3 Ways To Get Gum Off Skin - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Get Chewing Gum Off Skin PDF download Download Article Easy ways to remove gum from your skin Co-authored by Naomi Elza

Last Updated: March 9, 2025 Approved

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  • Using Vaseline
    • |
  • Using Peanut Butter
    • |
  • Using Oil
    • |
  • Video
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  • Expert Interview
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This article was co-authored by Naomi Elza. Naomi Elza is an Esthetician based in Beverly Hills, California. Naomi operates Beauty Factory Beverly Hills, a spa that offers a variety of facials and other skin treatments. She has been an esthetician for over 10 years and helps clients with issues including acne, hyperpigmentation, and dehydrated skin. She enjoys helping individuals find skincare solutions tailored to their needs. She attended Lu Roth Academy to become an Esthetician. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 313,448 times.

Getting gum stuck to your skin can be a pretty frustrating experience. It might have fallen out of your mouth while you were sleeping or maybe you laid your arm down on a piece of chewed gum by accident. You probably didn’t mean to do it on purpose, and it can be painful pulling it off with your fingers. Luckily there are a number of techniques you can employ to make the process much easier and less painful.

How do I get gum off skin?

Rub petroleum jelly on the gum and the surrounding area. The gum should naturally ball up and come off. Alternatively, spread some creamy peanut butter on an old towel, then rub the peanut butter onto the gum until it starts to come off. Or, rub some vegetable oil onto the gum and scrape it off with a brush or comb.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Using Vaseline

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  1. Step 1 Buy regular unscented petroleum jelly. 1 Buy regular unscented petroleum jelly. You can buy petroleum jelly at your local pharmacy. Any type of petroleum jelly or petroleum jelly type substance has the same jelly that adheres to the gum and causes it to loose its stickiness. It becomes smooth and hard and will fall off your skin much more easily.
    • You can buy the smallest size possible if you don’t use it very often, because you won’t need very much to get the gum off your skin.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Get Gum off Skin 2 Place petroleum jelly on the affected area. [1] Rub petroleum jelly around where the gum is attached to your skin and on the gum itself. You probably only need a nickel sized amount of petroleum jelly. Feel free to use more if you think it will help, but there is no need to overdo it. Advertisement
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Get Gum off Skin 3 Wait for the gum to come off. When you put petroleum jelly on the gum it will naturally ball up and come off[2] . However, you might need to wait a minute or so for this process to completely take effect.
    • Don’t try to pull it off immediately after you put the petroleum jelly on – let the petroleum jelly soak into the gum and your skin first.
    4. Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Using Peanut Butter

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  1. Step 1 Find an old towel and some creamy peanut butter. 1 Find an old towel and some creamy peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter will work better than chunky peanut butter because you’ll minimize the mess that you might cause. You also need to find a creamy peanut butter that has a high oil content. Look for peanut butter that has a very high fat content too.
    • The oil in the peanut butter is what helps to dissolve the gum and remove it from your skin or hair.
    • You can find peanut butter at most grocery stores. Make sure the towel isn’t one you plan to use again. It might get pretty dirty.
    • Avoid using a white towel. It may stain.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Get Gum off Skin 2 Use a knife to wipe peanut butter on the towel. You don’t need to cover the entire towel. A four-inch by four inch box on the towel will probably be enough to remove the gum. Put a generous amount of peanut butter on this four square inch box.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Get Gum off Skin 3 Rub the peanut butter into the gum until the gum starts to come off. Scrub it with the other side of the towel, and the gum should come right off. Use a comb to remove the gum if necessary.
  4. Step 4 Clean up. 4 Clean up. You might be a little messy after using the peanut butter to remove the gum. Wash your skin with some cold water to remove any excess peanut butter.
    5. Advertisement
Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Using Oil

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Get Gum off Skin 1 Pour a little vegetable oil on the gum. Find a regular cooking oil like canola oil or olive oil and pour a small quarter sized dab of it on the part of your skin with the gum stuck to it. It might be easier to pour a little in a spoon and then pour the spoon onto the affected area of your skin to avoid a mess.
    • Gum is a hydrophobic material, which means it will not dissolve in water. However, using other hydrophobic materials can help reduce the stickiness and cause the gum to dissolve. Oils and fats are hydrophobic, so they are the perfect option. [3]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Get Gum off Skin 2 Rub the oil on the gum with your hand. The oil will release the gum and it will naturally come off without pain. Be sure to give the oil a few minutes to soak into the gum and your skin. As you rub the gum it will start to dissolve. Be patient and you won’t have to rip the gum off with your bare hands.
    • The reason peanut butter is so effective at removing gum is because it has peanut oil in it. Other oils, like canola or vegetable oil, are equally effective.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Get Gum off Skin 3 Run a brush or comb across the gum. Once you have started to dissolve the gum using the oil you can remove the rest of it by running a brush or comb along your skin. This works particularly well if the gum is stuck in areas where you have a lot of hair. If you feel pain, stop and apply more oil to the area. [4]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question What if I am allergic to peanuts, and I have no Vaseline? Community Answer Community Answer Use an oil you are not allergic to: coconut, olive, sunflower, canola, etc. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 18 Helpful 33
  • Question Do you have any other tips? Community Answer Community Answer Try scrubbing it with a loofah and a sugar scrub face exfoliator. Avoid products with microbeads as they are bad for the environment. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 18 Helpful 31
  • Question Does it comes off if it is very sticky gum? Community Answer Community Answer Yes, because the skin sheds itself and regrows. Even if pieces of the gum are left that stick strongly to the top layer of your skin, the top layer will eventually get free of the rest of the skin and you will lose the gum with a tiny layer of your skin. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 17 Helpful 32
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Video

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Tips

  • If you are using water, use cold water. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 1
  • You can also use water or ice cubes to help remove the gum. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 2
  • All the methods work but many recommend peanut better for best removal. However, petroleum jelly may be more convenient. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Show More Tips Show More Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
  • For hair with gum stuck in it, work vegetable oil into the gum using your fingers. Let it soak, then comb it out carefully. The oil dissolves the gum.
  • Apply an ice cube wrapped in a paper towel to numb the skin and harden the gum for easier removal. Follow with oil or Vaseline to finish removing it.
  • For clothes, rub the gum spot with an ice cube first. Once hardened, scrape off what you can with a spoon or knife, then treat any remaining residue.
  • If you don't have oil or Vaseline, try rubbing the gum with an old damp toothbrush. The bristles help scrub off the gum once softened by the water.
  • Apply a small amount of regular Vaseline or petroleum jelly to the gum, let it soak in, then gently rub it. The gum will ball up for easy removal.
  • Rubbing the gum quickly with a wet bar of soap can help dissolve and remove it. Make sure to rinse afterward and go gently to avoid pain.
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about skincare, check out our in-depth interview with Naomi Elza.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.sheknows.com/home-and-gardening/articles/816982/How-to-remove-bubble-gum
  2. ↑ Naomi Elza. Esthetician. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=2036
  4. ↑ http://www.sheknows.com/home-and-gardening/articles/816982/How-to-remove-bubble-gum

About This Article

Naomi Elza Co-authored by: Naomi Elza Esthetician This article was co-authored by Naomi Elza. Naomi Elza is an Esthetician based in Beverly Hills, California. Naomi operates Beauty Factory Beverly Hills, a spa that offers a variety of facials and other skin treatments. She has been an esthetician for over 10 years and helps clients with issues including acne, hyperpigmentation, and dehydrated skin. She enjoys helping individuals find skincare solutions tailored to their needs. She attended Lu Roth Academy to become an Esthetician. This article has been viewed 313,448 times. 4 votes - 70% Co-authors: 45 Updated: March 9, 2025 Views: 313,448 Categories: Food Stains Article SummaryX

To get gum off skin, start by rubbing vaseline around and on the affected area, wait 1 minute, then peel the gum off. Alternatively, put some peanut butter on a towel and rub it onto the gum until it starts to come up. If you don’t have vaseline or peanut butter on hand, try pouring some vegetable oil on the gum, which will cause it to become less sticky. Once you apply the oil, allow it to soak into your skin for a few minutes, then run a brush or comb across the gum to remove it from your skin. To learn how to remove gum from areas with a lot of hair, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Anonymous

    Anonymous

    Oct 22, 2016

    "Everything was perfect, thanks a lot. In case you were wondering, I was just blowing bubblegum bubbles and then I..." more
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Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Naomi Elza Co-authored by: Naomi Elza Esthetician 4 votes - 70% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 45 Updated: March 9, 2025 Views: 313,448 Anonymous

Anonymous

Oct 22, 2016

"Everything was perfect, thanks a lot. In case you were wondering, I was just blowing bubblegum bubbles and then I..." more Bianca Jibeteanu

Bianca Jibeteanu

Nov 8, 2018

"I was chewing bubble gum and blew a bubble that popped and got all over my face. I scrubbed and scrubbed with a..." more Rated this article: Anonymous

Anonymous

Apr 29, 2017

"This was a great way to get off gum. I didn't think it was gonna work, but it did. Will try more tips when I..." more Bianca Mashiri

Bianca Mashiri

Feb 9, 2017

"Thank you! I had gum on my lips when I tried the Vaseline method. I tried it with lip gloss, and it works the same!..." more Anonymous

Anonymous

Aug 19, 2017

"Without the Vaseline tip I would be picking gum off my leg, and that was getting painful. Lifesaver." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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