# Any way to remove chewing gum from the dryer?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-remove-chewing-gum-from-the-dryer/446403>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 22, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-remove-chewing-gum-from-the-dryer/446403 "2008-04-22T15:02:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-remove-chewing-gum-from-the-dryer/446403/1 "2008-04-22T15:02:12Z")

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I washed a pair of pants with a pack of gum inside, then dried them.

There are ugly blue stains (from the packaging) and gum inside my dryer. Any good way to remove these?

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**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-remove-chewing-gum-from-the-dryer/446403/2 "2008-04-22T15:09:59Z")

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Regarding the blue stains, try something like Goof-Off or Goo-Gone. If those fail, you’ll need to work your wy up the chain of solvents with increasing nastiness, while hoping not to damage the drum finish. BEWARE-any of these are likely to have combustible vapors! Turn off the pilot if it’s a gas dryer which has a standing pilot, and use with much ventilation.

Some of them may work on the gum, too. Otherwise, you can try applying ice to the gum for a few moments to freeze it, and then chip off the solid chunk, again trying not to eff up the drum finish.

Good luck.

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**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-remove-chewing-gum-from-the-dryer/446403/3 "2008-04-22T15:11:18Z")

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I would try [Goo Gone](http://www.googone.com/googone/product/c7f8659a-40a3-412c-9f1c-03108e6a30db.aspx) for the gummy stuff. As for the staining, after a load or two of jeans or whatever won’t obviously pick up the ink/stain, I would think the heat of the dryer would set it sufficiently not to transfer to other clothes.

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**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-remove-chewing-gum-from-the-dryer/446403/4 "2008-04-22T15:59:42Z")

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We’ve had gum in our dryer from my wife, the Nicorette user. Goo gone got rid of it. But to echo what other posters have said, be damn sure those fumes have dissipated before using the dryer.

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**Author:** ![Eben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a8b319/32.png) [@Eben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eben)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-remove-chewing-gum-from-the-dryer/446403/5 "2008-04-22T16:38:11Z")

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This [site](http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf554973.tip.html) gives the advice to use a damp dryer sheet to rub it out.

-Eben