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Seattle's iconic gum wall gets first full cleaning in 20 years

SEATTLE — More than 20 years of gum stuck on Seattle's iconic gum wall is coming down starting Tuesday.

Crews will give the wall its first full scrub down.

It's the sugar that's the problem.

The concern is that all of the caked-on gum on the walls at the Pike Place Market may be damaging the building's bricks.

The removal was disappointing to some longtime residents.

"Since we were little, I guess it's always been here. It's sad that they're cleaning it," said Lacey White, who stopped by with her brother to check out the cleaning.

The tradition started as people were waiting to get into the Market Theater.

Over the years, the Market has steam washed some of the walls, but this will be its first full cleaning.

Three workers wearing rain gear will shoot out water heated to 260 degrees to get the gum down.

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"We love the wall and we want it to come back. It just seemed like a good time to let the wall re-emerge," said Emily Crawford with Pike Place Market.

It's estimated there are more than a million pieces of gum on the walls.

"It's actually really disgusting. I just thought it was one wall. I didn't realize it goes all the way down," said Diego, who was visiting from the Tri Cities. After it's removed, the gum will be weighed to determine just how much was stuck to the walls.

The cleaning began at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.  The workers completed part of the wall on the East side of Post Alley on Tuesday. They will continue cleaning Wednesday and Thursday.  People will be allowed to stick gum on the walls again Thursday or Friday.

KIRO

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