A hundred years ago Good Housekeeping magazine contained lots of household tips submitted by readers. Some tips are just as relevant today as they were in 1919. Here is advice for removing chewing gum from hair:
Chewing Gum
Perhaps some other mother will welcome this bit of news. My baby came in the other day with several pieces of chewing gum in her mass of curls. I thought at first that I must cut them at once, and prepared for the sacrifice. Then I remembered that oil will take chewing gum off one’s hands. I had no oil but instead used vaseline. It proved ideal, for the gum rolled up and I could take it right out. Then a shampoo was all that was necessary to restore the youngster’s beautiful gold curls. Mrs. J.J., N.C.
Good Housekeeping (May, 1919)
A Hundred Years Ago 
Oh gosh, this made me laugh. Great advice and so relevant today.
It’s nice to hear that it made you laugh.
I had no idea about the vaseline trick. Beyond that, I had no idea I’d be singing and laughing with my first cup of coffee today. I wonder how many of your readers remember this song?
Ha ha! I figured that was it before I even looked. Oh, yeah, we sang that plenty while I was growing up. 🙂
Oh, yes, I remember!
What a fun song! I’d totally forgotten about it until you mentioned it.
This may fall into the category of too much information, but I’ve not been able to chew gum since about third grade. I couldn’t keep from swallowing it, so I just quit!
In the long run, you were probably lucky that you kept swallowing it and quit.
I have heard of that, but I think I would have just cut it out.
I think that if I could cut the hair out without really messing it up that I might – but if it would make a real mess of the hair that I’d probably try to avoid cutting if possible.
We were taught to use ice to freeze the gum, and which seemed to reduce the stickiness. Vaseline sounds easier!
Ice sounds like a good idea, too.
Love that we are having the same issues with gum in the hair for over 100 years 🙂
So do I. Sometimes I’m amazed how little some things have changed over the past hundred years.
🙂 so true…….
😂 Some things never change! I can’t remember what mom used in my hair, but I used WD40 in my girls’ hair which happened to all three.
Sounds like you are very experienced at getting gum out of hair. 🙂
My mom used peanut butter. I don’t remember if it worked or not, but it is another “oil.”
Your comment reminds me that if I accidentally put one of my kid’s shirts through the washer with a sticker on it that I’d rub peanut butter on the remnants of the sticker and rewash the shirt. It worked really well to remove the stickers.
Good to know! I think you need a little oil to remove oil.
We used peanut butter too.
I have always used ice but oil does sound like a plan 🙂
It sounds like either would work.
Good one to remember even tho I haven’t dealt with gummy hair in what seems like 100 years. 😊
Now that you mention it, neither have I. 🙂
I had no idea chewing gum even existed a hundred yeas ago. Now, could somebody uninvent it please? It’s the scourge of city pavements and removing it is a drain on hard-pressed local authority finances. I can’t understand why people use it. What’s it for, exactly?
Sometimes I’m surprised how long some products like chewing gum have been around. I’m always furious when I get chewing gum on my shoes.
I wonder if Vaseline would get chewing gum off the sole of a shoe. I have Vaseline. I have a shoe but I haven’t seen any chewing gum for a while so I can’t experiment. 🙂 I hated getting gum on my shoes.
It seems like I get chewing gum on my shoes at least once or twice a year. I just need to remember to try this the next time it happens.
Great post.
Thank you.
I bet chewing gum stuck in someone’s hair will be an event in human lives for eons. lol
Great advice!
I bet you’re right. Some things never change. 🙂
Timely! Thanks
It’ nice to hear that you liked this post.
Great advice! Helpful post