Tuesday, June 23, 2009

How To:: Remove Gum From Hair

When your 3 year old drops his gum on the baby's head and tries to pick it but somehow smashes it in a little more, then tries to rub it off... what do you do?
In all of the years I've been a parent I've only once had to deal with this- and I just chopped a little bit of hair off- the boy had just given himself a lovely little haircut so I figured another chunk missing wouldn't really be noticeable. But the baby?! He hardly has any hair as it is! I wouldn't be able to cut it if I wanted to, it's so short. After a few moments of panic, a few attempts to tease it off his head, a few exasperated sighs and one under the breath "Oh, Miles, what next?"I found the solution.
Oil, it turns out, is the key.
I poured a little bit of the Weleda Calendula Baby Oil that I love so much on his head, let it sit a few seconds, then gently brushed the gum out with an old toothbrush. Good as new.
I think any oil would work- olive oil, canola, the usual kitchen staples. But almond oil with calendula and chamomile makes removing gum from your baby's head seem luxurious, almost spa-like. Guaranteed.

edited to say: And the next day, when you put the baby back down in the exact same bouncy chair without remembering it's still got gum all over it, and then later you pick up the baby and he smells curiously minty and his poor head is curiously gum-covered once again, know that a washcloth with a little oil poured on it, and rubbed gently over the baby's head will remove the gum with far less mess than pouring oil on his head and using a toothbrush. Really. But please, just clean the chair, right? We don't want to this every day, do we?

2 comments:

TKSawyer said...

I hope I never need this tip, but I'm filing it away, just in case.

yalisha case said...

That's what I'm here for, to figure out first hand all those things no one ever wants to have to know....