Bubble gum in the hair can be a pain, especially for small children. Unfortunately, it happened to you as a kid more than once. Yes, it appears to be a mess, but don't freak out and give yourself an emergency haircut. Gather a few household goods and a lot of patience instead. Here's how to get gum out of hair without using scissors.
If you find gum trapped in your hair, the first thing you should do is isolate the impacted strands. It is accomplished by using a hair elastic to tie. Next, clip the remainder of your hair up and out of the way. You could also wrap the affected strands in aluminum foil. Finally, after you've sectioned off your hair, choose one of the procedures below to get rid of that pesky bit of gum.
What is Chewing Gum?
Gum chewing provides a lot of advantages. Chewing gum has been associated with weight loss, enhanced memory, and stress reduction in studies. However, gum can be incredibly sticky in the incorrect situation.
Gum's chewy, sticky texture is created using synthetic rubbers and resins. You may notice that your gum extends if you pull on it. Chewing gum contains chemical linkages between molecules that make removing objects, notably hair, difficult.
Many commercial chewing gums are hydrophobic, i.e., they do not dissolve in water. They attach to greasy surfaces better than water bases. Chewing gum's qualities make it tough to get gum out of your shoes, clothes, or hair. Rather than using scissors, here's how to get gum out of hair.
What can I use to get gum out of hair?
How to get gum out of hair
1. Peanut Butter
Creamy peanut butter is needed to get gum out of hair. Peanut butter is a tried-and-true solution that most people swear by for removing chewing gum from hair. It works so well because the oil in the peanuts lubricates the hair, while the peanuts' natural properties help break down the gum.
The peanut butter needs to have 80 grams of fat per 100 grams. Next, separate the affected hair with a rubber band. If possible, divide your hair to prevent the mess from spreading. To keep slippery products from spreading across your head, use a small piece of foil.
Use a toothbrush to apply the peanut butter. Start at the top of the chewing gum and work your way down. Make use of lengthy strokes. The gum will be broken down as the peanut butter and chewing gum are combined.
To pull larger chunks out of your hair, you may want to switch to a comb or your fingers at a certain point. Next, spread the peanut butter on the back of a spoon as a firm surface behind the gum. Finally, to clean your hair, use a towel.
Once the peanut butter has broken down the gum, work it out of your hair with a cloth or paper towel. Even if you use peanut butter and a comb to get the bits out, there may still be a residue that a towel might pick up. To get the peanut butter out of your hair, use a lot of shampoo.
2. Dissolver
Dissolvers are less likely to be found in your home, but you can use them to get gum out of hair. Eucalyptus oil, rubbing alcohol, adhesive remover, baking soda with water, lemon juice, white vinegar, and mayonnaise are just a few examples of dissolvers.
Dissolvers should be applied straight to the skin and left to sit for at least a minute. Then, begin breaking the chewing gum out of hair apart with your fingertips after the product has rested for a bit. If the gum does not break apart after a few minutes, add more and wait a little longer.
In your fingers, it should disintegrate and split apart. Next, remove chewing gum residue from your hair. If the dissolvers worked well, you should be able to remove them with your fingertips. After that, wipe down the area with a cloth. Finally, to make shampooing easier, clean your hair with a towel before shampooing.
3. Lubricant
Lubricants are useful when it comes to how to get gum out of hair. Many cooking and toiletry items contain a lubricant you're probably familiar with, oil. In addition, lubricants are easy to find around the house. Examples of lubricants include toothpaste, olive oil, hair mousse, WD-40, cold cream, vaseline, hair silicone, and adhesive remover.
Separate the affected hair with a rubber band. If possible, separate your hair to prevent the mess from spreading. To keep slippery products from spreading across your head, use a small piece of foil. Use your fingertips to apply the lubricants.
The majority of lubricants may be poured or squeezed on. With your fingertips, work it into the area around the gums. Then draw your fingers through the entire afflicted area. Avoid squeezing the gum too hard until the surrounding area is thoroughly covered in oil.
You will spread the mess if you move the gum around too quickly. Cleaning your hair is now complete. A wide-toothed comb can slip the gum out after you've worked lubricants into your hair. Also, the chewing gum might attach to the comb, so clean it periodically.
Use a soft towel to soak up and get rid of any remaining oil or slippery stuff before shampooing lubricants out of your hair. Some lubricants have an unpleasant odor. After you've got the gum out of your hair, please give it a good shampoo.
4. Ice Cubes
Ice causes the gum to solidify, allowing it to be chipped out of the hair. In addition, the cold gum hardens and must be tugged out of the hair, making this procedure more painful than others. To harden the gums, wrap them in an ice pack.
If your hair is particularly long, you can use the freezer to keep it closed. Apply an ice cube to the affected area and put it in a plastic bag for people with short hair. Keep it there for a few minutes. To reduce the freezing temperature of the ice, you can also apply salty water to your hair beforehand.
Remove the hardened gum from your hair using a comb. You'll be able to chip the gum out of your hair once it's hard and breakable. If it starts to soften, put it back in the freezer. If the gum has become overly attached to your hair, a small amount of cooking oil is added, and the gum is frozen once more.
5. Vinegar
Vinegar is useful when it comes to how to get gum out of hair. It's a liquid that dissolves the link between your hair and chewing gums. However, there is a heavy odor left behind. So saturate the area with vinegar to eliminate gum.
You can soak your hair in a cup of vinegar or dip it in a towel soaked in vinegar. The gum is simpler to remove the longer your hair soaks. Before putting the vinegar to your hair, softly heat it for an extra boost.
Depending on how much gum is adhered to your hair, this process may take some time. When the gum starts to soften, run a wide-tooth comb through your hair. After you've gotten the gum out of your hair, please give it a good shampoo.
6. Coke
Coca-cola is useful when it comes to how to get gum out of hair. Pour some coke into a large glass or bowl and soak your hair and chewing gum for a few minutes. You should be able to get chewing gum out of your hair after a few. It is no longer securely stuck to the hair. The phosphoric acid in coke will react with your hair's natural oils and ultimately strip them away, leaving the gum with nothing to attach to.
As a result, you should wash and deep condition your hair afterward to minimize any further dryness or damage. Deep conditioning is also recommended after any gum-in-hair occurrence. It will help calm any physical damage to the hair caused by the gum or subsequent removal attempts.
7. Vegetable Oil
You can remove gum from hair with vegetable oil, such as olive oil, canola oil, or coconut oil. Cooking oils are hydrophobic as well. So if you put oil and water in a jar, they will quickly separate.
Cooking oil contains substances that break down the sticky gum without harming your hair. Apply the oil on the gums and gently rub it in. Then, remove gum from your hair with your fingers or a comb.
8. Mayonnaise
It is a greasy and sloppy solution. But, if mayonnaise is the only fat you have in your fridge, it'll do the trick and make gum easier to remove from hair. Apply mayonnaise to the gum trapped in your hair using your fingertips.
Some mayonnaise has all the necessary oils, such as olive oil, to make the gum less sticky. Wait a few minutes after applying the mayonnaise to the affected region before gently removing the gum. If you're using mayonnaise to get gum out of your hair, remember to shower right afterward.
9. Rubbing Alcohol
If chewing gum has been caught in your hair or on your sensitive garments, use a Q-tip, sponge, or cotton ball to apply to rub alcohol to the afflicted area. It is isopropyl alcohol that aids in the dissolution of non-polar composite materials.
The polymers in chewing gum are quickly broken down by rubbing alcohol. It also doesn't stain or harm any delicate materials. It's frequently used to clean polyester or silk garments, satin pillowcases, and other dry-cleanable materials.
Allow a small amount of rubbing alcohol to dry on the affected region of your hair. When the gum is completely dry, gently comb it out of your hair. After that, rinse your hair with a light shampoo.
10. Cut It
If all else fails, consider a cute, short hairstyle for yourself or your child. Or if you were already feeling a cut and this was just the nudge you needed. A cut is one of the possibilities for removing the gum from your mane and achieving a wonderful style in any scenario.
Try a U shape or V shape haircut if you have gum caught on your ends. Both of these haircuts emphasize a layered appearance at the ends of your hair. In addition, it means you can clip the gum out of your mane without losing all of your hair length.
Try a medium-length layered haircut if you have gum caught in your mid-lengths. Then, while you may have to give up some length, you won't have to give up everything.
Layers will assist in concealing the gum-damaged section of your hair without requiring you to lose a lot of length across the rest of your mane. If your gum is clinging to your roots, consider a pixie cut. It may seem like a big adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
1. What should I Do after Removing gum from my hair?
Shampoo depending on the product you use. You may need to shampoo your hair several times and then rinse it with warm or hot water to remove the oil or smells. If you're worried about your hair following the gum crisis, make an appointment with a dermatologist who will examine the health of your scalp and hair.
2. Can I Tag Chewing Gum out of my Hair?
The gum will spread even more when you do the wrong things, and your problem will worsen. For example, pulling on the wad of chewing gum stuck in your hair with your fingers may stretch the chewing gum farther into your hair, making the problem worse.
Gently separate the afflicted portion of your hair from the rest of your hair to prevent the chewing gum from spreading into your hair. When removing the wad of gum from your hair, always be careful and properly rinse your hair after using any cure, such as cooking oils or petroleum jelly.
Choose a shampoo that's right for your hair type. After all, you don't want to wind up smelling like these foods. If you still have worries about your hair despite your efforts, you should make an appointment with a hairstylist or dermatologist right once.
