I looooove play recipes. So it always bums me out if people can't get them to work (by the way, I'm always happy to help you troubleshoot any of our recipes if you send me a photo!). Slimes in particular seem to cause a lot of trouble for folks, so when I was writing our book,
I decided to do a bit of investigating. I learned a ton about what probably goes wrong for those of you who have slimes that don't work - and I also figured out how to fix a slime fail! I hope this will help those of you who have not had success with slime recipes!
I decided to do a bit of investigating. I learned a ton about what probably goes wrong for those of you who have slimes that don't work - and I also figured out how to fix a slime fail! I hope this will help those of you who have not had success with slime recipes!
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.
So first thing's first - the slime recipe that I decided to troubleshoot is the one that uses clear glue
(aka PVA) and liquid starch
(Sta Flo) since it seems to be the one that causes the most trouble for folks. (If you are using our laundry detergent recipe, you can follow this same set of directions. Keep in mind that the laundry detergent is a direct substitute for liquid starch.) The first interesting thing I learned is that over time the liquid starch will settle. This was leading to a lot of inconsistency in and of itself. So the first thing I learned about this slime recipe is:
(aka PVA) and liquid starch
(Sta Flo) since it seems to be the one that causes the most trouble for folks. (If you are using our laundry detergent recipe, you can follow this same set of directions. Keep in mind that the laundry detergent is a direct substitute for liquid starch.) The first interesting thing I learned is that over time the liquid starch will settle. This was leading to a lot of inconsistency in and of itself. So the first thing I learned about this slime recipe is:
Always shake your liquid starch
container a bit to make sure that it is well-mixed.
container a bit to make sure that it is well-mixed.
Now that you've shaken your liquid starch, let's look at the two ways this slime can go wrong.
First way: Not enough liquid starch
How do you know if this is your issue? Your slime will be stringy - it will stick to your fingers (see how much is sticking to mine above?) a ton. As you stir, you'll see little strings of glue grabbing your spoon. If you grab a section of your slime, it won't lift out in a glob - just a small stringy portion will stretch up.
Remedy? Add more liquid starch, approximately one Tablespoon at a time. Stir well to mix in between each addition of liquid starch. You'll know you've added enough when you no longer see those strings of glue grabbing your spoon as you stir, and you'll be able to lift all or most of the slime out if you grab a section of it. After a few minutes of kneading it will be beeeautiful and not sticky.
Second way: Too much liquid starch
A slime that's had too much liquid starch added will be stringy, but NOT sticky. It won't stick to your fingers - it will slide right off. It won't stick to a spoon or even to itself. It's just gross looking clumps of goo (seriously SUPER gross).
You can see strands of floating slime, and there will be standing liquid starch.
How do you fix it? First, pour off any standing liquid starch. Then add clear glue
approximately 1/4 cup at a time and stir. Once the slime starts holding together, you will need to knead it by hand. After adding glue and kneading for 2-3 minutes, it will be just like new! It will gel even more if left overnight in a sealed bag.
approximately 1/4 cup at a time and stir. Once the slime starts holding together, you will need to knead it by hand. After adding glue and kneading for 2-3 minutes, it will be just like new! It will gel even more if left overnight in a sealed bag.
So what does perfect slime look like? It holds together and doesn't have any strings of glue or standing liquid starch.
If you grab it, it moves as one cohesive unit.
Kneading it for a minute or two will make it gel into a smoother and more uniform slime.
Because we've noticed that the amount of liquid starch needed varies wildly from slime to slime (depending a ton on what you add to it - food coloring, liquid watercolors, glitter, etc), I really recommend adding whatever amount of glue you'd like (we usually make a slime batch with two bottles of clear glue
, but even one bottle makes a pretty solid amount of slime) to a container and then slowly adding liquid starch
- about 1 Tablespoon at a time - and stirring between each addition until you have slime that looks like the blue slime pictured in the cup above.
, but even one bottle makes a pretty solid amount of slime) to a container and then slowly adding liquid starch
- about 1 Tablespoon at a time - and stirring between each addition until you have slime that looks like the blue slime pictured in the cup above.
Once you've made your slime, be sure to knead it for a few minutes to make it uniform (honestly, you can just hand it to your kid to play and that will mix it for you!). Store it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag when you aren't using it. It will keep for several weeks.
And don't worry if it bubbles. That's normal.
My final awesome discovery was that vinegar will dissolve this slime - just in case you get any on your carpet or clothing!
I hope this helps those of you who have had slimes backfire on you in the past!
Oh and if you are from the UK and looking for how to make slime with UK ingredients - you can find the answer to that in this post!
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All activities here are activities I feel are safe for my own children. As your child's parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family. I always encourage contacting your child's pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this blog are intended to be performed with adult supervision. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies). Observe caution and safety at all times. The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.
Thanks for the tips on correcting errors..... any tips on removing slime from carpet?!?
ReplyDeleteYES! Thank you for reminding me!!! Use vinegar - it will dissolve it. I am adding that to the post right now! :)
Deletethanks asia citro
DeleteGreat tips! We've been making slime since I was a little girl and now make we my kids. Nothing keeps all ages quite entranced like slime!
ReplyDeleteIt's so fun!!!
DeleteThanks but i wasted 3 bottles of elmers glue this did not work!!:/
Deletebut thanks for the tips
DeleteYou're welcome to email me at funathomewithkids@gmail.com with a photo of your slime and the ingredients you used if you'd like help figuring out what went wrong.
DeleteThanks for all the tips, Asia! :)
ReplyDeleteNo problem! Hope they help! :)
DeleteI made watery slime like a fake barrel o slime and it sticks I added no water to it I just put liquid starch in an almost empty glue bottle and emptied it . It's not that sticky unless I roll it but it still sticks I don't have any glue left Help!
DeleteYou'll need to buy more glue -- sorry!
DeleteI was so happy about this post, because I've had several slime fails and never knew if it was too much starch or glue. (It was too much starch.) Now I have a reference. THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteYAY! I'm so glad to hear it's helpful! I wish you awesome slime next time! :) :) :)
DeleteDoes it have to be clear glue or can u use Elmer's white glue?
DeleteIt can be Elmer's white glue as well. :)
DeleteWe made some with elmers glue and some with clear glue last night and it was great and worked perfect. But woke up this morning and there was a lot of liquid in the container like it had separated. We used 1/2 cup of glue, liquid starch and water, with food color of course. How do I keep this from happening? The clear glue slime is still perfect.
DeleteHmm, I'm not sure why you added water - maybe that is what is coming out of the slime? I've always just mixed glue and liquid starch without adding any water to make slime. I don't know what the water would do other than dilute things...? Does the slime still work if you pour off the liquid? If its sticky I'd add more liquid starch to it. I'm not quite sure why it separated in the first place, but you should be able to still use it. I wish I could be of more help! :)
Deleteasia could you help pls my slime dont sticks but its spongie with LOT of air bubbles and when i touch it i have so much liquid detergent on my finger its like soap?!? could you help?
DeleteToo much borax/detergent/liquid starch. Add some glue, try to mix it in, and leave it in a container for 30 minutes. That should loosen it up!
DeleteUnknown - this happened to me but I have solved it. Put some recyclable gloves on, put the slime in one hand and just try to compress the slime and squeeze it so most of the soap is left on the glove. Put your slime in a clean bowl and take your gloves off, take one hand and hold the slime, where the other hand can add a bit of glue and mix with that one hand. If that doesn't solve it, add some liquid detergent until it congeals into one blob.
DeleteThis is FAB!!!
ReplyDeleteYAY! Thank you!!!! :) :) :)
DeleteI haven't yet considered the liquid starch version yet because I have a toddler who will still put things in her mouth. Should I wait until she's stopped doing that or is it safe?
ReplyDeleteNo you are completely correct - glue and liquid starch are not things you want going in the mouths of littles. :) I'd recommend using our Edible Slime (which we loooove) until she's solidly grown out of that stage. Here's the link to the recipe for that one:
Deletehttp://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/10/edible-slime-or-gak-chemical-and-borax.html
any recipes for small amounts?? would like to put ingredents in zip bags and let kids mix by squizing the bags?? will this work??
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! Just add an amount of glue and add much less liquid starch a little bit at a time until it firms up and isn't sticking to the sides of the bag. Hope that helps!
Deleteis it imperative that you use clear glue, or can the regular glue be used?
ReplyDeleteGreat question! We've used both, but I like the look of the clear glue best, so I tend to use that most often. Either should work!
DeleteYou are truly the slime guru! Queen of Slime :) Thank you for sharing this, I am sure it will be infinitely helpful information. I hate when concoctions don't work out!
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you Suzanne! Me too - it's SUCH a bummer! It's also so sad for me if people try something from here and it doesn't work - this will hopefully remedy that situation! :)
DeleteHi. I have tried this slime recipe twice with Ellmers glue (which by the way is quite expensive here in Dubai) and 2 different brands of liquid starch (which is not easy to find!), but nothing happens. There is no chemical reaction whatsoever. The glue just looks like thinner, as if you have added water to it. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteNooooo!!!!! That is SO frustrating. I would guess that the liquid starch over there has different ingredients. :( I think that in order to work, the liquid starch has to contain "sodium tetraborate". Is that listed as an ingredient in either of the brands you tried? SO SO SO sorry! :(
DeleteCan you give any advice on storing slime to play again another day? Like how to keep, how long it can keep... My kids will play for awhile and then want to stop. It's too expensive to throw away after such a short play time. Thank you
ReplyDeleteYes that information is in the post already. It's towards the end. Thanks!
DeleteNot sure what went wrong. We followed the directions, using clear glue and Glide fabric starch. There was no chemical reaction. We tried shaking and adding more starch, to no avail.
ReplyDeleteOhhh, I bet that Glide does not have the right ingredients. :( Boo! To work the liquid starch must contain sodium tetraborate. I'm so sorry!!!!
DeleteI finally tried making this kind of slime tonight, and reading this post beforehand made it so easy! I actually shouted across my house to Chris, "LOOK, I MADE AWESOME!" The kiddo even played with it after days saying, "I don't like to play with slime," every time he saw a photo of S playing with it. :D
ReplyDeleteYAYYYYY!!!!! It makes me so happy to hear all of that! I hope you post it - I am loving the new site so far!!!!!
DeleteI'm 25 with no kids but a same-aged boyfriend and plan to make this stuff. Haha, it's something to do and something to give him and his similarly childlike minded friends to play with.
ReplyDeleteHahhaaha, I love it! It's SERIOUSLY so fun. I'm 34 and I totally love playing with slime still! :)
DeleteHi! Every time we try to make slime, we wind up making Flubber! It's rubbery and pulls apart instead of being, well, slimy. We've used clear and white elmers glue, stay-flo, and borax. No luck! Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteKneading in more glue will make it less solid! Hope that helps. :)
DeleteHi, i love your blog. I have been searching for your borax recepie but cant find it. I have tried other recepies but the result is like a sponge. Which is great if you want to do spongebob :) but i was going for slime... Do you have any tips?
ReplyDeleteWe don't use borax at all - I find it much easier to use liquid starch or detergent, so those are the only slime recipes we use, but if you look at the Ultimate Guide to Slimes, there are several borax recipes from other site. That's very strange - if your slime is too firm, knead more glue in, about a Tablespoon at a time. That should fix it!
DeleteI cant find liquide starch in my country, i have tried 5 Times' but i'm not giving up! Thank you for an inspiring blogg.
ReplyDeleteThank you! And I hope you find something that works soon!
DeleteI madefor the first time yesterday and it didn't work...I used the exact obedient and measurements but added food coloring during the mixing stage...it turned out Ãnto gel clumps with some liquid around it? Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteYep! You have too much liquid starch. Add more glue and that should fix it! :)
Deleteare the colors just regular food coloring and glitter?
ReplyDeleteWe used glitter liquid watercolors, but you could use food coloring and glitter!
DeleteMy slime isn't slimy at all. :( It looks like hard-boiled egg whites, and isn't stretchy unless you stretch it VERY slowly. It's also difficult to put it back together, for lack of better terms, after you "snap" or "break" it. Help?!
ReplyDeleteToo much borax! Add some glue and knead it in...leave it for 15 or so minutes if it's not combining well. That should do the trick. :)
DeleteIs the borax in the sta-flo?
DeleteYep! It takes the form of borate ion in water and the reaction between that molecule and the polyvinyl alcohol (the key ingredient in glue) make slime. You can get the borate ion a few different ways - from Borax, from Sta Flo, or from certain laundry detergents. Adding more glue should fix it right up for you. :)
DeleteIt turned out that I needed water, actually! (Originally, the recipe I used just called for Sta-flo & Elmer's glue.) I tried adding more glue first, which did make it a little more stretchy, but it still was still too "solid". Thanks so much for helping me diagnose the problem, though! I wonder why my glue & liquid starch didn't react the way, it seems, everyone else's did. Hmmm...
DeleteThat's very strange! Adding more glue has always fixed that problem in the past. Glad that water worked though!!! It must have diluted the borate ion just like adding more glue does!
DeleteI made my first batch of slime yesterday - to great enthusiasm from my 2-year old :-) I'm in the UK so used the Almat Gel from Aldi, and it worked a treat, apart from the gel seems to evaporate really quickly so that the slime gets really sticky within a couple of minutes of handling it. Adding more Almat fixes it for a few minutes but it's as if the heat from our hands makes it sticky as we play with it.
ReplyDeleteI've kept it in an airtight pot overnight but still this morning it was sticky again and needed yet more Almat gel kneading into it. My hands are starting to smell like I work in a launderette!
Any thoughts on how to fix this?
(sorry for multiple post, lost the second paragraph)
Hmmm, not super sure, but what about adding a squirt of Almat to it when you store it....maybe it would absorb slowly while it stored and make it less sticky the next time you took it out? Hope that helps! :)
DeleteAsia I live in Mauritius and I don't what type of detergent to use.
ReplyDeleteIf you email me brand names that are available where you live, I am happy to look into it for you. You can send them to me at funathomewithkids@gmail.com.
DeleteThe first time i made this is came out great! i tried again using blue liquid watercolor and the color keeps coming off on my hands, etc. What did i do wrong??
ReplyDeleteWeird! And booo! Maybe too much liquid starch? Try adding a little more glue and then have it sit for about 30 minutes. Let me know if that does the trick - if not, I'll investigate more!!
DeleteI have made this. It is fine the first day. I store it overnight in a Ziploc baggie and the next day it looks as if the starch separated. The slime is solid but gets sticky quickly if I drain the liquid of. I tried kneeding it in the baggie but it doesn't remix. Any suggestions please?
ReplyDeleteHuh! I have never heard of that. If the starch separates, that usually means there's too much of it, so draining it off should fix it. I'm honestly stumped! I think I'd drain the liquid off and then put some starch on my hands and the table before I played with it to keep it from getting too sticky. I wish I had a better answer for you!
DeleteHmm, thanks for the troubleshoot, however mine doesn't look like either problem. :S Mine just looks like no reaction has taken place Like foamy, thick glue. I used the Almat Bio gel that was recommended for England and added it very very gradually until I'd used what I feared was too much. This is my second failed slime attempt, last time I wound up with watery green glue. Maybe slime and my family are not meant to be. :(
ReplyDeleteYes, the Almat can be very finicky. :( It looks like liquid when you add too little AND when you add too much, which is annoying. Have you checked out Sarah's recommendations in this post? http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/07/make-slime-with-laundry-detergent.html Sorry it's giving you so much trouble.
DeleteI just made this and want to know if it is right. I added detergent until it started cleaning the bowl when I stirred. I pulled it out and kneaded it until it was homogenous. It looked right, but it was still pretty sticky. My palms stayed clean but residue built up between my fingers. Is that right? I put it in a bag and added a bit of detergent and it fell apart, so I know I was near the right mix.
ReplyDeleteIf it's a little sticky, but almost right, you can always add some detergent or liquid starch to your hands before handling it. That will keep it from sticking to you. :) Hope that helps.
DeleteHi. I'm not sure why it didn't work. I used 2 bottles of elmer's glue & added liquid detergent (perwoll) 1 tbsp at a time. I have used about 150 ml of the detergent and it still did not come together. It's just liquid. I really want to do this for my son. I hope you can help me. Ty.
ReplyDeleteHi, Perwoll is not on our above list of detergents that work. I suspect it does not contain the correct ingredients to make slime.
DeleteI am making this for a Harry Potter birthday party this weekend for my 10-year-old. My boys and I practiced the recipe from the polka-dot slime (we used 80 ml "Ogre mucus" and 20 ml "Unicorn Blood" as a medium for "pygmy puffs") Everything turned out great, but we had a little trouble cleaning our hands well afterwards. What do you recommend? Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteHah! Love it! Vinegar will dissolve slime, so some watered down vinegar should do the trick. If the slime is sticky itself, be sure to add more liquid starch to take care of it. (You can also try adding liquid starch to your hands and that should loosen any slime stuck there if you'd rather use that over vinegar). Hope that helps! And happy birthday to your son!
Deletehi. im in spain, here they dont have fornil in lidl just tandil so i bought that but it's called "detergente liquido" and I used 50g just to try and added the detergent drop by drop and now it's just watery glue. :( any ideas? thanks
ReplyDeleteOnly certain detergents work. To my knowledge Tandil does not work, so it won't react and you will only have watery glue. :( Sorry!
DeleteHi. Please help. Our slime looks like glue...but feel like we added to much corn starch. Sticky to the hands but also more than a solid. I used 1l of cold glue and plenty of corn starch..it just don't seem to turn into slime!
ReplyDeleteIt won't work with cornstarch. You have to use Sta Flo liquid starch - sorry!
DeleteHI. Please help me. I do my slime using liquid detergent not liquid starch. i use liquid detergent like dynamo. But when i pour my glue into a mixing bowl and add some food colouring then i mix it but when i pour my dynamo it makes my slime really melt. Can you help me? What problem that you think that make my slime really melt?
ReplyDeleteYou have to use a detergent containing borax or boric acid. To my knowledge, Dynamo doesn't contain the correct ingredient. Here is my post about which brands of laundry detergents work: http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/07/make-slime-with-laundry-detergent.html
DeleteThank you for trying to help us figure this out! I can't get mine figured out - the slime looks right, texture wise, but it's just super solid, not stretchy at all. I can stretch it a tiny bit, and then it snaps. We used Elmer's Glue and Sta Flo, although the Sta Flo says it's concentrated, so I'm not sure if that's the right one to use or not?
ReplyDeleteI would try adding more glue. It may be that somehow it got too much borax. Try kneading in some extra glue and let it set for about 20 minutes. Let me know if that doesn't do the trick! :)
Deletethank you so much now i know how to fix it !!!
ReplyDeleteHooray!!!!
DeleteHi - I have just followed the recipe using Almat Bio Gel (as per the ingredients list on the post by Sarah) I have experienced a curdling mixture. None of the pictures on this post represent my mixture. I have googled some more, and am wondering whether there is a typo on the ingredients list, as there is NO sodium tetraborate in Almat Bio, and I understand that this ingredient must be present for successful slime? Therefore, do I need Almat NON-BIO??? Feeling deflated as I bought exactly the ingredients listed and now have 3 deflated little ones, and a lot of wasted glue, detergent and glitter, :( Help please, x
ReplyDeleteNo it's not you! For some reason the UK version is WAAAAY tricker than the US. If you add too much OR too little, you get the curdled mix. It only makes slime in the middle. :/ The best advice I can offer UK folks is to try again with very small amounts and go ridiculously slowly to see what the right balance is. I'd take a few spoonfuls of PVA glue, and then add tiny tiny amounts of Almat (that you've given a good shake to first) and stir well in between each addition. If you go verrrrry slowly, you should be able to hit the slime point that lies in between too little and too much Almat. I hope that helps! I'm sorry it's so tricky!
Delete(Oh, and to answer your question anything that converts to a borate ion in the presence of water works. Sodium tetraborate, borax, boric acid, etc all work)
Thanks for your reply. I checked the ingredients list on the BIO version of the detergent there is absolutely no mention of any 'borax/borate' derivative at all. Nest time I'm in Aldi, I'll check the ingredients of the NON-BIO to make double sure the right one has been listed here? :)
DeleteOh interesting! Though if it curdled I think it's got the right stuff. Are all the ingredients listed? If you'd be willing to type them out I could see if there's anything that sounds right.
DeleteHere are the ingredtions on Almat 'Bio' Gel : anionic surfactans, ionic surfactants, soap, phosphonates, enzymes, optical brighteners, perfumes, phenoxyethanol, Benzisothiazolinone, sorbic acid
ReplyDeleteWill check the 'Non'Bio' version when I go shopping later, I'll report back! x
Ah, yes, they could be counting the boric acid under anionic surfactants.
DeleteMy first batch of slime wasn't runny enough. My second batch of slime is a little runny, but sticks to my hands. Do you have a fix for that?
ReplyDeleteYep - add more glue to make it more runny; add more liquid starch to make it less sticky. :)
DeleteYour suggestion to shake the starch saved my sanity today. I was going crazy trying to figure out why it worked a few days ago but not now. I shook it up and the next batch was perfect. THANK. YOU.
ReplyDeleteSo glad! It's always so frustrating when things seem to randomly fail for no reason!!!
DeleteJust wondering if you leave this out for a few days will it harden?
ReplyDeleteCan I use homemade liquid starch? It's cornstarch and water.
ReplyDeleteOr do I need to keep searching for the store bought kind?
No those aren't the same things. Cornstarch and water doesn't contain borate ion, which is what you need to create slime with the PVA from glue.
DeleteThanks for all of your amazing research into slime around the world! I am in Canada and just tried making slime today with the 7th Generation 4xx formula and sadly, it was an expensive fail. I quickly ran out and bought a bottle of Tide Free and Gentle and had instant success with a couple of tablespoons - my students and I were super excited!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh no - I'm now thinking they changed the formula of the 7th Generation. :( :( :( I've just in the past few weeks gotten several reports that it's not working. Thank you for the lead on Tide Free and Gentle. I can't find an ingredient list online - but I'll totally check that one out!
DeleteJust found the ingredient list - yes! It's a winner! So SO sorry about the 7th gen. I'm going to switch the post. They must have reformulated in the last month. :(
DeleteI'd love to thank you in the post -- if that's OK let me know your name here (it's not showing up in the comments). You just saved me a ton of legwork testing different detergents!!! THANK YOU!!!! :) :) :)
DeleteHello Asia, thanks for the post. I have question, if I'm using borax for the slime and it turns out that my slime is like a bouncy ball (it didn't stretch), what do you suggest me? Is it because I add too much borax in it? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would recommend adding some glue and letting it sit in a ziploc bag for 15-20 minutes. That should do the trick to add some stretchiness back into your slime! :)
DeleteHELP!! I don't know what is wrong with my slime! It's just a gloppy mess. It's like lobes of sticky messiness. It's not like either of the examples listed above. It is not thin and stick, it's not wet and gloppy. It is gloppy and sticky and chunky. What do I do for that? It did not mix it together slowly as I did not notice that before I started mixing. Is it just a loss? Should I start over.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. Can you send me a photo at funathomewithkids@gmail.com? Also if you can, send me a photo of the glue and the starch or detergent you used. They can be phone photos. I would save the mix -- usually you can salvage it! :) :) :)
DeleteFinally I managed to source an online store selling borax in Singapore. My son was thrilled when it arrived. Just make our first slime and he loves it!!!! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHooray!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you!!! Nice work, mama!
Deletesiew bee, may i know where this online store is? i would like to purchase borax too to try.
DeleteMy kids make slime with borax glycerine 10 % and povinal glue. It works well. But when we store it in container for 3 days it become liquid and it stinky. Please HELP. what is the problem why the slime did last long
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I'm not sure what povinal glue is, but my best guess it that it's either the glycerine you're adding or an extra ingredient in the glue that's working against you. If you just mix PVA glue and borax with water, it should last for 4-6 months in storage. Hope that helps!
DeleteHi Astro, i've used the same ingredients, elmers glitter glue, elmers clear glue, liquid starch(sta-flo), and the slime is beautiful when its first made, but after a night it becomes too sticky and i have to keep adding starch to return it to the non-sticky state. Do you have any idea why this is so? Ive kept it in air tight containers but after a night, its too sticky for play. Was hoping it would stay in the perfect state, is this normal?
ReplyDeleteOh shoot. I thought it was the glue you used. No this isn't normal at all. I'm not sure what's going on. :( Is it very humid or dry where you live? Though slime can get sticky after several weeks, it's not normal after overnight. And it shouldn't keep happening. :( I'm so sorry!!!
DeleteHello! I am looking forward to trying this at my job with a fun group of K-6 graders! I was wondering, is there any particular glitter to use or an amount that works best? Also, if I was my slime to look like the blue one above, do I need to add food coloring? If so, will the cheap liquid work or should I use the gel? Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! No, any kind of glitter will work well. The more slime you make, the more glitter you'll want to add. We add anywhere from about 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup glitter, but we buy it by the pound. :)
DeleteI used liquid watercolors to make the blue slime and would suggest those because they are washable. :) Hope you and the kiddos have lots of fun with it!
I'm using Elmer's clear glue and borax but my slime won't stretch it just snaps :( can you suggest something to salvage it?
ReplyDeleteIt's too much borax. Add some more glue and let it set for about 30 minutes. That should loosen it up! :)
DeleteThe same thing happened with me but earlier it was fine until it started oozing excess dye & was turning wet I washed it out thinking it would help and it hardened now its just firm snaps apart.
DeleteSame advice as above -- it sounds like too much borax. I'd add some glue and let it sit for about 30 minutes to loosen it up. :)
DeleteI used office glue and spray starch. My slime is way too liquidy help!!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that spray starch has the correct ingredients to make the slime. What kind did you use? It must contain borax or some form of the borate ion to react with the glue....
DeleteHye. I am from Malaysia and we had trouble finding liquid starch here. But, I tried using spray starch we use for ironing purpose. And it works a marvel!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome! You must have found a spray starch that has the correct ingredient. Would you be willing to email me a picture of your slime and the name of the spray starch? I'd love to share it in our slime post so other readers in Malaysia can make slime. My email is funathomewithkids@gmail.com if you're willing! :)
DeleteOkay, so i read the post, and my slime still isn't working..so I used a 5 oz bottle of clear glue, and put 1 tsp of borax and 1 cup of water in. (I mixed the borax and water together) then i put 1 cup of water in with the glue and mixed it. And then i slowly added the borax solution. And my slime isn't stretchy and it breaks into chunks when i squeeze it. Please help! :(
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you've got too much borax. If you do it again, add less of the water with borax in it. If you still have the slime, try adding several tablespoons of glue to it in a bag and seal it and let it sit for 30 minutes or overnight. This should loosen the slime up so it's more stretchy.
DeleteMy daughter is so distraught, sad and crying. We did the reciepe exactly twice and it came out like a boucny ball and just breaks apart. I know you said add glue but even that didn't work. I have no idea what it is. She is out of glue so we have to try adding less Borax even though we did everything right.
DeleteSuch a bummer! I don't use borax -- I use liquid starch. But if you are using borax, using a LOT less next time should do the trick. The slime firms up like that when there is too much borax. I'd recommend adding a tiny bit at a time and stirring really well in between each addition until your slime just comes together. I'm not sure why adding more glue didn't help -- did you try storing the slime you added more glue to overnight? I think sometimes with the borax slime it takes longer for the glue to loosen it up. Sorry you're having trouble with it!
DeleteAsia, since i live somewhere where we get yellow transluscent glue the clear slime comes out very hard and it doensnt streach at all
ReplyDeletePleeeease help :)
Adding more glue (or less borax mixture) should loosen up the slime. It sounds like you have too much borax. I hope that helps! :)
DeleteAsia thank you sooooooo much for the early reply :)
DeleteMy slime is too wet even if I stir it and knead it...please help me!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what you mean by this -- is there liquid around the slime? That sounds like too much liquid starch. Pick the pieces of slime out and put them in a sealed bag for a day and the slime should be fine. If this is not what you mean, send me a photo of your slime at funathomewithkids@gmail.com and it will make it easier for me to figure out what went wrong. :)
DeleteMine is like that too! There no stick to it at all
DeleteHi I've tried to make slime so many times.. I used Purex and white Elmers glue and it was still liquid! So I added more glue didn't work and Added more detergent and it still liquidy! Now online said to put baking soda in and it didn't work... Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteWhere did you read that Purex would work? I haven't heard of that recipe....
DeleteI made some last week and it turned out great! But it's starting to get hard, how do I make it soft again?
ReplyDeleteMake sure the container you keep it in is sealed airtight and add a little more liquid starch to it. That should do the trick! :)
DeleteI made my slime already and it stretches but it won't stick to my hand and its very bubbly and it breaks very easily and its hard to stick back to itself ( I made mine with white elmers glue and with borax )
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you need to add more glue to soften it up a bit. Hope that helps! :)
DeleteMy slime has problem #1 and will stick to my fingers alot. But it will come out a glob but then it acts like a liquid. (Used starch and glue)
ReplyDeleteWhat brand of liquid starch did you use?
DeleteI tried making slime for the first time for my children. I used two bottles of white Elmer's glue and mmixed it with two cups water. Then 1 1/4 cups warm water with 1 tsp borax. We added a few drops of neon food coloring. It started coming together,but when I took it out to knead it it was so sticky. No matter how much I kneaded it, I can't get it to not be sticky. Please help!!! I don't want to throw it away!!!
ReplyDeleteAdd more borax water -- that should fix the sticky! :)
DeleteWill give that a try!! Thank you:)
DeleteI really need help!!! I was trying to make this slime stuff and I wanted alot so I pored about half of the white elders glue into a bowl and added detergent but I added to much so I added some more glue and it didn't help, all it is is just a bowl of goo it's not sticky or stringy it's almost liquidy, on another video I watched it said to add water and a little baking soda but that didn't help and I tried leaving it to set but that didn't work either all it is, is a bowl of liquidy goo, can you please help me fix it?
ReplyDeleteWhat brand detergent did you use? It sounds like you didn't use the right type....
DeleteHello! I recently made slime but it turned into this hard foam that I can't stretch. Any tips on how to fix it up?
ReplyDeleteHmm, I'm not sure. Did you leave it out in the air for too long? If you send me a picture, I might be able to help more (funathomewithkids@gmail.com), but if you didn't leave it out it sounds like it has too much borax. I'd try adding more glue to it and letting it sit for an hour. Hope that helps!
DeleteHey Asia! I have a question.... I used this recipe: 1/2 cup of Elmer's white school glue. 1/2 cup of water. 1 cup of water mixed with a teaspoon of borax. It worked better than the first time, but little pieces still keep sticking to my hands and fingers. Anything to help this? Maybe more borax mixed with water? Do you know?
ReplyDeleteYep! More borax/water will help solve the stickiness. :) Sticky means too much glue.
DeleteThank you very much!
DeleteI made slime but it's to hard maybe it was too much glue ...what should I do ?
ReplyDeleteIf you leave it out overnight it will get hard (it needs to be kept in an airtight container), but if you're referring to it being too hard right as you made it, that's too much borax/liquid starch. You'll need to mix in more glue to loosen it up. Hope that helps!
DeleteIt's very gumy like if you want to play with it goes back to shape very quickly it's kinda like a bouncy ball
DeleteIf you want to let it fall it doesn't at all ...it stays in place like a ball of hard dry glue
DeleteDefinitely too much borax. You need to try adding more glue. Next time be sure to add the borax slowly and carefully and add less and it will be more flexible.
DeleteHello Asia! I tried to make slime with this recipe: 1/2 cup of glue, 1/2 cup of water mixed with 1 tsp of borax. It didn't work, went all hard and curdled. VERY annoyed as this is my sixth go trying to make slime, haha. What can I do?
ReplyDeleteOh no! That is so frustrating!!! Borax is for sure a trickier way to go. It sounds like, in this instance, you've definitely added too much borax. My best suggestion if you're set on using borax is to mix it into the water until it's all nice and dissolved looking and then VERY slowly add a splash of the borax-water at a time and stir well in between each addition. It should start firming up slowly and look like the pictures above. Once it's close, try kneading it and only add a spoonful or two more if it's sticking to your hands. I hope that helps and feel free to email me (funathomewithkids@gmail.com) pictures if you have any other slime fails!
DeleteHi Ive used PVA and watered down borax but my slime keeps curdling. Any ideas on why this happens. I've tried different quantities but apart from my very first attempt which went too solid, all other attempts have resulted in a curdled mess.
ReplyDeleteI'm not as experienced with borax....I wonder if there's something funny it's reacting with in the PVA? I'm not sure. It curdles when you use too much liquid starch, but when you use too much borax it usually goes solid. Are you dissolving the borax completely in water first? And are you adding it super slowly in very small amounts and stirring in between? I wish I had more help to offer!
DeleteMy slime is wayyy to liquidy... I believe I added too much liquid detergent, so I added more and more glue but nothing happened, and it behaves as glue, how do I fix this?
ReplyDeleteWhat laundry detergent did you use?
DeleteI used snuggles, I don't usually use it, that could be the problem...
DeleteYes -- as I mention in the post above, only specific detergents will work.
DeleteHello! I loved your tips- but I still have one problem. Literally every time I create slime, it is clumpy, gross, and not stretchy at all. Do have any idea what I could be doing wrong? I use different ingredients every time. The things I use are: Elmers glue, Foam soap(only sometimes), Lotion, Contact solution, and sometimes liquid starch sometimes borax.
ReplyDeleteYes -- you have to use something with PVA and something with borate ion. Unless you have those two parts in the right amounts, it won't form a true slime. I recommend using the materials (and with detergents, make sure you get the right brand) I recommend if you'd like it to work!
DeleteThanks so much! I will keep your tips in mind.
DeleteHi my slime is always not working!!! I don't know what is wrong as I used the contact lens way .. I am trying to make fluffy slime but it always does not work out:( please help!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know of any contact lens solutions that work. I recommend using only the types/brands that I recommend if you'd like to make successful slime. Not everything will work to create slime.
DeleteHi Asia! I love your tips, but what do I do if it is too liquidy?
ReplyDeleteWhat ingredients did you use?
DeleteHi! My slime when stirred is very solid, but when I hold it, it clumps AND sticks to my hand. Any tips?
ReplyDeleteWhat ingredients did you use to make it?
DeleteElmer's glue and detergent.
DeleteWhat brand/type detergent? Is it one of the types I recommend?
DeleteI made slime with glue and liquid starch. When I try to pick up the slime it rips I don't know what to add.can you help?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure? Can you send me a photo of it at funathomewithkids@gmail.com? That would help me figure out what's happening.
DeleteMy slime is the perfect consistency but it sticks to my hands. How do I fix that?
ReplyDeleteAdd a small amount more of liquid starch. :)
Deletewhat happens if you add too much laundry detergent when doing the glue and laundry detergent slime recipe
ReplyDeleteAdd more glue. :)
DeleteI made slime with contact lens solution and glue, and never formed or turned into slime. It's just a bowl of thick liquid. I used the exact glue and solution that everyone on YouTube is using (elmers glue and renu contact lens solution). How can I possibly fix this?
ReplyDeleteI've never been able to find a contact lens solution that worked. I'd recommend asking the on the YouTube video you found -- sorry!
DeleteYou need to add baking soda if you're using contact lens solution.
DeleteHi, I made slime with elmers white glue, laundry detergent, and shaving cream, but it's soapy and a bit spongey! Do you have any solutions?
ReplyDeleteWhat laundry detergent? And the shaving cream will likely deflate over time and may separate from the slime. You could try rinsing it off?
DeleteSo my slime ended up very firm, it was stretchy but just it could be more stretch and also it's a little dry idk why though
ReplyDeleteMost likely too much borax/liquid starch. Add more glue to loosen it up.
DeleteI made my slime with glue, water, and borax. At first it was super liquidy so I started kneading it, and it became more firm. It's pretty squishy, but when I try to stretch it, it breaks. How can I fix that?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Adding more glue will bring the flexibility back. :)
DeleteI need help!!! I made...well i tried to make slime and i foloowed this recipe off of youtube this girl got it to work every single time. My slime is basically just glue in a tub. Do i need more glue? Do i need more borax?
ReplyDeleteI would ask the person on YouTube? I'm sorry I have no idea what their recipe is...
DeleteWhat would you do if you made it to liquidy
ReplyDeleteFollow the second set of directions above (too much liquid starch).
DeleteHi- I love making slime and I have been making it for about a year now. I just got 100 bottles of School Smart glue for Christmas, and I started making it adding shaving cream, glue, and liquid detergent. I stirred it all together, and it just turned into a rock-type slime that is very hard to stick your fingers in. I keep adding glue into it to make it thinner, stretchy and light, but it IS NOT working!! I definitely don't want to give it back and get elmers or some other brand, because I love this glue!! Please help! -any suggestions?? :)
ReplyDeleteI've never tried adding shaving cream, but I don't think that would be the problem. Are you keeping the slime in a sealed container when you're not using it? Try taking a gumball-sized amount of the hard slime and about the same amount of glue and putting both into a Ziploc bag and letting it sit for about 30 minutes. What happens then?
DeleteI haven't had any slime fails yet, fingers crossed! But when the slime is stretched out a little bit it breaks, how can I fix that?
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't have any food coloring left but are there other things I could use to color it?
You can add more glue to make it stretchier, but one of the properties of slime is that it will break if stretched quickly. If you are moving it slowly and it's still breaking then try kneading in more glue.
DeleteYes you can use paint or liquid watercolors to color it. :)
my slime was made out of shampoo,body wash and salt....when i put it in the fridge and took it out,i put more salt then i placed it back in the fridge...A few minutes later,i took my slime out and it was really watery:(...what should i do ?
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with that recipe -- you'd have to ask the site you found it on. As far as I know that doesn't work to make slime.
DeleteThank you for this tutorial! But I currently ran out of glue, and is looking for a quick solution. Any tips?
ReplyDeleteI don't know of any common household substitutes for glue that have PVA in them, sorry!
Delete