Sodium tetraborate for slime: TOP 20 recipes for making slime at home

The chemical composition of slime at home

Many children, if they are forbidden to do something, still do it for evil. So even if their parents do not allow them to buy a slime out of fear for their own health, the guys begin to play young chemists and create toys on their own. Due to the availability of the Internet, finding suitable recipes is not a problem, there are a lot of them on YouTube and in various blogs. But again, not all of them can be implemented.

Such a slime can be made at home.

As in production, adhesives and activators are used at home. You can also buy food coloring to brighten the toy, use products such as shower gel, shampoo, dishwashing detergent, etc. Glitter is fine for decoration.

Thickeners for slimes (activators)

The activator is the most important part of the composition. It is he who will allow you to give all the necessary properties to the slime. Most often this is the same sodium tetraborate. But it can be replaced with a liquid for storing contact lenses, adding baking soda to it, using glycerin mixed with a solution of so-called borax (boric acid salt). To make a glue-free slime, you can use starch and dishwashing liquid.

Magnetic slime. This species differs from all the others both in color and in properties. It is widely available in stores but is very easy to make at home. To prepare such a slime, you will need to buy magnetic chips, and to play with it - a magnet. Ingredients: ¼ tbsp. diluted starch; 2 tbsp. l. magnetic shavings; ¼ Art. PVA glue
Your child will have fun playing with magnetic slime
DIY edible slime

How can you thicken a slime at home?

To make the slime more viscous and thicker, you can also use improvised materials that are available in every home as thickeners, this list includes such as:

• sugar;
• gelatin;
• starch;
• soda, etc.

Boric acid

But this activator has several drawbacks:

• Causes nausea, shortness of breath and flaky skin (especially in children).
• Not suitable for every glue.
• In some cases, it requires additional thickeners (laundry soap, baking soda, etc.).

Proportions for the activator:

• PVC (100 g);
• stationery glue (200 g);
• boric acid (1 tbsp. l.);
• food coloring and shaving foam.

Gelatin

Gelatin quickly transforms a shapeless mass into a dense and elastic toy. The product does not cause allergies and is safe for children. Most often it is mixed with plasticine and water.

Approximate proportions:

• 15 g edible gelatin;
• 200 ml of water;
• a block of plasticine weighing 100 g.

Important. Before use, gelatin must first be soaked in warm water and let it brew for 40 minutes

Hair fixation spray

Hairspray is readily available - it is found in almost every home and is sold in all cosmetic stores (including supermarkets). But this is where its advantages end. Here are the disadvantages of hairspray when making slime:

• Does not always affect glue.
• Has a specific odor, which, with prolonged interaction, can cause slight nausea, shortness of breath and allergic cough.
• In most cases, toys are not of very high quality (sometimes the service life of the product is reduced).
• It is consumed very quickly.

Preparation of the thickener:

1. In a deep container, PVA glue is mixed with a dye.
2. Varnish is injected gradually (each "zip" lasts at least 5 seconds).
3. The composition is mixed and little by little added to the still shapeless mass.

Borax

Borax is usually used in combination with water, tea soda and PVA glue.To add brightness and color, food coloring is added to the toy. Water and borax are mixed in a ratio of 12: 1, soda is added in an amount of 1 tsp, and PVA glue - "by eye" until the mass thickens. The dye is added last.

Attention! The main advantage of the borax slime is that the color of the toy can be easily changed. To do this, it is enough to rinse it with water and rub in another dye.

Sugar

It is recommended to use powdered sugar as an activator for slime, and not "sand" (so that there are no lumps and the toy is perfectly flat). Shampoo and liquid soap are taken as a basis. Powdered sugar is added in a small amount - no more than 1 tsp. or even less. After mixing the ingredients, the mass is removed for half an hour in the freezer. Most often, however, this thickener is added to edible slimes.

Starch

Potato or corn starch is used as a thickener. Its main advantages are:

• Affordable price.
• Good thickening effect.
• No allergic reactions.
• Possibility of preparing edible slimes. In this case, condensed milk is added to the composition instead of shampoo.

To make starch work faster and better, it is diluted with water in a 3: 1 ratio.

Soda

Along with salt and sodium tetraborate, baking soda works well with almost any ingredient. It is used in the form of a powder or solution. The last option is quite simple to prepare: 3 parts of soda powder is mixed with 1 part of water. As a result, the slime acquires the necessary density and ductility.

Sodium tetraborate

Sodium tetraborate interacts well with glue and is suitable for making any kind of slime. Other benefits of this tool:

• It is odorless, non-toxic.
• This slime activator is available at any drugstore where you can buy it without a prescription.
• Has a low cost.
• It is economically consumed (including it can be diluted with water).

Preparation:

1. Dissolve PVA glue (100 ml) in 50 ml of warm water.
2. Add sodium tetraborate (until thick).

Attention! With frequent use, sodium tetraborate can cause health problems (nausea, dry skin, problems with the reproductive system, etc.). In this case, you can replace it, and use a safer remedy than this activator.

Why does the slime not thicken, and how to make it thicken?

Further, it is analyzed what to do if the slime does not thicken for a long time, and it is said why this happens:

1. Add more thickener if there is not enough in the composition.
2. Buy new glue as this is probably out of date. Therefore, if the activator did not help, perhaps the reason is the glue.
3. Add more glue and thickener if the mixture is very thin.
4. Remove the composition for half an hour in the refrigerator. It should be kept away from food.
5. Stir the mixture a few more times.

Without a thickener, it is impossible to prepare any slime, therefore, in one form or another, it is added to the composition of the toy. Any available means, including starch, sugar and gelatin, are suitable as an activator.

The thickener is gradually combined with the main components (until thickened), as a result of which the slime takes shape, volume and elasticity. But, the main thing in this matter is not to overdo it with the activator, since the slime will lose its viscosity and will quickly become unusable.

PreviousSafe toy - slime. How to make shampoo without glue? NextCheap and fast - plasticine slime. How to make a slime at home and store a toy?

What is in store slime: is it dangerous?

The slime that was produced at the dawn of the history of the appearance of this toy had guar gum in its composition. Now slimes are made from other materials. In general, experts note the harmlessness of the toy, but still, in certain cases, slimes can be toxic. Some ingredients can cause nausea, burns, diarrhea, etc.Parents are seriously worried that their children play with slimes, because, whatever one may say, this is the real "chemistry"

Of course, if you play them carefully, do not taste them, and in general do not get carried away, then the slime is completely safe. But after all, the child is unpredictable, and it is not known what experiments he wants to put on a toy during the game.

Shop Slime

Not so long ago, scientists tested about 11 types of slimes for health hazards. And in 8 species of them there were increased concentrations of borax. Dangerous toys include CCINEE Pink slimes, Jupiter Toysmith, Cosoro Dodolu Crystal.

Some slimes can be hazardous to health.

At the heart of any slime there are activators and adhesive components. Gels, food colors of all kinds, and starch are also added. In addition, for beauty, glitter, beads and other decorative elements are put in the slime mixture.

Table. What is often included in the slime?

Sodium tetraborate - one of the ingredients for making slimes

Shower gel slime

This is a simple and budget-friendly option for making slime using the most affordable ingredients. Namely, we need:

• Thick shower gel. A jelly-like one is better.
• Flour.
• Dye.

How to do:

• Pour about one hundred and fifty milliliters of shower gel into the container.
• Add dyes. If the gel is already colored, you can do without them.
• Gradually add flour and mix well.
• Add flour by eye. Its amount depends on the consistency of the gel.
• When the mass becomes thick and resembles viscous plasticine, then there is enough flour.

Such a slime will smell good as a gel. But avoid contact with eyes, otherwise the gel may cause irritation.

We advise you to watch the video:

Magnetic

This type of slime has a significant difference from other species. It will be called magnetic if it exhibits the appropriate properties. To achieve this you will need:

• white PVA glue
• magnetic shavings
• any dye and glitter
• sodium tetraborate, as an activator
• some shaving foam

First, we make a fluffy slime. Mix the glue, shaving foam, dye, glitter and last but not least the magnetic shavings. The thickener can now be added. In our case, sodium tetraborate. The resulting slime is pleasant to the touch, soft and elastic. But the most interesting thing will happen if you bring a magnet to it. The viscous mass will stretch towards it, and if you do not hold the magnet, but simply put it nearby, the slime will pull it into itself.

From shower gel and hand cream

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

Components

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

How to make slime

1. Mix both adhesives.
2. Pour water into the same cup, distribute it with a spatula.
3. Add body milk, then shower gel, stirring the liquid after each ingredient.
4. Add hand cream to the mass.
5. After stirring thoroughly, pour out the sodium tetraborate.
6. Knead until thick with a spoon, then with your hands (if it does not help, you should add more activator).
7. Divide the slime into 4 parts, paint each in its own color, dripping the pigment and crushing the mass with your fingers.
8. Place the segments in a container next to each other, tightly, cover with a lid and do not touch for 2 days.

We recommend reading about how to make a slime without a thickener. From the article you will learn about the options for making slime / slime with and without glue.

And here is more about how to remove the slime from clothes.

Sodium tetraborate makes slime making very easy, this thickener works flawlessly. The main thing is not to put too much of it, not to take the time to knead the mass. And if, nevertheless, there is an excess of thickener in it, you can save the toy with water, shower gel or fat cream.

What is a thickener for in recipes and can it be replaced?

Sodium tetraborate is a boric acid salt that is widely used in cosmetology and medicine for disinfection and treatment of fungal infections. Otherwise, it is called borax.

In high concentrations, this substance is dangerous because, accumulating, it causes dermatitis and allergic skin reactions.

Tetraborate is the main component of slimes, gives them viscosity and elasticity, plays the role of activators that accelerate the thickening of polymers and polysaccharides.

Borax can be substituted with natural thickeners that are harmless while playing and safe to swallow:

• potato starch;
• soda;
• gelatin;
• flour;
• toothpaste.

Older children can use instead of sodium tetraborate in recipes:

• hydrogen peroxide;
• PVA glue;
• liquid detergent;
• shaving foam;
• shower gel;
• eye drops and lens fluid;
• hair fixation spray;
• plasticine.

How to properly care for your slime?

Indeed, when playing with a slime, it is important to provide the toy with proper care for time and after use, observe safety precautions, and then everything will be in order.

1. It is worth controlling the time of the game, it is impossible to allow excessively prolonged contact of the slime with the skin.
2. Slime should not be played if there are wounds (even scratches) on the skin of the hands.
3. Natural slime should only be stored in the refrigerator to avoid the onset of mold growth.

4. If the slime begins to smell unpleasant, it should be thrown away immediately.

5. At home, it is better to cook a slime together with the child in order to comply with the necessary "production conditions", as well as to make sure that the child does not pull anything into his mouth.
6. After the game, the slime must be put into a small plastic box and closed with a lid.
7. It is worth explaining to the child that there is no need to throw a slime on the floor. There is too much rubbish in there and the toy will quickly deteriorate. Plus, it picks up a lot of bacteria.
8. Dried slime can be saved by adding a little water to its jar and leaving the toy overnight.
9. It is recommended to add a little salt to the liquid slime to thicken it.

Ideas for painting slime with colored dyes
It is advisable for a child to play slime at the age of 4-5 years

As it turned out, making a slime on your own is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. And most importantly, the simplest ingredients that are in every home are used to prepare this toy. And another important aspect - a DIY toy is much safer than a store bought one.And you don't have to worry about your child's health when he plays with homemade slime.

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How and when did the slime appear. Toy story

Slime or gum for hands, also called slime, is a popular inexpensive and fun toy that will impress any child. It has a bright color, stretches and tears, but at the same time does not stick to the hands, does not leave sticky or greasy marks on them. The only thing that will remain on the palms and fingers after playing with the slime is a slight feeling of moisture.

Slime will not leave indifferent any child

The properties of the slime are such that when played, it can spread perfectly, take on a variety of forms. Bright colors, interesting inclusions in the form of sparkles or toys make it even more interesting. This is how he attracts such a large number of children around the world.

Composition and properties of slime (slime)
Slime is really very similar to slime

The very first slime was released in 1976 by the manufacturer Mattel. The authorship of the invention itself belongs to an eleven-year-old girl, the daughter of the owner of the company. One day, she just accidentally mixed a few ingredients that were in her father's factory. Among all the substances were food coloring and thickening agents - it turned out to be a funny slime. This is how the child's play and curiosity helped to invent a completely new unusual toy.

Slime (English Slime - "slime"), slime - a toy, first released by Mattel in 1976

The first slimes were only bright green and were sold in small sealed jars, from where they could be taken out to play, and then put into the same jars for storage. The first slimes very quickly lost their properties when outdoors.

Slime from the world famous animated series

It is noteworthy that these toys were liked not only by children, but also by representatives of other ages. They make it easy to organize finger charging. Slimes contain a substance related to the so-called non-Newtonian fluids. That is why they can take on the most unusual forms, when thrown into a wall, they spread, stick, but at the same time they can easily regain their shape or take some other. Most importantly, this toy does not stain your palms and leaves virtually no marks on a variety of smooth surfaces. But on the gum itself, dirt easily accumulates, it is a real magnet for dust and hair. After some time, having been saturated with debris, the toy begins to lose its properties, does not adhere well to other surfaces.

Transparent slime (also called glass)
Slime toy with fruit slices
Slime promotes fine motor development

Tips & Tricks

When creating a slime without glue and sodium tetraborate, you must follow some rules:

• if it is necessary to heat the mixture on the stove, then this is done only over low heat, this will allow the mass to evenly warm up and get a high-quality toy;
• dyes are always added in small quantities, it is enough to start with one drop;
• it is imperative to observe the prescribed proportions;
• ready-made slimes are stored in a container or bag.

The toy is not difficult to make. It is enough just to observe the proportions and the order of actions. Such a toy, if properly stored, will delight the child for a long time.

What to do if the slime does not work

There are times when self-preparation of slime does not give the desired result.

It is important to understand that the following factors influence the final result:

• The quality of the materials used;
• Compliance with proportions;
• Step by step actions.

If the slime has turned out, then its mass will be homogeneous, uniform and easily accessible from the container.

If the slime is not homogeneous, then it is possible to save it by continuing to actively knead it until it acquires the necessary ductility and uniformity.

If the slime is very sticky and stretches after the spoon like cobweb threads, then you can try adding a little liquid starch or water, depending on the recipe. This will liquefy the consistency.

But if there is viscosity, but the slime simply slides off the hands without sticking to them, then it means there is an excess liquid content in it. In order to get rid of it, it is necessary to drain these surpluses, but you can add the necessary binder according to the recipe (glue, boron solution, flour). Mix everything again well.