Buzz
If your slime becomes too stretchy, dry, sticky, or stringy, you can fix it by adding alternative ingredients that replace activators like Borax, which is commonly used in traditional slime recipes. If you’re making slime on your own and are concerned about Borax causing skin irritation or being unsafe for young children, try a Borax-free slime recipe. These recipes use substitutes for Borax to activate the slime. You can make fluffy slime with cornstarch or stretchy slime using baking soda and contact lens solution as a replacement for traditional Borax-based activators.
Ingredients
Fluffy Slime
- ½ cup (120ml) shampoo
- ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons (90ml) water
- Food coloring (optional)
Stretchy Slime
- 1 cup (240ml) white glue
- 1 tablespoon (15g) baking soda
- Food coloring (optional)
- Contact lens solution
Steps
Fix existing slime
Add moisturizer to tough slime to restore stretchiness. Apply a small amount of moisturizer to slime that has lost its stretchiness. Use your hands to knead the cream into the slime. You can add more moisturizer little by little until the slime reaches the desired stretchiness.
- Any type of hand or body lotion will work for this method.
- This is an effective solution for slime that has become tough and breaks when stretched.
Moisten dry slime with warm water. Hold the dry slime under warm running water or dip it into a bowl of warm water for about 1 second, then knead the slime with your hands to let the water soak in. Repeat this process until the slime feels moist and stretchy.
- This method works for slime that has become slightly dry due to improper storage without a tightly sealed container.
Add baking soda and contact lens solution to reduce stickiness of slime. Place the sticky slime in a bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of contact lens solution and ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the slime, then knead the ingredients into the slime with your hands. Add more ingredients if the slime is still too sticky.
- Do not add more than ½ teaspoon of contact lens solution and ½ teaspoon of baking soda at a time. Overdoing it could make the slime too tough and cause it to break when stretched.
Fix stringy slime by adding liquid starch. Place the stringy slime in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of liquid starch. Stir the liquid starch into the slime using a metal spoon. Continue to stir in 1 tablespoon of liquid starch at a time until the slime no longer sticks to the spoon.
- Once the slime is no longer stringy, you can take it out and start kneading it with your hands to make it firmer.
Warning: Be aware that some liquid starch may contain Borax.
Make fluffy slime with cornstarch
Mix ½ cup (120ml) shampoo with ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch. Pour ½ cup of shampoo into a bowl and add ½ cup of cornstarch. Stir the mixture well using a metal spoon.
- You can use any shampoo, but thicker, more viscous shampoos tend to work better.
Add 3 drops of food coloring if you want your slime to have color. Drop 3 drops of food coloring into the mixture and stir it well to add color to your slime.
- This step is optional. You don’t need to add food coloring if you prefer your slime without color.
Tip: Green is the typical slime color, but you can experiment with any color you like. If you want your slime to have a more vivid color, add more than 3 drops of food coloring.
Stir in 6 tablespoons (90ml) of water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time. Add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of water to the mixture and stir well. Gradually add the remaining 5 tablespoons (75ml) of water, stirring after each addition.
- This step helps create a fluffy, powdery texture for your slime.
Knead the slime for at least 5 minutes. Form a fist and press your knuckles firmly into the slime to knead it. Flip the slime over and repeat the process. You need to knead for at least 5 minutes until the slime has a light, powdery texture and is no longer overly sticky.
- If the slime feels too sticky after kneading, add more cornstarch and continue kneading until you are satisfied with its texture.
Store the slime in a resealable plastic bag to maintain its moisture. After playing, place the slime inside a bag that can be sealed shut. Press out any air and close the bag to prevent the slime from drying out.
- You can also store the slime in a small plastic container with a tight-fitting lid instead of a plastic bag.
- If stored properly, the slime can last for several months.
Making stretchy slime with baking soda
Mix 1 cup (240ml) of school glue with 1 tablespoon (15g) of baking soda. Pour 1 cup of glue into a bowl, then add 1 tablespoon of baking soda and stir the mixture with a metal spoon.
- This recipe creates slime with a similar texture to Borax-based slime, but it will have some small, sand-like grains.
Add 3 drops of food coloring if you want to color your slime. Just add 3 drops of your preferred food coloring. Stir well to achieve the desired color for your slime.
- You can adjust the amount of food coloring to make the slime darker or lighter, depending on your preference. Skip this step if you prefer white slime.
Mix in 1 tablespoon (15ml) of contact lens solution and stir well. Simply add 1 tablespoon of contact lens solution, stir well, and watch the texture of the slime change.
- The contact lens solution combined with baking soda works as an activator, replacing the need for Borax.
- The contact lens solution is also known as saline solution.
Continue adding contact lens solution until the slime reaches the desired consistency. Add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of contact lens solution at a time and stir well. Stop adding solution once the slime reaches a stretchy, dough-like texture.
- You may need to knead the slime with your hands after each addition of the solution if the slime becomes too firm.
- If the slime remains too sticky, you can add a few drops of baby oil to the mixture.
Tip: Stretchy slime will harden after repeated kneading. If the slime feels too soft, simply knead and play with it until it reaches the texture you desire.
Store your slime in a sealed container or bag to keep it fresh for longer. Place the stretchy slime in a container with a tight-fitting lid or a resealable plastic bag. Seal the container or bag to help preserve the slime's freshness.
- If you store your slime this way after each play session, it will last for weeks or even months. You can always add more activator when the slime starts to dry out or lose its stretchiness.
Things you'll need
- Bowl
- Metal spoon
- Resealable plastic bag or a container with a tight-fitting lid
