# Chewing Gum For Household Repairs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 12, 2022, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656 "2022-01-12T19:51:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656/1 "2022-01-12T19:51:52Z")

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Big old houses have stuff which breaks. I have a collection of pastes, cements and adhesives I sometimes use for small scale repairs. One is a metallic putty that you warm and shape. There are fancy glues for fancy purposes.

Yet I find these things sometimes work well and sometimes don’t. And when they do not, I find something that does — chewing gum. Not for every job, but really works well when it does. It is a formulation containing lots of chicle.

Cheap, waterproof, easy to mold, slow to dry, safe on hands, removable, tastes great, less filling.

So what are the downsides?

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**Author:** ![PozhanPop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pozhanpop/32/8022_2.png) [@PozhanPop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PozhanPop)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656/2 "2022-01-12T22:16:29Z")

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Do you think it may start to crumble after a few months ?  
I use it for filling in small holes in the drywall 🙂

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2022, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656/3 "2022-01-12T23:23:09Z")

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Did it crumble?

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**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2022, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656/4 "2022-01-13T00:21:25Z")

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Does it lose its flavor [overnight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6bFTVi0hHs)?

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2022, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656/5 "2022-01-13T00:21:57Z")

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Never used it by the bedpost. I just hope it does not attract mice.

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**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2022, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656/6 "2022-01-13T00:23:13Z")

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> [@PozhanPop](#):
>
> I use it for filling in small holes in the drywall

That’s what toothpaste is for.

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2022, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656/7 "2022-01-13T00:25:12Z")

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I thought toothpaste was for screens and old CDs?

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**Author:** ![PozhanPop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pozhanpop/32/8022_2.png) [@PozhanPop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PozhanPop)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2022, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656/8 "2022-01-13T01:22:03Z")

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> [@Dr\_Paprika](#):
>
> thought toothpaste was for screens and old CDs?

Cloudy headlights too I suppose. Some people swear by it.  
Same with pimples. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2022, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-for-household-repairs/957656/9 "2022-01-13T01:29:29Z")

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No, wasp spray is for cloudy headlights.