How to Remove Chewing Gum From Bricks
Careless gum disposal can lead to a mess if the gum comes in contact with a shoe, creating a gooey mess and an unsightly splotch on the brick surface. Gum on a brick walkway, driveway or other brick surface can be unsightly and it's difficult or even impossible to remove the gum if it's attempted improperly.
Things You Will Need
- Wire brush
- Peanut butter
- Butter knife
- Sand
- Paper towel
- Rag
- Dish soap
- Scrub brush
- Salt
- Ziploc bag
- Ice
- Water
- Spoon
Fortunately, removing gum from brick can be done using items found around the house.
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Schedule about 45 minutes first thing in the morning to allow for the gum removal (in the event that the brick is located outdoors). The gum must be removed while the brick is cool.
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Place 2 tsp. salt in a medium Ziploc bag and pour a small amount of hot water into the bag. Swirl the water to dissolve the salt.
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Place about 10 ice cubes inside the plastic bag and fill the bag with cold water. The salt will melt the ice, causing the ice water to maintain a very cold temperature.
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Place the ice bag on top of the gum for 20 minutes. This will allow the gum to harden, making removal easier.
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Scrape the gum off the brick surface using a butter knife. Scrape from the edges of the gum toward the center to prevent spreading the gum. As chunks of gum are removed, wipe the gum onto a paper towel.
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Smear a glob of peanut butter into the nooks and crannies of the brick, where gum will still be stuck. Wait about 10 minutes for the peanut butter to take effect--it will break down the gum.
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Wipe away the excess peanut butter with a paper towel and sprinkle sand over the brick. The sand will help in scrubbing the gum out of the nooks and crannies of the brick.
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Scrub the brick with a wire brush, using a circular motion to remove the remaining gum from the nooks and crannies. Periodically wipe the wire brush and the brick's surface with a damp rag to avoid spreading the gum and peanut butter.
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Apply a small amount of dish soap to a scrub brush, dampen the brick with a bit of water and scrub the brick to remove traces of the peanut butter and dissolved gum.
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Rinse the brick with water and allow to air dry.
Tip
If the outdoor temperature has been below freezing for more than 12 hours, Steps 2 through 4 can be skipped, providing it's still below freezing when the gum is removal is performed. If the nooks and crannies of the brick are deep, Steps 6 through 8 may need to be repeated before proceeding to Step 9.
Tips
- If the outdoor temperature has been below freezing for more than 12 hours, Steps 2 through 4 can be skipped, providing it's still below freezing when the gum is removal is performed. If the nooks and crannies of the brick are deep, Steps 6 through 8 may need to be repeated before proceeding to Step 9.
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