How to get gum out of hair and off of stuff

Gum is not allowed in our house.  I know this makes me a mean mom, but my kids won't keep it in their mouths, and therefore it ends up on random things in my home.  Unfortunately I didn't realize that some of the suckers my kids got for Halloween had gum in them, and what did we end up with...yep...gum on random things in my home.  Want to know how to get it out?

Hair and skin

The best way to get it out of hair or off of skin is to use peanut butter.  Yes, peanut butter.  Something about the oil in peanut butter makes the stickiness of gum go away and it breaks it down so it can be removed.

This is J.  He wanted to know what would happen if he stuck his gum in his hair.  Once he finally came to me, it was all over his hands, and stuck pretty good in his hair.  Here's what you do.

Put a blob of peanut butter on top of the gum and start smooshing the gum and peanut butter between your fingers.

It takes a few minutes, but you will start feeling the consistency of the gum change.  Once this happens, pinch the gum between your fingers and slowly pull it out.  Add more peanut butter as necessary.  Just keep doing it until all of the gum is out.

Then wash the hair.  I usually use dish soap first because it is made to cut grease.  Then I follow up with shampoo when I bathe them.

Carpet, furniture, cloth, etc.

Peanut butter also works on these things, BUT you don't want to use it unless you can wash the item with hot soapy water and then rinse all of the soap out.  If you can't wash the item afterwards, then the next best option is to use an ice cube and freeze the gum.  Then you have to slowly pick it out.  It does take a while, so go slow and be patient.  You would hate to hurry through it and end up hurting the item you are trying to save.

You can also use peanut butter on stickers where the paper pulls up but the sticky stays behind or on the left over stickiness of a Band-Aid.

I hope none of you ever have to use this information.  If you do, send me a comment and tell me about it.  We can commiserate together!