How to remove gum from your hair

Removing gum from your hair can turn into a disaster quickly. However, knowing how to remove gum from your hair can avert drastic measures like unplanned haircuts. Before picking up the scissors, try these simple methods first.

Ice cubes

1. Put a few ice cubes in a plastic bag.
2. Place the bag of ice on the gum and hold it there until it freezes and hardens.
3. Remove the bag of ice cubes and gently break gum off your hair. Warning: It is normal for some hair to break off when removing the gum.

Peanut butter

1. Purchase smooth peanut butter. The more oil content the better. It is best to avoid the chunky types, they have less oil.
2. Apply peanut butter on the gum and the hair it is stuck to using your fingertips or a toothbrush.
3. Use your fingers or the toothbrush to work the peanut butter into the gum and hair
4. Using the same toothbrush or a comb, gently start pushing the gum downward. This will dissolve the gum and allow large chunks to slip off hair.
5. Wash out remaining peanut butter with shampoo. Repeat if necessary to remove all oil.

Cooking oil

1. Apply any type of cooking oil to the gum and surrounding hair.
2. Allow the oil to sit on the hair for three to four minutes.
3. Take a comb and gently comb the hair in a downward fashion to remove gum.
4. Wash your hair two or three times to remove all oil.

Mayonnaise

1. Rub a generous amount of mayonnaise over the gum affected area.
2. Let the mayonnaise sit for 2-3 minutes.
3. Rinse the mayonnaise and gum out of your hair.
4. Wash your hair once or twice afterwards.

Toothpaste

1. Squeeze white toothpaste, not the gel type, onto the fingertips.
2. Gradually work the toothpaste into the hair.
3. Massage the gum with the toothpaste, adding more if necessary, until the gum starts to come out.
4. Wash the toothpaste out of hair.

Vaseline

1. Cover the gum and a large portion of surrounding hair with Vaseline.
2. Comb the Vaseline and gum out of your hair using a wide toothed comb.
3. Wash your hair to remove the Vaseline. Warning: This method should be a last resort. It is the easiest but messiest. Plus, getting Vaseline out of your hair may require extra work.