Bust gum, not a gut
April 1st 2006

Getting rid of gum using a pressure washer is effective. But it uses a lot of water - presenting a hazard to pedestrians as well as adding to operational cost.

OspreyDeepclean says this is where its Gumbuster steam technology comes into its own

Discarded chewing gum is litter, but it is litter that sticks to the ground and so unfortunately cannot be picked up or swept away in the normal manner.

The street pollution caused by discarded chewing gum now presents one of the country's biggest public cleansing headaches that costs many millions of Pounds annually to remove.

Of the various methods of dealing with chewing gum blight in the streets, only two are suited to wide area operation: pressure washing and steam cleaning.

Treatment by pressure washers is usually quite effective, however because of the enormous quantities of water produced, it is both messy and hazardous to pedestrians, as well as creating the problem of having to cordon off a large area to clean a small one. An alternative is to carry out the cleaning at night, in which case it can then prove to be very expensive. Another consideration must be to the huge amounts of water wasted by this method.

The steam cleaning process, on the other hand, applied in combination with an environmentally friendly cleaning agent, and known as Gumbusters technology, leaves only a damp surface that completely dries in minutes.

In operation, steam is injected with the detergent as it is released from the cleaning head and the gum is instantly heated by the steam to 175 - 180°C. On chewing gum the resulting effect is dramatic.

The superheated steam in combination with the biodegradable detergent instantly destabilises the ingredients in the gum that makes it so sticky, and it is simultaneously dissolved, leaving no trace behind on the pavement.

Gum removal by steam also keeps water wastage to a minimum. A steam cleaning unit removing gum will use only a maximum of 40 litres of water per day, enough to clean as much as 300 square metres of gum blighted pavement.

And now, to provide a convenient means of dealing with the problem, OspreyDeepclean has introduced a special gum removal platform that successfully utilises Gumbusters technology. The Streetcleaner is a fully independent mobile platform carrying power generator, water supply, chemicals and a powerful and efficient steam injector machine. According to Osprey, the Streetcleaner is the fastest way to set up for all street chewing gum removal operations. Simply roll it out of the van and start steaming gum off the pavement.

Because chewing gum is sticky, it will inevitably be trodden inside.

Here, once again Gumbusters technology has the solution. The all-new Gummy is a very compact, readily portable steam injector machine, and Osprey claims it is perhaps the fastest and easiest way to remove chewing gum from any interior surface - including carpets.

Although the design is completely different, the effect is the same: the steam in combination with the specially formulated chemical works in an instant to destroy gum stuck fast on floors, entrance matting, and carpets - where it is normally such a nightmare to get rid of.

Gummy solves a sticky situation for nightclubs, pubs, restaurants, and any public or commercial building liable to suffer from the effects of chewing gum. Use Gummy on hard surfaces, carpets, entrance mats, even on walls and furniture. And when the gum comes unstuck, it's handy as a general cleaner too.

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