sure to press down on the Qtip (not too hard) and rub in a circular motion against the surface of where you’re trying to remove gum for about 30 seconds.
Step 3:
- While waiting for the rubbing alcohol to soak in, you will want to cut a piece of ducktape that is about two inches bigger than the size of the gum.
Step 4:
- Once the 30 seconds is up, press the ducktape or scotch tape over the gum and use your fingers to press down on it so that the gum is being stuck onto the tape.
Step 5:
- Now pull gently on the ducktape or scotch tape and the gum should come off with it.
- If there is any residue left on the faux leather, you can use another piece of ducktape to gently remove it.
- Be sure to use a microfiber cloth in the end to buff and clean the surface of where you removed the gum.
The rubbing alcohol and ducktape method is one way to remove gum from faux leather, but it’s not the only way. Let’s now take a look at other methods that you can use to remove gum from faux leather as well as some tips and tricks for doing so.
2. Using Ice To Remove Gum From Faux Leather
Another way to remove gum from faux leather is by using ice. This method is a little bit slower than the ducktape and rubbing alcohol method, but it’s still fairly quick.
Ice works great because it will freeze the gum and make it easier to remove. Let’s now take a look at how you can use ice to remove gum from faux leather.
The Pros:
- It can be done without any preparation needed.
- It’s a fairly quick method for removing gum from faux leather.
- It doesn’t leave behind any residue at all.
The Cons:
- There are little to no cons to this method.
Things Needed:
- Ice cubes
- Microfiber Cloth
- Any Blunt Tool (Tablespoon, Credit Card, etc)
Procedure:
Step 1:
- Take a good-sized ice cube and place it directly on the gum.
- Position your microfiber cloth so that you can wipe any water drips.
Step 2:
- Leave the ice cube on the gum for about 2 minutes at which time the gum will harden.
Step 3:
- Now chip away the gum from the faux leather surface.
- You can also use any blunt tool like a tablespoon to easily chip the gum right off.
Step 4:
- Use the microfiber cloth to wipe off any residue and give the surface a good clean.
- In the highly unlikely event that the gum has left any residue behind, you can repeat the process again and use a blunt tool to chip away any pieces of gum that may be left behind.
The ice cube method is another way to remove gum from faux leather, but it’s also not the only way.
Let’s now take a look at other methods that you can use to remove gum from faux leather.
3. Using Vegetable Oil Or Peanut Butter To Remove Gum From Faux Leather
Another way to remove gum from faux leather is by using vegetable oil or peanut butter. In all fairness, you can also use vaseline, but we’ll be specifically talking about vegetable oil and peanut butter in this method.
Both of these items work great for removing gum because they will lubricate, coat the gum, and make it easier to remove. Let’s now take a look at how you can use vegetable oil or peanut butter to remove gum from faux leather.
The Pros:
- It’s a fairly quick method.
The Cons:
- It leaves behind a little bit of residue.
Things Needed:
- Vegetable oil or peanut butter
- Microfiber Cloth
- Any Blunt Tool (Tablespoon, Credit Card, etc)
Procedure:
Step 1:
- Apply a generous amount of vegetable oil or peanut butter onto the gum.
- If you’re using peanut butter make sure to mix it up before applying it to the gum.
- This is important because peanut butter will usually become separated from the peanut butter below and the oil above.
- So it is important you mix them up properly before applying them.
Step 2:
- Now, wait a few minutes for the oil or peanut butter to soak into the gum.
- The purpose of this is to help break down the gum so it will be easier to remove.
Step 3:
- Now that the oil or peanut butter has had a few minutes to soak in, try to remove the gum with your fingers.
- If it doesn’t come off easily, you can use a blunt tool to help pry it off.
Step 4:
- Once the gum is off you can use a microfiber cloth to wipe off any residue.
- You also want to buff the faux leather surface to give it a nice shine.
The vegetable oil or peanut butter method is another way to remove gum from faux leather.
4. Using Saddle Soap To Remove Gum From Faux Leather
Last but not the least, one of the best ways to remove gum from faux leather is by using soap. But not just any type of soap, but something mild like saddle soap or dish soap.
Both of these items will help break down the gum, lubricate the faux leather surface, and make it easier to remove. Let’s now take a look at how you can use soap or dish soap to remove gum from faux leather.
The Pros:
- It’s a fairly quick method and it leaves behind no residue.
- It’s a very cheap method.
The Cons:
- There are little to no cons to this method.
Things Needed:
- Saddle soap or dish soap
- Microfiber Cloth
Procedure:
Step 1:
- Mix some mild dish soap into warm water and bring it to lather.
Step 2:
- Apply some of the soap solution onto the gum.
Step 2:
- Leave the soap lather on for about 30 seconds to a minute.
Step 3:
- Now begin to use an old credit card or hand to scrape the gum off of faux leather.
- The saddle soap or dish soap method is a great way to remove gum from faux leather.
Step 4:
- Once all of the gum residues are gone, clean it up with a microfiber cloth and let the leather air-dry.
Tips On Removing Gum From Faux Leather
Before you jump of this article, there are a few things you should know when removing gum from your faux leather goods.
- The first is that not all of these methods will work for every situation. So it’s important to try a couple of different methods before giving up.
- Another important tip to bare in mind is to use a blunt tool when removing the gum. Do not use anything sharp like a knife or scissors as this could damage the surface of the faux leather.
- Always make sure to clean up any residue left behind after removing the gum.
- You should try to remove as much of the gum as much as you can before using any cleaning methods.
- The less gum that is on the surface of faux leather, the less likely it is for any residues to be left behind.
- And finally, always test any cleaning methods on a small, inconspicuous area of faux leather before applying it to the entire surface.
- This will help to ensure that you don’t damage the surface and that the cleaning method is effective.
Final Thoughts
So those are four different ways that you can use to remove gum from faux leather. Which one is your favorite?
Thank You For Reading! I hope this article helps everyone out there who has gum stuck on faux leather.
