How to soften a slime if it has become hard, what to do if it does not stretch but breaks

All ways to soften ready-made slime

To restore the properties of the material, different methods are considered:

You can soften the slime by exposing it to high temperatures. To do this, use a hairdryer. The power of such a device is sufficient to increase the elasticity of the slime. In this case, the softening of the mass occurs according to the principle of thermal effect on the polymer material. However, after complete cooling, it will be necessary to reanimate the mass again, since it will again stretch worse. You can restore the properties of the material for a long time with the help of additives. You should not use a building hair dryer (even if you have one at hand), since the slime will melt and stick to surfaces.
Boiling water. The product is immersed in hot water for 1-10 minutes. If you are interested in the answer to the question of how to save the slime, it must be borne in mind that the duration of exposure to boiling water depends on the state of the mass. The more it dries, the longer you need to keep it in water. This method improves the resistance of the material to tensile stress.
Hot water (5 ml) is poured into a plastic container, then dipped in slime liquid and placed in the microwave for 40 seconds. This will restore the properties of the material, but after cooling down, you will have to repeat the procedure.
If a method is chosen how to fix the slime, it is recommended to use a mixture of boric acid (15 ml), toothpaste (1/2 tsp) and boiling water (50 ml). First, a dentifrice is added to the water. When the substance acquires a uniform consistency, they begin to knead the slime with it. Then boric acid is introduced.
When a method is chosen on how to soften the slime, if it has become hard, consider the option of using shower gel and boiling water. The components are mixed in a ratio of 1:10. Then the product is lowered into the resulting solution. You need to knead the slime until it becomes pliable and soft.

Precautionary measures

Before you start making a shower gel slime at home, you should read the safety rules during preparation. And also tell your child about the correct use of the toy. If the recipe provides for the presence of glue, then you need to prepare the slime in a well-ventilated area.

It is better to replace rubber, silicone and construction glue with PVA. Gloves should be used during cooking. Some ingredients in large quantities can damage the skin. Gloves will help you choose the right balance and keep your hands free from burns. Limit the time the child plays with the slime. There may be a minimum of chemicals in the composition, but frequent contact with the baby's skin can cause allergies.

Method 12: glycerin

Glycerin actually softens dried slime as it attracts and retains moisture. The product is bought at a pharmacy and used in very small quantities. You need to drop it on the surface of the toy, smear it on it and knead until smooth. If the mass is still tight, add a new portion of glycerin, knead again.

We recommend reading about how to make lizun from starch. From the article you will learn about 17 slime recipes with starch and soap, water, shaving foam, soda, toothpaste and other available ingredients.

And here is more about what and how you can thicken the slime.

Of all the ways to fix a hard slime, the safest is to add glue with an activator. But it is also more complicated than others, and in most cases you can get by with less expensive means. Therefore, it is worth starting with the simplest methods of softening, taking a small piece of a toy for a sample.

Be sure to watch the video on 8 simple ways to soften slime:

Ingredient feature

Shaving gel, by itself, is too thin to form a slime without the use of thickeners. This role can be played by starch or sodium tetraborate - a derivative of boric acid, has an antiseptic effect, is used in dermatology, ENT practice, ophthalmology. The main advantage of the component is its low price. The cost of tetraborate is minimal, varying within 30 rubles. Sodium is sold in a pharmacy, in liquid form, dispensed without a prescription.

Since this thickener belongs to the category of unnatural, chemical ingredients, safety precautions must be observed when using, do not lick the finished product. There is a possibility of individual intolerance.

Cautions

There are a lot of recipes on the network for making slime from the most unexpected ingredients. Before trying to make a homemade toy, it's worth remembering:

the components of the mixture can be dangerous if they are prone to allergic reactions;
all manipulations with substances (glue, sodium tetraborate) can only be done with the help of adults;
wash your hands thoroughly after playing;
you should not give a toy to babies - accidentally pulling it into your mouth, the child may be poisoned.

You need to store the finished slime in a tightly closed container. After 2-3 weeks of intensive use, the toy loses its properties. It collects dust and hairs, becomes less elastic and is replaced with a new slime.

Safety engineering

It is best for the parents to supervise the slime play.

This will greatly help reduce the risks of problems:

Small children can eat sticky particles. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor that the child does not bring the toy to his mouth.
Before buying, you need to study the composition and make sure that the child is not allergic to the constituent components.
Long-term contact with slime should be avoided.
The service life of one slime should not be more than a week.
In the case of self-creation of a slime, adults need to control all stages of work. Children don't have to make slime alone. The finished slime is stored in the refrigerator, in case of mold or an unpleasant odor, it must be thrown away.
All the necessary ingredients for making a slime on your own need to be purchased in large stores where there is a guarantee of the quality of the goods.
Slime should be made in a well-ventilated area.
Parents should not be allowed to make slimes every day. Frequent contact with pure ingredients is harmful to the skin.
Work with all the components for creating a slime is carried out with gloves.
After contact with the slime, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water.

Tips & Tricks

Slime may not work the first time. As a rule, there are several reasons for this:

the sequence of actions is broken;
proportions are not respected - it is better to use measuring cups, accurate scales;
poor quality of ingredients - you should not make a toy from expired components that were supposed to be discarded;
if the slime sticks too much to your hands, you need to add water and starch, and vice versa, if there is viscousness in the absence of stickiness, you should add a little glue.

Everyone can make a unique toy, for this you need to develop your own design: add dye, some elements (balls, beads), draw a "face". You can try to create an "edible" slime, consisting only of natural ingredients, without glue and other chemicals. This will allow you to feel calm about the licking of your child's favorite toy.

Important: children under 3 years old should not be left unattended while playing with the slime. The creation of the toy must also be fully supervised by adults.

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How to store and apply

By creating a unique toy, everyone hopes for a long, interesting time together. To do this, it is necessary to create storage conditions suitable for the slime.Ideally, each slime should have a separate container with a tight-fitting lid. Do not store the toy in the freezer or in the immediate vicinity of heating appliances. Therefore, it is better to place the container with slime in the refrigerator.

It is recommended to store a toy made from natural ingredients no more than a few days, the rest can last for several weeks, or even months. Correct, regular care will increase the life of the slime. The texture of elastic specimens reacts sharply to dry air, which requires intervention: it is necessary to nourish the toy with a small amount of water at the slightest hint of drying out. You can add water directly to the container where the slime is stored. High humidity will also negatively affect the service life - the slime will swell and lose texture. You can fight excess moisture with table salt.

There are many options for playing with a slime:

pour over uneven surfaces, from container to container;
divide into parts;
throw into water;
insert a tube to inflate the bubble inside;
outdoor games with a slime-jumper.

This type of game is useful for kids - tactile skills develop. However, it should be understood that prolonged play with slime can lead to irritation of the skin of the hands, so if you have scratches or abrasions, you should refrain from playing. It is necessary to play with the slime only with clean, dry hands to avoid contamination of the toy (this will lead to a violation of the consistency). It is worth refraining from throwing slime with a liquid consistency on the walls, floor, ceiling.

How can you soften slime

The following softeners are suitable:

Water. The easiest option. The main thing is to add water little by little, otherwise the slime can turn into a liquid gruel.
Antibacterial gel. Any brand of antibacterial hand gel will do.
Lotion for the skin. The brand doesn't matter.

Slime softeners

Hand cream. Baby cream is best.

Pay attention to the smell of the cream, as the slime will smell the same after softening.

Vegetable oil. Sunflower, linseed, olive or other vegetable oil

We recommend using refined, as it does not have a specific smell.

PVA glue. A suitable softener for homemade slimes, which already consist of glue. But the purchased slime can also be restored with such a remedy, the main thing is not to add too much, otherwise the anti-stress will stick to your hands.

Components for snow slime

At its core, Snow Slime is a slime based on the classic basic recipe. That is, the components for making slime with snow must be prepared as follows:

Glue.
Any product that can foam.
Hand or face cream.
Shaving foam.
Any available activator.
Artificial snow.

Snow component

How to choose and prepare ingredients

You can use silicate transparent or commonly known PVA.

The old adhesive is absolutely not suitable for cooking. Slime should be made from the most "fresh" ingredient. The most suitable brands: Moment, Elmers, Berlingo.

Adding greasy cream

You can add shampoo or shower gel as a cleanser

In this case, you need to pay attention to the smell of this product and its density.

The use of a cosmetic cream allows you to obtain a pleasant shine and delicate structure.

Sodium tetraborate or boric acid can be used as an activator.

For information! A great ingredient that can easily add bulk to your toy is shaving foam.

The history of creation and the benefits of slimes

The first slime appeared completely by accident, thanks to the curiosity of the daughter of the owner of the Mattel company. By mixing guar gum and borax, she unexpectedly got a funny viscous and elastic substance. It was in 1976.The company released a small batch of toys, but then they did not receive the same popularity as they are today.

We have slime appeared in the early 90s and immediately fell in love with children. The name "slime" is more familiar to us, because in the same period the cartoon "Ghostbusters" appeared on our screens, where a funny and very cute character lived - a ghost with the properties of a slime.

And for adults, a toy is a great way to relieve stress and distract a little. Bright colors, the ability to give the slime any shape - this is also a huge scope for imagination, and the ability to make a toy on your own allows you to feel like a real natural scientist.

How to prevent slime from hardening?

So that there are no questions about what to do if the slime has dried up and why it breaks, before use, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules for the care and storage of anti-stress toys.

They are as follows:

It is required to store the product in a container tightly closed with a lid at a temperature of + 2 ... 4 ° C. A refrigerator is suitable for this, and at a lower temperature the mass can freeze, at a higher temperature it can steam up and turn sour (an unpleasant specific smell will appear).
You can't play with Ninja Slime for a long time

As soon as it begins to lose elasticity, it is placed in a jar to cool down.
It is not allowed to leave it outdoors.
Particular attention is paid to feeding. With proper feeding, the slime will last a long time.

You can feed it no more than 2 times a week with 1-2 pinches of salt and water. Do not add flour or starch to it, otherwise bacteria will appear inside the viscous mass, which will lead to damage to the toy.
To preserve the properties of the slime, it is necessary to periodically carry out preventive measures. As soon as it becomes too liquid and starts to stick to your hands, add a few drops of the thickener. If you add a lot of sodium tetraborate, it will harden and tear. No more than 3 drops of activator are allowed.

It is better to purchase a collection of Ninja slimes or certain types from trusted and reliable suppliers that provide quality certificates so as not to buy a fake.

Video

What care should be taken to avoid loss of elasticity?

If the slime does not stretch and breaks, it hardens - this indicates that it was not looked after.

To make the toy last longer:

Any suitable thickener is added periodically. It is recommended to use the product that was used in this capacity during the preparation of the slime.
When a method is chosen how to save the material from hardening, suitable conditions are created for it: it is recommended to store the product in a cool environment, in addition, the plastic mass must be closed with a lid. This will avoid evaporation of liquid, drying of the material.
For feeding, you cannot use flour or starch. As a result, the toy will harden even faster. It will be impossible to restore it after that.

At the purchase stage, high-quality toys are chosen that will last longer.

Why slime hardens and dries up

Slime is a jelly-like antistress toy, which contains a thickener and an activator. The thickener acts as a gelling agent that reacts with the liquid and holds it inside the product. Incorrectly caring for a jelly-like toy can provoke the occurrence of:

hardening consistency;
reducing volumes;
decrease in the level of elasticity.

During the manufacture of an antistress toy, it is important to use a thickener, the molecules of which fold into a large number of glomeruli. As soon as the components of the thickener reach the liquid, they begin to unwind.

The viscosity level of the fluid increases. The moisture begins to evaporate, and the density level of the toy increases.

Advice! To check the degree of dehydration of the toy, it is worth stretching the slime.In the case when the mass begins to break, it is advisable to soften it. For this purpose, you can use office glue, shower gel, hand cream, body lotion, or dishwashing detergent.

To store the slime, you will need to use a special container.

Warm softening

It doesn't matter if it's a store-bought slime or one made at home, it tends to harden from improper storage. In order for the solid slime to soften and take on its previous plastic form, you can act on it with elevated temperatures, that is, with boiling water

The structure heats up and the mixture becomes viscous again. The main thing is not to burn your hands in the process.

Pour a glass of boiling water into a small container and place the hardened Antistress toy there, cover with a board or lid and leave for 20 minutes. After the elapsed time, take out the slime and knead it with your hands while still hot. This softening option is only suitable for slightly dried slime.

What if the slime does not stretch, but tears?

There are 3 stages of slime hardening:

During the game, elasticity is lost, it is difficult to press on it.
Slime does not stretch or wrinkle.
Slime breaks and becomes hard.

Boiling water is used to revive viscous antistress. The procedure is carried out as follows:

Boil water.
Fill the container up to 145 ml.
Put dried slime in hot water for 8 minutes, cover with a lid.
After removing it from the water, knead it with your hands, without waiting for the mass to cool down.

This recipe is suitable for items that are not completely dry and hardened.

If it is dry and does not stretch, you can soften the slime in the microwave:

Boil 6 ml of water.
Place the slime in a container and pour boiling water over it.
Place in the microwave for 36 seconds.
Take the heated mass and knead it thoroughly in your hands.

The second option for heating in the microwave:

Put the jelly-like mass in a container, fill it with hot water.
Knead with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes.
Take the slime out of the container, transfer it to a thermo mug and put it in the oven for half a minute.
Remove the container from the microwave.
Take out the mass and let cool.

Children are only allowed to perform microwave treatments under the supervision of an adult.

The most effective cosmetics are toothpaste, lotion, liquid soap, and shaving foam.

A guide on how to fix slime with toothpaste if it is hard, stretches poorly and does not form a thin glass film:

The solid mass is placed in a small container, poured over with hot water, and covered with a lid.
Leave for a day.
After the lapse of time, add 1 pea of toothpaste and mix the components well.

For better viscosity, it is recommended to add auxiliary ingredients, for example, a little moisturizer for the hands.

Instructions on how to change the consistency of the slime using cosmetics, if it does not stretch, but tears:

Roll the slime into a cake on a flat surface.
From above, smear the product with hand lotion or apply a little shaving foam. The substances are smeared evenly with a thin layer.
Leave for 10 minutes.
The lubricated antistress is kneaded in hands and kneaded well.

With strong hardening, as a result of which the structure of the viscous substance is completely disturbed, the addition of citric acid is allowed. To revive the toy, just add a couple of crystals, after which the slime is carefully crumpled. At first, the softened mass will begin to stick to your hands, but after a long kneading, the stickiness will disappear. If you overdo it with citric acid, the slime will become too runny and sticky.

Antibacterial gel is used not only when the slime dries up, but also during operation for disinfection. To destroy pathogenic microbes accumulating on the surface of the product, add no more than 1-2 drops of the substance, to restore elasticity - no more than 4 drops. After applying the gel, the toy must be kneaded well.

Ingredients

In addition to the base component, you need to use a number of additional ingredients to create a slime. The exact list of ingredients depends on the type of slime.

Water

If you don't use water, the slime will be matte and won't stretch well. As a rule, most of the methods for making slime involve the addition of water.

Food gelatin

The addition of edible gelatin when creating a slime gives the product the ability to retain its shape well. Otherwise, the toy will involuntarily change shape due to a different consistency.

Iron container

Plasticine is heated in a metal dish to soften it and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. To melt plasticine, you need to make a water bath.

Plastic containers

All components are mixed inside a plastic container. After preparing the slime, the container is placed in the refrigerator for several hours.

What to do to prevent the slime from drying out

In order to prevent your favorite toy from becoming hard and crunching, experts recommend adhering to the recommendations listed below.

After the anti-stress games have been completed, it should be stored in a tightly closed container.
Do not place your toy box in the freezer.
It is unacceptable to play with a slime in the sun for a long time.
It is important to prevent the toy from being immersed in water for a long time.
To maintain elasticity, it is recommended to systematically knead thick mucus.

Seeing a drying slime, do not be upset. There are many ways to help restore the elasticity of the product. In order to prevent thickening, it is worth periodically washing the product under running water and kneading it for 10 minutes after water procedures.

Method 1: Toothpaste

You can soften hardened slime with toothpaste in several stages:

squeeze a pea of an auxiliary into the mass;
knead it with your hands so that the toothpaste is completely mixed with the slime;
if the mass has not softened enough, add more products and mix the toy.

Toothpaste contains a lot of liquid, so you need to add it little by little, even in a large slime. And it is better not to use products with granules, as well as those intended for teeth whitening, as they contain aggressive components. Because of them, the texture of the toy can change unpredictably. It should be borne in mind that the gel toothpaste thinns more than having a creamy consistency.

About this article

Co-authors:
WikiHow staff editor

Our experienced team of editors and researchers contributed to this article and reviewed it for accuracy and completeness.

Categories: Hobbies and Handicrafts

English: Soften Slime

Nederlands: Slijm zacht maken

العربية: تليين الصلصال

Italiano: Ammorbidire lo Slime

Bahasa Indonesia: Melunakkan Slime yang Mengeras

中文: 让软泥恢复弹性

Deutsch: Slime weich machen

Español: ablandar slime

ไทย: ทำให้ ส ไล ม์ กลับ มา นุ่ม ตาม เดิม

Tiếng Việt: Làm mềm slime

Français: ramollir du slime

Português: Amolecer Slime

日本語: スライムを柔らかくする

Türkçe: Slime Nasıl Yumuşatılır

한국어: 슬라임 을 부드럽게 만드는 방법

हिन्दी: स्लाइम को सॉफ्ट करें

Steps

Method 1 of 2:

Simple Techniques for Softening Slime

1

Add some water. Sounds obvious, right? But it is, some slimes can be brought back to life in this way. Place it in a deep bowl and pour in some water. Chances are, you won't need more than one spoon. Then just knead it until the slime is soft.
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2

Add some antibacterial gel. Another way to soften a slime is to add 1-2 drops of antibacterial gel to it. The brand doesn't matter. Place the slime in a deep bowl and just drip a little of the gel. Stir well with a spoon. You can then knead the slime until it feels soft.As a bonus, your slime will now be sterile clean (albeit only for a while).
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If the slime doesn't soften on the first try, you can add more gel.
3

Moisten it with lotion. The lotion keeps our skin beautiful and clean, and your slime will have the same effect. Just think about it! Just pour one or two scoops into a bowl (if lotion needs to be squeezed out of a pump dispenser, press it 4-5 times). Sprinkle with water and mix everything. Now for the fun part! Toss the slime in a bowl and knead it a little. Once you cover the slime with lotion, you can take it out and squeeze it with your hands until it becomes soft.
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4

Add more glue. If, when creating a slime, you chose a recipe that uses glue with boric acid, washing powder or liquid starch, then sometimes adding more glue can save the situation. About one spoonful at a time is enough. Then knead the slime until soft.
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Method 2 of 2:

Moistening the slime by heating

1

Leave the slime to soak in warm water. Pour some warm water into a deep bowl and place the slime in it. You can slightly stir with your hands. Leave the slime in the water for about a minute. It may seem like it is spreading, but in the end everything will be fine with it.
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Place in microwave for 10 seconds. Remove the slime from the water and squeeze. All this water on the slime is completely unnecessary. Place it in a microwave safe bowl and turn on the appliance for 10 seconds. Do not get it right away, wait about a minute so as not to burn your fingers. No slime is worth burnt fingers.
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3

Add some lotion for extra softness. Enough 1-2 tablespoons of the product. If you use scented lotion, your slime will smell good too. Stir in the lotion with your hands. High five! You brought your slime back to life.
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If at the end it turns out to be too fluid, add an activator. The activator is just what you originally used to create the slime. For example, half a teaspoon of boric acid diluted in a glass of water.

Homemade baking soda recipe

One of the easiest ways to make slime at home involves adding baking soda. Also, to create a toy you will need:

PVA glue;
food coloring (if desired, make the slime colored);
soft plasticine;
metal and plastic containers for mixing components.

Having prepared the necessary components, they take plasticine and melt it in a water bath in a metal container. To speed up the process, you can cut the clay into several pieces. In a plastic container, mix a quarter of a glass of water and the same amount of glue, and then mix thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

So that the slime does not have to be redone, it is important to take into account several nuances. Including:

PVA glue should be with a fresh production date.
The water must be preheated just above room temperature.
To obtain the required consistency, you should adhere to the recommended proportions.

Homemade benefits

After reading the instructions, you can easily make a slime at home using the available components. Self-made slime has a number of advantages compared to purchasing a product in a store.

Low cost

No expensive ingredients are required to make a toy. Most of the ingredients can be purchased cheaply at any store. Also, many recipes involve the use of improvised components.

Pleasant pastime

The creation of a slime allows you to pass the time in an interesting way. The manufacturing process is unusual and in addition develops the motor skills of the hands during creasing.

Own fantasy

By adding food colors, glitters and other decorative elements to the standard components, you can show your creativity and imagination. Depending on your own wishes, you can make the slime unique and beautiful.

Proven composition

Using different components as components of the slime, you can be sure of the safety of the toy. When buying an alternative in a store, it is impossible to verify its composition.

Beneficial features

Slime is not just a toy for children. The product has several useful characteristics, thanks to which even adults can use it.

Relaxation and tranquility

Stretching a slime in your hands, you can relax and collect your thoughts. The toy acts on the principle of anti-stress, helping to calm down, relieve tension and relax.

Form retention

Slime made with the addition of plasticine is able to keep its shape well. This property allows you to use the slime for decorative purposes, creating a shape out of it.

Hand cleanliness

Due to its special consistency, the slime does not leave any dirt on the hands. Even with prolonged crumpling of the toy, hands always remain clean.

Hand massage

The use of anti-stress is a substitute for light hand massage. Periodically crushing the toy relaxes the hands and improves fine motor skills and grip.

How to glue a slime, is it torn?

If the toy is hard and tears when stretched, it can be repaired. For this, boric acid and water are used. The components are added little by little, constantly kneading the mass. It is necessary to observe how the material changes - when it becomes soft, there is no need to add auxiliary components. But this method will not help if the slime is rubber. It is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the material, since when a large amount of borax is added, the slime will begin to harden quickly. If the slime has become more elastic, there is no need to “feed” it.

At the initial stage of hardening, it is enough to introduce components for "feeding" the product. When the mass has hardened, it breaks, if it begins to stretch, you can first lower the toy into warm water. Then add the components.

When the mass has completely lost its properties, it can also be restored. However, the material is first affected by a heat source (boiling water, microwave radiation, etc.). Then the mass is "fed".

If the slime is bad initially, it is impractical to restore it, since it will tear even in its soft form. The reason for this is improper cooking.

How to restore slime if it is dry?

Regardless of what type of product has lost its properties: store or home-made, you can use the same products.

If the slime has dried up, the following methods are chosen to restore its structure, return its properties:

Water. This method is considered universal, since it helps to soften different types of slime. The product must be placed in liquid. If you leave the slime in the container for 10-15 minutes, it will enlarge. This result can be obtained if you use water in an amount corresponding to the volume of slime. After 10-15 minutes, the mass needs to be kneaded. It will become plastic. If the slime has stopped stretching, and you need to restore its properties quickly, it is enough to moisten the product under water and knead it.
Lemon acid. This tool contributes to a significant softening of the mass, therefore, it should be used in a minimum amount. If the slime does not stretch, add a few grains of citric acid. After that, you need to thoroughly knead the slime. You can add a few more grains, provided that the material has not yet softened.
Glycerol. Add a few drops. Moreover, you need to mix this component with the slime in a container, since you will have to thoroughly mix the mass.
Toothpaste. This method is used more often than others due to its availability and ease of use. Everyone in the house has toothpaste.It can be used as soon as the slime has become solid. With regular use of such a tool, the mass will not be able to dry out. If you are wondering how to make the slime plastic and soft, when it began to lose its properties, it is necessary to add a product to the mass in an amount corresponding to a strip up to 2 cm long.

Consider methods of heat exposure: hot water, hair dryer, microwave. The slime is held in aggressive conditions until it softens.

Conclusion

To prevent the slime from becoming too hard, add the thickener with care when making, and store the finished slime in the right conditions. When buying antistress from handcrafted slimers, always read the seller reviews

If the slime is hard, try softening it with:

Water.
Antibacterial gel.
Hand lotion.
Hand creams.
PVA glue or silicate glue.
Citric acid.
Glycerin.
Toothpaste.
Heating in the microwave.

We recommend that you test the softener first on a small piece of slime to make sure it doesn't spoil its texture or color.

The shelf life of the slime is approximately 1 year. If the slime cannot be restored, you can make from it:

Bouncing ball.
A "space" bottle or flask of potion.
A decorative element for a serviceable slime.