Buzz
Slime is a fun, gooey, and sticky toy. The most common slime recipe typically calls for glue and borax, but what if you don't have these ingredients? Luckily, there are many alternative ways to make slime. For some recipes, you don’t even need glue at all! One of the most surprising methods involves using shampoo and toothpaste.
Steps
Basic Slime Recipe
Pour some shampoo onto a small plate. You should choose a thick type of shampoo. Additionally, white or opaque ones tend to work better. Press the shampoo bottle’s nozzle twice or use about 2 tablespoons (30ml) of shampoo in the plate.
If you're using white shampoo, you can add 1 or 2 drops of food coloring.
Add a little toothpaste. The best type of toothpaste is opaque (either white or green), but you can still use striped varieties. Use a portion that’s about 1/4 of the amount of shampoo, roughly 1 teaspoon is enough.
- Colgate toothpaste seems to work best, but feel free to try other brands.
Stir the two ingredients with a toothpick. As you mix, the shampoo and toothpaste will blend together, forming a thick paste. This should take about a minute.
- If you don’t have a toothpick, you can use a small object like a popsicle stick or a small spoon.
Add more shampoo or toothpaste (if needed) and continue stirring. If the slime is too stiff, add more shampoo. If it’s too soft, add more toothpaste. After adding the ingredients, mix the slime for another minute or until the mixture is smooth and evenly colored.
- There is no right or wrong way to make this slime. The process is largely based on your personal preference.
- Don’t worry if the slime feels a bit too sticky. You’ll still need to freeze it to help it harden.
Freeze the slime for 10 to 60 minutes. Check the slime after 10 minutes. At this point, the slime should be firm, but not rock hard. If it’s still too soft, freeze it for another 50 minutes.
Knead the slime until it becomes soft. Take the slime out of the freezer, then roll, knead, and squeeze it with your fingers until it becomes soft and stretchy again.
- The slime will no longer have the same texture as before you froze it.
Play with the slime. This type of slime is very thick and resembles putty. You can knead, squeeze, and stretch it. After playing, store the slime in a small plastic container with a lid.
- The slime will harden over time, and at that point, you should dispose of it.
Making Monster Snot Slime
Pour some 2-in-1 shampoo onto a plate. This type of shampoo is thicker and smoother, making it perfect for creating monster snot slime. You only need to squeeze the bottle 1-2 times to get the right amount.
- Head&Shoulders is a popular brand and works very well for making slime, but feel free to experiment with other brands.
Get some opaque toothpaste. You only need about half the amount of toothpaste compared to shampoo. If you want the slime to be more gooey, you can use less toothpaste.
- You can use any toothpaste, but Colgate usually works best.
Stir the ingredients with a stick. You can use a popsicle stick or a small spoon. Continue stirring until the shampoo and toothpaste mix together, forming a sticky, gooey slime. This will take about a minute.
- Make sure to change the stirring direction frequently. Stir the mixture a few times in one direction, then switch to the opposite direction.
Adjust the texture (if needed). If the monster snot slime is too sticky, add more toothpaste. If it's not sticky enough, add more shampoo. Be sure to stir the slime thoroughly after adding ingredients – this usually takes about a minute.
- Only add toothpaste in pea-sized amounts and shampoo in grape-sized amounts.
Play with the slime. This slime tends to clump, stick, and look quite messy – just like a dirty monster. After playing, store the slime in a plastic container with a tightly sealed lid.
- After some time, the slime will harden. At that point, you should dispose of it and make a new batch.
Making Salt Slime
Pour some shampoo onto a small plate. Just squeeze the shampoo bottle 1 or 2 times to get the right amount. You can use any type of shampoo, but thicker, white shampoos generally work best.
- If you use white shampoo and want to add color, stir in 1 or 2 drops of food coloring.
Add a little toothpaste. Use about 1/3 the amount of shampoo. You can use any type of toothpaste. Opaque toothpaste is commonly used for making slime, but gel toothpaste is also suitable for this type of slime.
- Don’t worry too much about the exact amounts. Remember, you can always add more ingredients to achieve the desired slime texture.
Stir the slime thoroughly. You can use a stick, popsicle stick, or small spoon for stirring. Continue stirring until the mixture has a uniform color and texture. Don’t worry if the mixture still hasn’t turned into slime yet.
Add a pinch of salt and keep stirring. Stir until the shampoo, toothpaste, and salt blend together into slime. This will take about a minute. Now, your mixture should begin to look like slime.
- Salt is a magical ingredient that helps transform shampoo and toothpaste into slime. If possible, use table salt. Coarse salt tends to be harder to mix into the mixture.
Adjust the texture while stirring. Keep adding small amounts of shampoo, toothpaste, and salt as you stir the slime. The stirring process is complete when the mixture no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
- There is no exact recipe for making slime, and much of the process requires you to knead and mix the ingredients until you achieve the texture you want.
Play with the slime. This slime is thick and a little spongy. If you want it to be more stretchy, continue kneading and pulling. Be sure to store the slime in a small plastic container with a lid after playing.
- The slime will dry out after some time, and when that happens, it’s time to throw it away and make a new batch.
Tips
- The lifespan of slime depends on the ingredients and frequency of use. Some types of toothpaste and shampoo may dry out faster.
- Many people have success making slime using Colgate toothpaste and Dove shampoo.
- At first, the toothpaste may not blend into the shampoo. In this case, just keep stirring until the mixture is smooth.
- If you're using colored toothpaste, it's best to use white or clear shampoo to achieve a more attractive end product.
- If you're using white toothpaste, try combining it with colored shampoo. This will make the slime take on the color of the shampoo.
- If you want colored slime, add a few drops of food coloring to clear or white shampoo, and then add white toothpaste.
- If you're not getting good results, try using a different brand of shampoo and toothpaste.
- Experiment! Swap out the shampoo for body lotion, liquid soap, or conditioner. Try using sugar instead of salt and see what happens!
- Salt-based slime often has an unpleasant smell. Consider adding some hand sanitizer to mask the odor.
- If the slime is still wet, try freezing it for 10–15 minutes, or longer if needed.
- Don’t add too much salt, as it could ruin the slime.
- If the slime sticks to your hands, add some conditioner or body lotion.
Warnings
- Slime has a short lifespan, even when stored in an airtight container. After a period of time, it will usually dry out and harden.
Things You Need
Basic Slime
- Small plate
- Thick shampoo
- Toothpaste
- Toothpicks
- Freezer
- Small container with lid
Monster Snot Slime
- Small plate
- 2-in-1 shampoo
- Toothpaste
- Toothpicks
- Small container with lid
Salt Slime
- Small plate
- Thick shampoo
- Toothpaste
- Salt
- Toothpicks
- Freezer
- Small container with lid
