During my move last week, she found gum remnants in my new dryer. It's a good thing she was there since I don't even know what gum in the dryer looked like. But after doing a bit of research online, I found that gum in the dryer is a fairly common problem like described here with pictures!
"Twice this past summer I have found myself confronted with the problem of removing chewing gum from a dryer tub. Both times were in rental properties. In the first instance, there was so much gum and it was so baked on that it took me nearly 2 hours to accomplish the task. The second instance was much tamer and was only a 15 minute project.
Ick. At this point, Kristen suggested that I write a Blog entry on the topic, as she suspected that there might be some people who wouldn’t know what to do. Sorry – but if you ignore it, it won’t go away.
Prevention is the easiest policy. If you are a gum chewer, or you have one in your laundry group, be sure to check pockets before tossing shorts and pants into the washer. If you think that you don’t have an extra minute to check pockets, then consider whether you have the time needed to remove gum from clothes or from the dryer.
To remove gum you will need paper towels, Goo-Gone or Goof-Off and your choice of spray cleaner. An optional item would be one of those hard plastic scraper things that used to be a door prize at Tupperware parties. A plastic spoon might also do the trick. Do NOT use anything metal for scraping, as it would scratch your dryer. A fingernail also works.
Spray or dab the Goo removal product onto a small area. Let it sit for a few seconds while you think about happier things than dried gum (especially if it isn’t your gum). Use the paper towel, and gently apply the scraping tool to get the gum off. Repeat throughout the dryer tub. Some dryer tubs will simply rotate for you, others require you to shut the door and turn the dryer on for repositioning. Think of it kind of like a roulette table or the Wheel of Fortune, and you have to play a game to correctly position the gum so you don’t wrench your back as you clean.
After the gum is completely eradicated from the dryer, you now need to clean the Goo remover from the dryer. It leaves an oily residue that you will not want on your clothes. Use the spray cleaner and thoroughly clean the entire interior of the dryer. Every surface. Next, lightly dampen a paper or cloth towel with water and wipe this throughout the dryer. Wipe dry with another paper or cloth towel and leave the dryer door open for a bit so that it completely dries out. If you still smell any of the Goo remover, then you need to repeat these steps again.
Was that easy? No, not exactly. Better to spend the 60 seconds and check the pockets. However, if you find yourself with dried gum, then now you know how to approach the task!"
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