Flooring is an important part of your home's function, appeal, and value. Of course, accidental spills are common in most homes. While milk and water are easy liquids to clean up from your floors, other liquids, items, and foods can be overwhelming to remove. Considering 59 percent of people chew gum in the United States, you may have this sticky, chewy candy in your home. Unfortunately, chewing gum can stain and damage your carpeted flooring if left in place for long periods. Using this guide, you can quickly remove chewing gum from your carpet to prevent expensive cleanings and replacements.

1. Ice

Ice is effective for loosening the sticky residue trapped inside your carpet fibers. In addition to being effective, ice is also inexpensive and non-toxic, so it is safe to use around your pets and children.

Place a few cubes of ice directly on the gum and allow to rest for 20 minutes. As the ice melts, it will harden the gum on your carpet. Once the gum hardens, use your hands to pull the gum off the carpet.

If the gum has discolored the carpet, use a light detergent to scrub the area. Allow to dry before vacuuming to remove any small remnants of the gum.

2. Heat

Ice hardens the gum for removal while heat melts the gum away from the carpet. To apply a safe amount of heat, consider using a traditional hair dryer.

Place your hair dryer at a medium setting and hold it a few inches away from the gum. Use the hair dryer to apply heat to the gum for a few minutes. As the gum is melting, use a cloth or plastic bag to blot the carpet. Blotting will allow the melting gum to stick to the cloth or plastic instead of the surrounding carpet fibers.

3. Baking Soda

Sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, bubbles and fizzes when it comes in contact with water on a surface. This carbonation dissolves away stubborn dirt, debris, and residue from most surfaces. To remove gum from your carpet, add the following to a spray bottle:

• ½ cup of warm water
• ¼ cup of baking soda

Shake the bottle to mix before spraying onto the gum. Allow the baking soda solution to soak the gum and carpet for 30 minutes. The baking soda will begin breaking up the sticky chewing gum, but use a small brush with metal bristles to carefully scratch the gum out of the carpet fibers.

Allow the carpet to dry before vacuuming.

Accidents are impossible to avoid and prohibiting gum in your home can be difficult. Using this guide, you can remove chewing gum from your carpet without a great deal of stress.

To learn more, contact a carpet cleaning company like Go Green Carpet Cleaning.