How to make slime or slime from sodium tetraborate: 20 recipes

Sodium tetraborate (solution) used in making slimes is the sodium salt of boric acid, which is a medicine. You can buy it without a prescription at a pharmacy for 15-25 rubles. bottle. The same substance, but in powder form, is used to feed plants and kill insect pests. It is called borax or borax, sold in hardware stores for 100 rubles. for 50 g.

Sodium tetraborate is an excellent stabilizer; it produces the highest quality slimes. You should not abuse it so that the toy does not come out too tight. And you need to understand that this substance is slightly toxic, although it is also used in the food industry.

Fluffy without shaving foam

This slime should turn out fluffy and light, like a classic fluffy. It also crunches loudly and stretches far. It contains shaving gel, which can also thicken the composition, so the main activator should be added carefully, in small portions.

Recipe

3 tbsp. l. PVA glue,
1 tsp. shaving gel,
0.5 tsp. fat cream,
0.5 tsp. shampoo,
1 pea of toothpaste,
a few drops of sodium tetraborate,
liquid dye, decor - optional.

Cooking method

Place glue in a bowl and add shaving gel.
Add a little cream and the same amount of shampoo.
Read also: Toothpaste for periodontal disease: which is better and how to choose
Add toothpaste to the mixture and make it homogeneous using a spoon.
Drop sodium tetraborate into the mixture and stir well until compacted.
Mash the slime with your hands until ready.
Apply paint to the surface of the toy and stir it.

Watch this video on how to make fluffy slime without shaving foam:

Tetraborate analogues

Instead of sodium tetraborate, you can use products that also contain borates:

Spray, ointment, Teymurov's soap. Each of the preparations contains boric acid, so any is suitable for creating slimes. Spray has a liquid consistency, soap has a creamy consistency, and ointment has the thickest consistency. The concentration of the main substance in the preparations is lower than in sodium tetraborate, therefore the listed activators are used in larger quantities. They have a drawback - a rather strong smell. But you can buy the products at any pharmacy.

Liquid for lenses. Many of them contain a borate buffer. For slimes you should use Licontin, ReNu, Opti-Free, Biotrue. There are few borates in solutions for CL, so a large amount of one of them should be added to slimes. Another important nuance is that these activators must be combined with baking soda. A little food additive is added.

Mountain slime

This slime is made up of three different colored halves. Its preparation takes quite a lot of time, but the result will be a plastic toy with beautiful tints of shades. Everything will work out if the mass settles tightly in the container.

Ingredients

4 tbsp. l. PVA glue,
3 doses of liquid soap,
1 tsp. water,
0.4 tsp. hand or body cream
a few drops of sodium tetraborate.

For the second half of the slime take:

30 ml transparent glue,
0.5 tsp. water,
sodium tetraborate,
2 different dyes.

How to make slime

PVA glue is placed in a bowl and soap is added.
Water is poured there, then cream.
After stirring, add sodium tetraborate and again work with a spoon, and then with your hands.
Place the finished half of the slime in a container with a lid and set aside.
Office glue is poured into another bowl and water is added to it.
Mix immediately, pour in the thickener, work with a spoon until the mass thickens, and then with your hands.
The resulting transparent base is divided into 2 parts and painted in different colors.
Both halves are placed in an empty container next to each other.
White slime is placed on top, the container is closed and left alone for 1 day.

Watch this video on how to make mountain slime:

How to make thickening slime at home?

There are several possible options for replacing the listed types of thickeners. For example, dry starch can be replaced with ordinary wheat flour, which is available in almost every kitchen, but it is worth considering that the slime will thicken, but will not stretch as well as with starch, so if you want to make the toy more viscous, it is better not to use flour . You can also make your own thickener.

To do this you need:

Take a 1 liter bottle.
Pour in 100 milliliters of sodium tetraborate.
Add water to full volume.
Shake well.

This solution is suitable for thickening any slime, except edible ones. If necessary, the resulting universal composition can be added in the amount of 2-3 tablespoons to any ingredients.

Important! The advantage of such a homemade thickener is the resulting volume, which will last for a long time.

From office glue

This slime immediately turns out to be a thick white color. And when stretched, it becomes transparent, and air bubbles are visible inside. If you want to get a completely “glass” toy, after making it, you should put it in a closed container for 2-3 days. It will become completely transparent.

Proven slime recipe

2 tubes of transparent glue,
0.5 tsp. water,
4 pumps of clear liquid soap,
a few drops of sodium tetraborate,
decorative elements.

Cooking method

The glue is placed in a container and water is poured into it.
Soap is also added there.
Mix the transparent mass well.
Pour in sodium tetraborate and shake the contents of the container again.
The thickened and sticky mass is crushed by hand.
At the end, add beads and mix them into the slime.

Watch this video on how to make transparent slime:

Where is tetraborate used?

Sodium tetraborate is used in many areas of human life. Firstly, this version of the material is used in production when welding metals.

In addition, the use of tetraborate is active in the manufacture of glass, enamel coating and various glazes. Antifreeze and various automotive lubricants are also produced using the material.

In textile production, in order to dye the fabric well, the same tetraborate must be used. When soldering jewelry, a substance based on boric acid acts as solder.

The surface of products made of precious metals can be easily cleaned by wiping with this composition.

For medical purposes, tetraborate helps fight various types of fungal diseases. And in the cosmetology field, most beauty products contain tetraborate.

In the household and when creating crafts, tetraborate is simply irreplaceable. For example, making bath bombs or soap making, as well as when forming slimes.

That’s why it’s so important for needlewomen how to make sodium tetraborate with your own hands.

With artificial snow

This method makes it possible to make snow or cloud slime. When stretched, cobwebs will be visible in its thickness. The toy should stick a little to your hands and have a delicate texture.

What to make from

a bag of artificial snow,
2 tsp. water,
65 ml stationery glue,
3 doses of shower gel,
a little gold dye
3 different paints and the same shades of glitter,
2-4 drops of sodium tetraborate.

How to cook

Combine “snow” with water and stir.
Pour glue into another bowl and add shower gel to it, shake too.
Add paint.
Add a little thickener.
Work with the mixture with a spoon until rolling, then with your hands.
While the mixture sticks a little to the skin, stir in artificial snow.
Divide into several segments, add bright dye and glitter to each.
Mix different colored pieces into one whole.

Watch this video on how to make snow slime:

From glue and borax

Slime made using this method is elastic. When it hits a hard surface, it springs like a ball. The mass has less stretch than the original slime, but it is very pleasant to the touch and has a loud “click” sound.

Ingredients

5 tbsp. l. PVA glue,
60-70 ml of borax solution,
nail polish.

Cooking method

Mix borax with water in a ratio of 1:4.
Add glue to the solution.
After a few seconds it will thicken, and then you need to collect it from the liquid with a spatula or stick.
Knead the mixture with your hands for a short time.
Paint with varnish, distributing it in the slime with your fingers.

We recommend reading about how to make slime without sodium tetraborate. From the article you will learn about proven recipes for slimes without tetraborate with the addition of shampoo, glue, lens fluid, freshener, soda and air plasticine. And here is more information about what slime is and what it is needed for.

What are they: a list of the best substances with descriptions and photos

Each type of slime requires its own activator . Usually, the cooking recipe contains a recommendation on what type of thickener can be added, but if you need to create your own recipe or activate store-bought slime, you can use different components. Below are various types of substances that can serve as thickeners, as well as what these components are and what they look like can be seen in the photos and pictures.

Saline solution

Any salt-containing components can be used as a saline solution.

The most suitable are contact lens cleaning solution or Visin eye drops.
Also included in saline solutions are borax powder and sodium tetraborate. These preparations are sold in any pharmacy and contain derivatives of boric acid, which give the slime a thick consistency.
In addition, you can use Teymurov’s spray, which also contains sodium tetraborate.

When adding salt-containing substances to the slime, a chemical reaction occurs, due to which the slime quickly thickens. The activator should be added after the remaining ingredients are mixed ; the amount of product depends on the size of the future slime and the desired density.

Reference! Recipes with tetraborate are the most popular and proven among slimers.

Liquid starch

Liquid starch contains sodium tetraborate, which makes it suitable for activating slime. You can buy the product at any hardware store: it is usually found in the laundry detergent section. You can also order starch online; It is advisable to purchase starch from a company called Lint or Sta-flo.

Soda

Soda is also an excellent activator - it can be used both dry and as a solution. To make the solution, mix water and powder in a 3:1 ratio . Adding baking soda will increase the density of the slime while maintaining its “stretchiness.”

Reference! Slimes activated with soda are called "handgum" or "hand gum" and have a slightly different consistency from regular slimes.

Borax

Borax is the sodium salt of boric acid and can also be used to thicken slime. Borax powder is sold in pharmacies or in online stores . Its properties do not differ from sodium tetraborate, however, it is available in powder form.

Important! You need to wear gloves when handling the powder, as it can burn your skin. Children should knead slime using Borax under the supervision of parents or other adults.

Gelatin

This activator is suitable for slimes that are made from plasticine . The slime made from these ingredients is less stretchy and has a jelly-like consistency, but it does not require any components other than plasticine and gelatin. Before preparing the toy, gelatin must be soaked in water for 40 minutes.

Sugar

To activate the slime with sugar, it is better to use powdered sugar rather than granulated sugar - this way the mass will be more homogeneous. After cooking, the slime will become thick and can be picked up with your hands, but after a short game, sugar slime, as a rule, quickly melts and spreads. Therefore, it will not be possible to make long-lived slime from sugar. But, with the help of powdered sugar you can make delicious edible slimes.

Starch

The easiest way to thicken slime is to use starch. Starch is used as a thickener in cooking, which means it is also suitable for creating slimes. Just dissolve the powder in water to form a paste-like mixture and add it to the slime during preparation. also suitable for creating edible slimes .

Reference! You can use either corn or potato starch, there is no difference.

Instead of dry starch, you can use flour diluted with water. The mixture will be thick and doughy, but not elastic.

Air freshener or hairspray

Without sodium tetraborate, you can thicken the slime using hairspray or air freshener . Both components must be in spray form; The varnish should have a high fixation force, and the air freshener should be from Air Wick. To prepare the slime, you need to use either varnish or a freshener: it is not recommended to use them at the same time.

As a result, you will get a slime that resembles plasticine in consistency. When kneading for the first time, the slime will not tear or stretch, but if you let it “rest” for a few minutes, the slime will become more elastic.

Below is a video about making slime with hairspray:

Dishwashing detergent or clothes washing gel

If you don't want to use caustic sodium tetraborate, use dishwashing liquid (a product called Fairy works best) or laundry gel. Only one of the components is allowed to be used in one recipe. A teaspoon of the product should be added to the slime during the preparation process, and then the slime should be allowed to “rest” for 20 minutes. Afterwards you will get a beautiful and pleasant to the touch slime, with a consistency reminiscent of chewing gum.

Reference! This component is not recommended for use by people with sensitive skin.

Hydrogen peroxide

You won't be able to thicken the slime with peroxide alone : you must also use baking soda or starch. When adding soda, the toy turns out to be more liquid, and when using starch, it becomes elastic, reminiscent of a bouncy ball. When making slime, add peroxide a few drops at a time until you reach the desired consistency. A large amount of peroxide will make the slime thin and watery.

6: Made from clear borax glue

The toy is similar to the one obtained using the previous method, but it is softer and stretches better. And the decorating element turns the slime into iridescent. You can also make a ball from this slime that will fly off the table surface when you hit it.

What you need to make slime

30 ml stationery glue (transparent),
30 ml colorless liquid soap,
10 ml borax,
40 ml water,
3-5 g of powder highlighter.

How to make at home

Send the glue into a container, and pour soap into it.
Mix the slime ingredients.
In another container, make a solution of borax and water, and pour a mixture of glue and soap into it.
Immediately begin to collect the thickening mass with a spatula.
Knead it a little with your fingers and, holding it in your hands, mix the highlighter into it.

Watch this video on how to make slime from clear glue with Borax:

What is the activator for slime?

A slime activator, also known as a thickener, is added during the slime creation process to improve its properties. Due to a chemical reaction, the liquid slime curdles and thickens; later it becomes more convenient to play with it. To make the slime the right consistency, you need to find out which ones are suitable and choose the right activator.

Activators come in different forms: both in the form of a liquid gel and in the form of a powder or spray. The spray is most convenient to use; you just need to spray it on the slime several times. Solutions are more easy to handle, and powder, in turn, can be found in almost any kitchen.

Attention! When making slime, adding a thickener is mandatory, since it determines whether the toy will be dense and elastic, or will spread in your hands.

With sparkling water

This slime should come out large, fluffy, shiny and transparent when stretched. At the same time, it does not leave marks on the skin or surfaces. Another feature of it is loud sounds when squeezed with fingers.

Ingredients

30 ml PVA glue,
the same amount of transparent glue,
30 ml of sparkling water, preferably having a bright color,
7 tbsp. l. thick shampoo,
a little dye,
1 tsp. baby cream,
a pinch of soda,
0.5 tsp. boric acid solution.

How to cook it yourself

Squeeze PVA into a cup and add transparent glue.
Pour soda into the liquid, stir so that there are no clots.
Shampoo is added.
After stirring, tint the mass.
Pour cream into it and work in the liquid with a spoon.
Add soda and stir.
Thickener is added.
Mix until creamy with a spoon, then knead the slime in your hands.

Watch this video on how to make crispy slime:

Sprays

To give the toy the desired density, some use air freshener or hairspray. You need a spray with the highest level of fixation. These products are considered “capricious” (the mass does not always acquire the desired thickness). Below we will tell you how to make gum for your hands with such thickeners.

Pour the required amount of PVA glue into the container (the brand and name are not important) and gradually add hairspray, spraying it for 5-7 seconds. The hair fixing product can be replaced with an air freshener (use only spray). After each addition of one of these products, knead the toy for 5 minutes, and so on until ready. Varnish and freshener are not used together in the recipe. Add only one thing to the slime.

Experienced slime makers advise using salt products or soda to thicken them, which most often work great.

With corn starch

This recipe makes a thick, matte slime. And yet it is soft, easily stretched, and does not retain its shape for long.

Ingredients

4 tbsp. l. PVA glue,
any dye,
2 tsp. with a heap of cornstarch,
2 tbsp. l. shaving foam,
3-5 drops of sodium tetraborate.

Cooking method

The slime is made as follows:

You need to mix glue and paint.
Add starch and try to dissolve it in the mixture using a spoon.
Add shaving foam and stir.
Thicken the mass by adding sodium tetraborate.
Knead it until done.

Watch this video on how to make slime from cornstarch:

Safety regulations

Tetraborate is used as a preservative in creams and as an antiseptic, which can be applied to mucous membranes. Therefore, slime made with its addition is suitable for play. After all, when used correctly, the product does not pose any danger. The exception is people with individual intolerance to a chemical solution.

Tetraborate may cause a chemical reaction. In this case, it is better not to use it.

When preparing slime with the addition of sodium tetraborate, you must adhere to the following safety rules:

avoid contact with eyes;
do not ingest;
do not make edible slimes with this substance;
Use only special containers when making slimes;
After playing with slime, you need to wash your hands thoroughly with soap.

With toothpaste

This slime should turn out fluffy and voluminous, despite the small amount of glue. It gets your hands a little dirty, but it stretches well, crunches and doesn’t lose its fluffiness when squeezed.

Components

2 tbsp. l. white toothpaste,
the same amount of shampoo
3 tbsp. l. PVA glue,
0.5 tsp. sodium tetraborate,
2 different dyes.

Cook at home

Place toothpaste and shampoo in one bowl.
Whisk for 3 minutes.
Add glue to the mixture and stir it.
Pour in sodium tetraborate.
Help him stabilize the mass using a stirrer.
Divide the slime into two parts and color both.
Mix the multi-colored segments into one.

Watch this video on how to make slimes from toothpaste:

Being in nature

There are numerous minerals containing sodium tetraborate. These include:

borax (borax, tinkal) - a mineral of the composition Na2B4O7·10H2O - sodium tetraborate decahydrate;
kernite - sodium tetraborate tetrahydrate - Na2B4O7 4H2O;
numerous minerals of the borate class, which in addition to sodium and boron oxides contain other metals - calcium, magnesium, iron, etc.;
Sodium tetraborate crystalline hydrates precipitate when some endorheic, seasonally dry salt lakes dry up, such as Lake Searles, located in the Mojave Desert in the United States, and some lakes in Turkey.

From a film mask, without glue

This is one of the easiest ways to make crunchy slime. It doesn't turn out to be very big, but it stretches without tears and inflates like chewing gum.

Simple recipe

3 tbsp. l. film masks,
1 tsp. hand cream,
4 tbsp. l. shaving foam,
a few drops of sodium tetraborate.

Preparation method

Mix the film mask and hand cream.
Make the mass more voluminous using shaving foam.
Mix the components again.
Thicken the mass with sodium tetraborate.
Mix with a spoon and fingers.

Watch this video on how to make slime from shampoo and toothpaste:

How to cook

Shampoo is poured into a plastic bottle.
Water should also be sent there.
Close the bottle and shake until foam appears in it, and put it aside for a while.
Glue is poured into the working container.
You need to attach foam from the bottle to it.
The composition must be mixed.
Then it is tinted by adding and stirring pigment.
Soda goes into the liquid next.
After using it, the base is stirred again.
All that remains is to pour in the lens solution.
Now you need to stir with a spoon until the glue curls.
The collected mass is crushed by hand.

Using sodium tetraborate is the easiest way to thicken slime, but you can do without the finished product. After all, with Teymurov’s spray, boric acid, solutions for lenses, Naphthyzin, Levomycetin, the toy turns out no worse. And, of course, even tetraborate substitutes should be used carefully and little by little.

Made from two types of glue

This toy is essentially made of two components: glue and thickener. That's why it always works out. You can make a lot of slimes using this recipe using different decor.

What do you need for slime?

65 ml PVA glue,
30 ml stationery glue,
aqueous solution of sodium tetraborate,
dye, glitter.

How to cook it yourself

You need to mix both types of glue.
Add sodium tetraborate a little at a time several times, constantly stirring the mixture with a spoon.
When it looks like semolina porridge with lumps, you need to take it in your hands and actively knead it.
Color the almost finished slime and add decoration by kneading the toy.

Watch this video on how to make slime from glue and sodium tetraborate:

What you need to know before making a thickener

Behind the creation of the correct consistency for slimes is the chemical reaction of polymers and sodium tetraborate. The polymer is PVA glue. To keep it in a liquid state and maintain the elastic properties of the slime, a thickener is needed. Sodium tetraborate, borax or boric acid do the job well.

A popular hobby among children today is slime.

The interaction between the two main ingredients is called cross-linking. Glue is a long, viscous string of molecules that become solid when exposed to oxygen, thereby tightly connecting different surfaces.

Sodium tetraborate makes these threads denser, prevents drying and turns the liquid glue into a plastic, soft mass. In science, the consistency of slime is called a non-Newtonian fluid because it cannot be called a solid or 100% liquid.

Beginners are not always able to create a slime on the first try. Before you start making slime at home, you need to know how to eliminate the shortcomings.

Problem	Solution
Slime is too runny	Gradually add thickener until viscosity improves.
The slime is very thick	Add a little main ingredient according to the recipe (PVA, shampoo, soap).
Thickener does not work	It is important to choose the right dishes. Do not mix ingredients in aluminum or plastic containers. The thickener may react with these substances. It is recommended to use glass or ceramics.
Borax does not dissolve in warm water	The water temperature may not be warm enough to dissolve completely. You can heat the solution in the microwave.
Slime sticks to your hands a lot	You need to add a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide.
Slime doesn't stretch well	You should add 2 drops of 6% vinegar during cooking. The finished mucus will no longer be able to acquire elasticity; you will have to repeat the preparation.
Slime doesn't slide well in your hands	The finished slime must be lubricated with glycerin and kneaded well.
The toy dries while in a sealed package	After each use, sprinkle the packaging with water and add a pinch of salt.

A slime whose consistency is uniform is considered successful. It stretches well, is elastic, and does not stick to your fingers.

With glycerin

Even a novice slimer can make a slime using this recipe if the glue is chosen correctly. The toy will be an original type, it can be decorated with sparkles or any pigment.

Easy recipe

2 tsp. water,
1 tsp. shampoo,
0.5 tsp. cream or 1 tsp. glycerin,
5 tsp. PVA glue,
a little sodium tetraborate or Naphthyzin with soda.

Cooking method

Pour water and shampoo into the bowl and mix with a spoon.
Add cream, mix.
Pour glue into the foamy liquid and make it homogeneous using a spoon.
Add sodium tetraborate in portions, stir until the mixture coagulates.
Make the slime cooler by squishing it in your hands.

Watch this video on how to make slime with glycerin:

What can replace borax if necessary?

Sodium tetraborate is a dangerous component for children; it can cause allergic reactions and you need to be careful with it. Therefore, more harmless improvised means can be used as a thickener for slimes.

Thickeners for slimes that can be found in any kitchen:

soda;
potato starch;
flour.

To prepare slimes with these ingredients, you need to take 100 ml. water and PVA glue, as well as 100 ml. chosen thickener (flour, soda or starch). If the mixture is too liquid, the amount of activator needs to be increased.

You might be interested in How to knit a sweater for a doll on knitting needles - job description

Slime without borax

Neon with plasticine

This toy is especially fun to make and play with in a dimly lit room. Thanks to the neon components, it glows. At the same time, there is nothing complicated in the recipe; even a beginner slimer can handle it.

What can it be made from?

50 ml neon glue,
1-2 g neon sparkles,
a small piece of plasticine with foam balls,
a few drops of borax solution (125 ml of water per 10 g of powder).

Cooking method

The glue is poured into the dishes.
Add glitter.
Place plasticine and stir everything.
Stabilizer is added.
Stir with a spoon and hands until done.

Watch this video on how to make neon slime:

Sodium tetraborate solution - instructions for use | reference book of medicines

Overdose when applied topically

Symptoms of overdose with local use of the drug are unlikely. There are no data on cases of overdose with local use.

Overdose due to accidental ingestion of the drug

The lethal dose for adults is 10-20 g, the toxic concentration in the blood is 40 mg/l, the lethal concentration is 50 mg/l.

The following symptoms are possible: abdominal pain, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, dehydration, weakness, confusion, dermatitis, menstrual irregularities, anemia, twitching of the muscles of the face and limbs, alopecia, dysfunction of the heart, liver and kidneys.

Treatment of overdose when taking the drug orally includes: gastric lavage, forced diuresis, in case of severe poisoning - hemodialysis, IM - riboflavin mononucleotide 10 mg/day, correction of water-electrolyte balance and acidosis: IV infusion of sodium bicarbonate solution, plasma-substituting solutions , sodium chloride and dextrose solution.

For abdominal pain - subcutaneously 1 ml of 0.1% atropine solution, 1 ml of 0.2% platyphylline solution, 1 ml of 1% promedol solution, IV - dextrose procaine mixture (50 ml of 2% procaine solution and 500 ml of 5 % dextrose solution).

Maintaining the functions of the cardiovascular system.

With hair foam

This recipe allows you to save on some components, because shaving cream is cheaper than foam. Nevertheless, the result is a lush fluffy slime, thanks to the hair product and whipping the mass during the manufacturing process.

Fluffy Sloughm Recipe

2 tsp. shower gel,
0.5 tsp. shaving cream,
2 tsp. with a foam top for the care of weakened hair,
4 tsp. transparent glue (it can be tinted with any pigment),
glitter,
borax solution, which is made from 125 ml of water and 10 g of the main component.

How to do

Place shower gel and shaving cream in one bowl and mix.
Add hair foam.
After mixing the previous components, pour in the glue and shake the liquid with a spoon until fluffy.
Add glitter.
Pour in the borax solution and stir until it curls.
Then knead the mass with your hands.

Watch this video on how to make fluffy slime without glue and without shaving foam:

What is this substance needed for?

Sodium tetraborate is the sodium salt of boric acid, which is highly soluble in water. Tetraborate appears as a white crystalline powder and is used to treat fungal infections. Boric acid salts are often used to make slime. The substance plays the role of an activator, which accelerates the thickening of polymers and polysaccharides. As a result, the toy becomes viscous, viscous and elastic.

Borax tends to accumulate in the skin, so you need to wear gloves when making slime. Otherwise, it will lead to an allergic reaction.

With starch and body lotion

This recipe produces fluffy, textured fluffy slime. It is also elastic and soft, with a noticeable shine thanks to the body lotion.

What to make from

5 tbsp. l. PVA glue,
2 tsp. cold water,
0.5 tsp. body lotion,
2-3 tsp. starch,
6 tbsp. l. shaving foam,
dye,
borax.

Step-by-step instruction

You need to pour glue and water into one bowl.

Add creamy body lotion, make the liquid homogeneous.
Add starch and mix again.
Add shaving foam and distribute it evenly throughout the mixture.
Color the slime.
Pour in a few drops of borax, working continuously with a spatula.
If the mass has thickened but remains sticky, knead it with your hands.

Watch this video on how to make airy slime:

Starry sky

To make this slime, you need to stock up on blue dye, as well as silver sparkles of different sizes. In addition, you will need PVA glue and Borax.

This hand chewing gum is made according to the classic recipe. Before thickening, the glue must be mixed with dye and glitter. After adding the activator, you get a beautiful toy with a pearlescent sheen.

Glossy with oil for baby skin

This slime has a glossy shine and shimmer. It is also very soft, so it has a flowing texture, but it can also be assembled into rosettes.

Ingredients for glossy slime

2 tubes of transparent Brauberg glue,
1 tube of Luch glue,
1 tsp. oils for baby skin care,
1 tsp. rich hand or body cream,
a drop of dye,
aqueous solution of sodium tetraborate (2 tsp per 1 glass of liquid).

Cooking method

Mix both types of glue well in a cup.
Add butter and cream, mix too.
Tint the mass with liquid pigment.
Pour in a few drops of thickener.
Mix the slime well.

Watch this video on how to make glossy slime:

Chemical properties

Solubility in water is 3.2 g / 100 ml (25 °C), 10.5 g / 100 ml (50 °C), in ethanol - 0.05 g / 100 g (25 °C), acetone - 0.006 g / 100 g (25 °C), insoluble in diethyl ether and glycerin. Reacts with methanol when dissolved to form organoboron compounds.

Forms several crystalline hydrates with different water contents. These crystalline hydrates and anhydrous sodium tetraborate Na2B4O7 are commonly called "borax". Examples of crystalline hydrates:

However, the decahydrate Na2B4O7·10H2O is most often called “brown”. This salt is transparent crystals with a molar mass of 381.43 g/mol, having good solubility in warm water. When heated above 400 °C, it completely loses water of crystallization.

Since sodium tetraborate is a salt of a weak acid and a strong base, it hydrolyzes in water. An aqueous solution of sodium tetraborate has an alkaline reaction.

Reacts with strong acids, forming the corresponding salt and boric acid:

Na2B4O7⋅10H2O 2HCl ⟶ 4H3BO3 2NaCl 5H2O⋅

Many metal salts of boric acid are insoluble in water and when their soluble salts react with sodium tetraborate in a solution, the resulting borates precipitate. This is the basis for the use of borax to “soften” water:

Ca(aq)2 Na2B4O7(aq) ⟶ CaB4O7(s) 2Na(aq) Mg(aq)2 Na2B4O7(aq) ⟶ MgB4O7(s) 2Na(aq)

When fused with the oxides of many transition metals, borax forms variously colored compounds - borates “borax pearls”. By the color of the pearls one can judge the qualitative chemical composition of the sample.

Colors the burner flame green (a characteristic reaction to boron compounds).

From raw egg white

Slime made using the proposed method is light and small. But you can stretch it until it becomes transparent and blow out bubbles. It’s better to store it in a cool place so that it doesn’t spoil longer.

Ingredients for slime

1 chicken egg,
2-3 tbsp. l. film masks,
a little paint,
sodium tetraborate or Teymurov foot spray.

How to make it at home

Remove the white from the egg, that is, punch a hole in the shell through which the desired component is shaken out into a cup.
Beat it until fluffy, using a whisk or mixer.
Add the film mask and mix.
Add color to the liquid.
Pour sodium tetraborate into it, knead until thick.

Watch this video on how to make slime from an egg:

Why use thickeners

These tools are needed so that the slime acquires the correct consistency and resembles chewing gum. Thickeners come in various forms: solution, powder or spray. It depends on them what the toy will be like and whether it will be possible to make slime.

There are many different thickeners:

sodium tetraborate (borax, borax);
contact lens cleaning solution;
salicylic acid or any alcohol preparation;
Visin eye drops
detergents for washing things (gel);
dishwashing liquids;
varnish for fixing hairstyles;
air freshener (spray);
soda;
salt;
powdered sugar;
starch;
gelatin.

Toys are made with various thickeners. Let's look at their characteristics and figure out what is best to mix “chewing gum for hands” from.

With light plasticine

This is one of the easy ways to make butter slime. It spreads like butter, but also stretches and clicks well.

What to make butter slime from

60 ml PVA glue,
0.5 tsp. water,
1-2 tsp. liquid soap,
0.5 tsp borax,
a bag of light plasticine.

How to make

Pour water into the glue in the cup.
Add liquid soap to the mixture and shake everything with a stick.
Pour in borax, stir until curdled.
When the slime stops leaving marks on your hands, you need to mix it with light plasticine until smooth.

Watch this video on how to make butter slime:

DIY recipes for making edible toys

Using food thickeners, you can also make edible slimes that will delight your child or become an unusual decoration for the holiday table.

Based on condensed milk

Sweet gum for hands can be made from condensed milk and corn starch. However, such a toy is short-lived, leaves marks on light-colored clothing and becomes unusable if dropped on the carpet.

Important! The recipe is not suitable for cooking with a small child, as cooking requires fire.

Ingredients:

A can of condensed milk.
One tablespoon of cornstarch.
Food coloring if you want to add color to the toy.

Recipe:

Mix condensed milk and starch in a saucepan and place it over low heat.
Stir the mixture until it reaches a jelly consistency, then remove the pan from the stove.
Add coloring if desired and let the slime cool.
Edible slime is ready! You can play with it or use it as a treat.

From marshmallows

Another unusual recipe: DIY edible slime made from marshmallows.

Ingredients:

Any marshmallows, the quantity depends on the desired size of the toy.
Powdered sugar.
Starch.
Food coloring to add color.

Recipe:

Mix crushed marshmallows with a small amount of water in a container.
Microwave the dish for 20 seconds.
Stir in melted marshmallows.
In a separate bowl, mix starch and powdered sugar in a ratio of 1:3.
Combine the resulting components.
To get color, add dye and knead the toy with your hands like dough.

Reference! If you don't have a microwave, you can use a water bath, but the process will take much longer.

From Vaseline and glue

This recipe is used to make jelly slime, which also has a shiny surface. So this toy can be considered both a jiggly and a glossy. The slime stretches well and makes a loud click when touched.

Components

200 ml hot water,
a jar of Vaseline (10 g),
dye,
3 tubes of transparent glue,
0.5 tsp. sodium tetraborate.

Do it yourself

Place Vaseline in the water and use a spoon to help it dissolve.
Add some paint.
Pour glue into the liquid and stir.
Add sodium tetraborate drop by drop and work the mixture with a spoon until it thickens.

Watch this video on how to make slime from water and Vaseline:

Sodium tetraborate base

The inorganic boron compound (Na2B4O7) is widely used in medicine, the chemical industry, cosmetology and food production, and now in the manufacture of toys. Auxiliary components change, and the technological process cannot be completed without sodium tetraborate, which is freely sold in pharmacies and acts as a thickener.

Borax has become in demand, and products based on it are modified and supplemented with simple recipes that are accessible even to children. Their selection will help make slime from sodium tetraborate and show the creative inclinations of young “chemists”, and will significantly save the family budget.

From shower gel and hand cream

This method can be used to make large rainbow slime. Its texture is so delicate that the shades of the colors used imperceptibly flow into one another. And the abundance of oil components makes the slime also glossy.

Components

100 ml transparent glue,
50 ml PVA glue,
1 tsp water,
1 tsp body milk,
2 tsp. shower gel,
1 tsp. hand cream,
0.5 tsp. aqueous solution of sodium teraborate,
4 different dyes.

How to make slime

Mix both glues.
Pour water into the same cup and spread it with a spatula.
Add body milk, then shower gel, stirring the liquid after each ingredient.
Supplement the mixture with hand cream.
After thoroughly stirring, pour in the sodium tetraborate.
Knead until thick with a spoon, then with your hands (if this does not help, you should add more activator).
Divide the slime into 4 parts, paint each one a different color by dropping pigment and squeezing the mass with your fingers.
Place the segments in a container next to each other, tightly, close the lid and do not touch for 2 days.

We recommend reading about how to make slime without a thickener. From the article you will learn about options for making slime with and without glue. And here is more information on how to remove slime from clothes.

Sodium tetraborate makes creating slime very simple, this thickener works flawlessly. The main thing is not to put too much of it, do not waste time kneading the mass. And if there is an excess of thickener in it, you can save the toy with water, shower gel or fatty cream.

Useful video

Watch this video on how to make glossy slime:

What to do if the slime does not thicken

If the slime does not work out, this may be caused by the following factors:

Insufficient mixing. The slime should not only be mixed with a spoon, but also thoroughly kneaded with your hands. If the toy is too liquid, you should try again to thoroughly knead it with your hands. The approximate mixing time is at least five minutes.
Not enough thickener. If after additional mixing the slime still does not reach the desired consistency, you need to add more activator.
Bad glue. You should always pay attention to the expiration date of the glue, since an expired product does not react with sodium tetraborate.
Lots of liquid. When making slime with water or shampoo, the proportions should be observed: the liquid component should not exceed half the mass of the finished toy.

To get the desired consistency, you should try all the options: knead thoroughly with your hands, add a thickener or glue, put the toy in the refrigerator for an hour. If after all these manipulations the toy does not acquire the required consistency, the glue should be replaced.

Homemade slime may not thicken