How Do You Get Gum Out of Hair

It is not unusual for gum to get stuck in a child’s hair. It may happen in bed as the child falls asleep and the gum that's still in his or her mouth falls out onto the pillow--and, viola. However it gets there, gum can be a royal pain when it gets in the hair. But there is a way to remove it without using scissors!

Natural and Painless Gum Removal

One of the best ways to get gum out of hair is to use olive or another cooking oil. Saturate the gum with oil, wait until the oil is thoroughly absorbed, and then gently pull out the gum. It should slide right off the hair shaft. Then lather up with a good shampoo, which should be left in the hair for two to three minutes, rinse and use a conditioner.

Almost anything with a high oil content is an effective gum remover. Smooth peanut butter or mayonnaise are both excellent alternatives. Here again, rub the peanut butter or mayo into the hair, let sit and then use a washcloth to pull the gum out of the hair. Wash with a good shampoo and rinse thoroughly.

If cold cream or Vaseline are handy, these, too, will get the gum out. If you have nothing but hand lotion nearby, use this and then rinse with mouthwash. The combination of the lotion with the astringency of the mouthwash will help the gum slide right off the hair. Hair mousse is another alternative. Apply the mousse to the gum and let it sit for a moment or two before combing the gum out of the hair.

Placing ice on gum is another method. Apply the ice until the gum has hardened completely, whereby the gum should crumble out of the hair easily.