Slime isn't just fun to play, it's also fun to make. Although the traditional recipe calls for the use of borax, there are many other substances you can use to activate it, such as liquid starch or saline and baking soda. You could even make a fluffy slime by adding shaving cream!
Ingrediants
Simple slime based on starch
- ½ cup (120 ml) of white or clear vinyl glue
- ½ cup (120 ml) of water
- 60 ml of liquid starch
- Glitter (optional)
- Food coloring (optional)
Simple Slime based on Borax
- ½ cup (120 ml) of white or clear vinyl glue
- ½ cup (120 ml) of water (for the glue)
- ½ cup (120 ml) of warm water (for borax)
- 2, 5 g of borax
- Glitter (optional)
- Food coloring (optional)
Soft Slime with Spongy Effect
- 3-4 cups (700-950 ml) of shaving foam
- ½ cup (120 ml) of white or clear vinyl glue
- ½ teaspoon (5, 5 g) of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of saline (with boric acid and sodium borate)
- Glitter (optional)
- Food coloring (optional)
Elastic Slime based on Saline Solution
- ½ cup (120 ml) of white or clear vinyl glue
- ½ cup (120 ml) of water
- ½ teaspoon (5, 5 g) of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of saline (with boric acid and sodium borate)
- Glitter (optional)
- Food coloring (optional)
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Make a Simple Starch Slime
Step 1. Mix ½ cup (120ml) of glue and ½ cup (120ml) of water
Pour ½ cup (120 ml) of white or clear vinyl glue into a bowl, then add ½ cup (120 ml) of water.
For a more original slime, try using ½ cup (120ml) of glitter glue instead
Step 2. Add a handful of glitter and food coloring if desired
You can use as much as you like. In any case, about 10-15 drops of food coloring and 1 tablespoon (15g) of glitter should suffice. Make sure you mix them well with the glue.
- If you used glitter glue, there is no need to add food coloring. However, you can still add more glitter.
- If you don't have a food coloring, use 10-15 drops of a liquid watercolor instead.
Step 3. Incorporate 60ml of liquid starch
Pour the starch over the glue, then mix everything together until you get a homogeneous mixture. The glue will begin to thicken, but it still won't have the classic consistency of a slime.
- You can find liquid starch in the supermarket, in the detergent department.
- This is the secret ingredient that turns glue into slime!
Step 4. Knead the slime until it thickens or set it aside for 3 minutes
Remove the mixture from the bowl and knead it with your hands until it thickens. To achieve this, it may take at least 5 minutes. Alternatively, let it sit in the bowl for 3 minutes.
Try doing both! Knead the slime for a couple of minutes, then let it sit and thicken for 3 minutes
Step 5. Store the slime in an airtight container when you stop playing with it
This step is extremely important. If you don't, the slime will dry out. The mixture should last several weeks, but with the right attention it could keep fresh for a few months.
A plastic container is ideal, but first make sure it's clean. If nothing else, a resealable plastic bag will work too
Method 2 of 4: Make a Simple Borax Slime
Step 1. Mix ½ cup (120ml) of water with ½ cup (120ml) of vinyl glue
First pour the glue into a bowl, then add the water. Mix the ingredients with a spoon until you get a homogeneous consistency. You can use white or clear vinyl glue - the choice is up to you.
- White vinyl glue will make the slime opaque, while clear glue will make it translucent.
- Glue containing glitter is another great option.
Step 2. Add the amount of food coloring and glitter you want, then mix the mixture again
Use up to 15 drops of food coloring and 1 tablespoon (15g) of glitter. You can use only one of these ingredients or both. But make sure you mix them well with the glue.
- The white vinyl glue will always take on a pastel hue at the end of the procedure.
- There is no need to add food coloring to the glitter glue, but you can always incorporate larger amounts of glitter.
- Don't have any food coloring? No problem! Try liquid watercolors instead! You can use up to 15 drops.
Step 3. Add 2.5g of borax to ½ cup (120ml) of warm water
Pour ½ cup (120 ml) of warm water into a clean container (instead of the bowl that contains the glue). Add 2.5g of borax, then mix everything with a clean spoon.
- Borax can be found in the supermarket. It is located in the detergent department.
- The water must be lukewarm, otherwise the borax will not dissolve.
Step 4. Mix the borax solution with the glue until the glue has thickened
Pour the borax into the glue bowl, then mix with a spoon. Continue to mix until the glue has set and comes off the sides of the bowl.
- Try to add as much borax as possible to the glue, but don't worry if there is some solution left in the bowl.
- Don't worry if the slime feels excessively stringy at this point. Not ready yet.
Step 5. Remove the slime from the borax solution and knead it until it thickens
Remove the mixture from the bowl and start kneading it with your hands. Keep kneading it until it has acquired a thick consistency, ceasing to be stringy. To achieve this, it may take at least 5 minutes.
- Borax is the ingredient that activates the slime, but the real transformation happens when you mix it.
- As you knead it, it will thicken more and more.
Step 6. Store the slime in a plastic container
Any airtight plastic container will do. You can also use a resealable plastic bag. If stored correctly, slime can last several weeks or even months.
Method 3 of 4: Try Soft Spongy Slime
Step 1. Pour 3-4 cups (700-950ml) of shaving cream into a bowl
Fill a measuring jug with shaving cream, then pour it into a large bowl with the help of a rubber spatula. Repeat the procedure 3 or 4 times in total.
- Measure shaving cream in terms of volume. To do this, use a 240ml cup.
- Make sure you use shaving cream instead of a shaving gel.
- Being white, men's shaving cream is easier to dye. Depilatory foams for women, on the other hand, are more difficult to dye, as they are colored.
Step 2. Add food coloring if desired
You decide how much to use, but 10 to 15 drops should suffice. Keep in mind that this type of slime will always take on a pastel hue due to the color of the shaving cream.
- You don't have to add the food coloring right now. It must be incorporated when adding the glue.
- It is not advisable to add glitter to this type of slime, as it is difficult for the glitter to be seen well. However, you can still incorporate a handful of them if you want.
Step 3. Add ½ cup (120ml) of glue
White vinyl glue works best for this type of slime, but you can also use a clear one. Pour the glue onto the shaving foam, then mix them gently with a silicone spatula until the mixture is even.
- You can try using a glue containing glitter, but be aware that the glitter may not show that much.
- If you have added food coloring, keep stirring until you get a uniform color.
Step 4. Add ½ teaspoon (5.5g) of baking soda
This ingredient will not only help you thicken the mixture, it will also trigger a chemical reaction along with the salt solution, turning the ingredients into slime. Be sure to use baking soda instead of baking powder, though.
Step 5. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of saline
Read the ingredient label on the back of the bottle to make sure it contains both boric acid and sodium borate. If the saline solution does not have these 2 ingredients, then the glue will not turn into slime.
Do not add more than 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of saline, however stringy the slime seems to you. If you add more, the mixture will become excessively hard
Step 6. Knead the slime with your hands until it stops being sticky to the touch
At first it will be, but keep kneading. As you work it, it will become less and less sticky. This procedure should take approximately 5 minutes.
If the slime continues to stick to your fingers, coat them with larger amounts of saline
Step 7. Store the slime in an airtight container, but don't expect it to last long
With exposure to air, the shaving cream begins to lose its consistency after a couple of hours. Since this type of slime contains shaving foam, you should expect an equally short shelf life. However, if you keep it in an airtight container, you may be able to keep it going for a couple of days.
Method 4 of 4: Make a Saline-based Elastic Slime
Step 1. Mix ½ cup (120ml) of glue with ½ cup (120ml) of water
Pour 1/2 cup (120 ml) of white or clear vinyl glue into a bowl. Add ½ cup (120 ml) of water, then mix the ingredients until a uniform consistency is obtained.
- The white vinyl glue allows you to obtain a pastel colored slime, while the transparent one will make it clear and clear.
- You can also try using a glue containing glitter. Since it's already colored and contains glitter, you won't need to add food coloring and glitter later.
Step 2. Add glitter and / or food coloring if desired, then mix everything together
Add up to 10 drops of food coloring and / or 1 tablespoon (15g) of glitter. Stir the mixture well until you get a uniform color.
- Using white vinyl glue, the slime will acquire a pastel color. However, if you use 15 drops of food coloring, the color will become brighter.
- If you don't have a food coloring, try using liquid watercolor instead. Use 10 to 15 drops for a more intense color.
- If you used glitter glue, you can skip adding the food coloring. In any case, nothing stops you from using larger amounts of glitter.
Step 3. Add ½ teaspoon (5.5g) of baking soda to thicken the slime
Don't worry about measuring an exact amount. In fact, you could use about 3 g of baking soda to make a more viscous slime and up to 1 teaspoon of the product to make it thicker instead.
- Keep in mind that the slime will get firmer when kneading.
- Use baking soda instead of baking powder - they are two different products.
Step 4. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of saline
It is very important that the solution contains both boric acid and sodium borate, otherwise the glue will not turn into slime. Make sure you mix the ingredients quickly as if you were making whipped cream.
- For a viscous slime, try adding ½ tablespoon (8 ml) of saline solution instead.
- Avoid adding larger amounts of saline, even if the slime feels overly sticky to the touch. If you use too much, it will become too thick.
- If you don't have the saline solution, use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of eye drops instead.
Step 5. Knead the slime for a few minutes to make it less viscous
At first it will be stringy and sticky, but when kneading it will become more and more compact. This may take about 5 minutes, so be prepared to use some elbow grease!
- If the slime sticks to your fingers, pour some saline solution over them.
- If you've used eye drops, the slime may still be sticky. If this happens, add more drops to the mixture. Add 5 to 10 drops at a time as you knead it.
Step 6. Store the slime in an airtight container when you finish playing with it
All slimes dry out sooner or later, but this type should last at least a few weeks. With the right precautions, however, it could last even longer.
Advice
- Add a few drops of glow-in-the-dark paint to make the slime more distinctive.
- If you want to make a scented slime, add a few drops of essential oil or flavored oil for cakes.
- Glitter isn't the only ingredient you can add to slime. Try other products, such as polystyrene, beads, or sequins.
- To make a metallic slime, add metallic paint to any of the recipes in this article.
- Make several smaller slimes of different colors, then twist them to make a single multicolored slime.
