Thickener for slime: 15 types of activator, how to make at home

Basic recipes

Before making a toy, you need to prepare components and materials: a container in which the components will be mixed, a stirring stick, rubber gloves and a container for further storage of slime. The ingredients are combined in a bowl and kneaded until the final elastic state. The basic recipe is diversified by adding bright food colors or glitter to the slime, so it will be even more interesting for the child to play.

Rainbow

To make a rainbow slime, you need different colors of food coloring. In several bowls, separate for each color, mix the components and bring the mass to the desired consistency. Ready slimes of different colors are combined into one, the resulting toy will be multi-colored.

The classic version of the glowing slime

To prepare a glowing slime, you need to take:

glue (regular stationery or PVA, homemade glue for slime is also suitable);
activator - sodium tetraborate (you can replace it with a liquid for lenses, brown or borax);
fluorescent marker.

Step-by-step instructions for making a glowing slime are presented below:

A luminous liquid is prepared from the core of a felt-tip pen and water.
Glue is added to the resulting solution.
The mixture is supplemented with any activator from the list.
The resulting composition is mixed first with a stick, then, as it thickens, with hands protected with gloves.

Home care rules

To prevent the slime from shrinking and retaining its elasticity, it must be stored correctly:

The ideal storage space is the container with the airtight lid in which the toy was sold. Homemade slime is stored in store-bought plastic containers. A jar of cream or balm, an airtight bag with a fastener is suitable for storage. The main thing is that air does not enter the container.
The slime should be stored in a place where there will be no sudden changes in temperature. The optimal range is from +4 to +9 degrees.
The storage area must be well protected from sunlight.

In order for the slime to retain all its original properties for a long time, a number of rules must be observed:

in the case of self-made slime, you need to select the correct, working recipes;
it is important to observe the exact proportions indicated in the recipe;
so that the composition does not deteriorate, you should remove the lump from the jar daily and knead it;
for feeding, you need to use only approved ingredients and in acceptable dosages;
the best ingredient for feeding is salt;
dust and dirt get into the slime, so you need to clean the composition regularly (large dirt particles are removed with tweezers, the dust is washed under a stream of warm water).

How to make a thick slime at home

Below you can find thickener recipes for making mucus at home. The appearance of such slimes will be identical to the store.

From liquid sodium tetraborate

The substance can be bought at any pharmacy. The high level of concentration of the substance is a significant advantage. For the manufacture of the main component of slime from sodium tetraborate, it will be necessary to dilute the solution with water, which will make it possible to reduce the level of concentration of the substance. Typically, 1000 ml of water requires 30 g of sodium tetraborate.

Glycerol is an auxiliary component of a pharmaceutical drug. The viscosity of the substance is high, which makes it impossible to fully dissolve in the liquid.

Advice! In order to give the finished activator uniformity, it will be necessary to stir the composition each time before use.

Too much water in the slime makes it unusable

Salt or soda

Salt and baking soda can also be used in the process of making a slime activator. The loose component is filled with warm water in a ratio of 3: 1. The dampened thickener makes it easy to mix into the base. In case of poor thickening of slime, it is recommended to add a small portion of salt. The finished anti-stress will look supple and lush. In a hot room, it may melt a little or start to spread.

Sugar, powdered sugar

Often, hand gum is made from powdered sugar / sugar. Experts recommend combining the sweet component with shampoo or other soap thickener.

To make a thickened toy, you will need to combine liquid soap with shampoo or shower gel and dissolve a teaspoon of powdered sugar / sugar in the composition. After mixing the ingredients thoroughly, place the hand gum in the freezer.

Nail polish - an effective activator

Lens fluid

The thickened article can also be made from a borate-buffered lens fluid. To enhance the effect of thickening, add a small amount of baking soda to the solution used to clean the lenses. Slime can be launched in the air and caught.

Nail polish

According to the recipe, you should mix sunflower oil with nail polish in a 3: 1 ratio in a convenient container. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed. The resulting antistress will last perfectly and will not break through for a long time.

Washing liquid powder, gel Persil, Pervol, Losk, Ariel

According to the first recipe for creating a toy, you will need:

Mix 125 ml of PVA glue base and 10 ml of dishwashing detergent.
The ingredients are gently kneaded with your hands.
The slime should be pearlescent.

According to the second recipe, the slider will need:

Mix 125 ml of PVA glue base with a couple of washing capsules.
To create a homogeneous mass, you will need to beat the composition.
Leave the mass for 20 minutes.

Note! This method of preparing slime is not suitable for people who suffer from allergic rashes and skin diseases. Laundry detergent can be used as an activator

Laundry detergent can be used as an activator

Sprays

If there is no salt and soap thickener at hand, and you really want to make a slime, experts recommend using sprays with an increased level of fixation. However, it should be borne in mind that the mass may not thicken well.

PVA will need to be poured into a convenient container.
Little by little, a spray is sprayed into the adhesive base.
The ingredients are thoroughly mixed. How long will it take? As a rule, no more than 5 minutes.
The actions are repeated until the slime is ready. The slime will be good, thick and lush.

Spray slime will be characterized by increased density

Ingredient selection rules

There are two types of flavors:

cosmetic;
food.

In the first case, it is customary to call the substance a perfume. They contain components of synthetic origin. There are also fragrances used for automotive products and household chemicals. Their composition is more aggressive.

Flavors of this type are not recommended for making slime. Skin contact may cause allergic reactions. If the human body does not tolerate substances, the skin may itch, redden and become covered with a rash. Even if a person is allergic to only one component in the composition, it still does not fit

The question becomes especially important if the toy is being prepared for a child.

Better to use cosmetic fragrances. There are a huge number of products on the market that you can buy and prepare a perfume yourself. Thus, the slime gets any smell.

Food flavors

They are in the first place on the list due to the safety of use. Aromatic substances are presented in liquid, gel and dry form.It is recommended to choose exactly the liquid form.

According to the information, they use the rules for choosing components to create flavors:

First of all, attention is paid to the origin of the substance. It is better if it is as close to natural as possible.
Allergic components are completely excluded.
Ingredient shape

As a result, the flavor should be liquid.

The moment of choosing the ingredients is of great importance. Neglecting these rules will lead to negative consequences after playing with slimes

Therefore, the choice of ingredients is approached with great responsibility.

Tips & Tricks

One of the main components that make up the slime is sodium tetraborate. The substance acts as a thickener. Sodium tetraborate is usually added at the end of the run.

Making a slime on your own using sodium tetraborate is easy:

255 ml of hot water is poured into a container and 2.5 g of borax are dissolved in it;
55 ml of hot water is poured into another container, in which 32 g of PVA glue with the thickest consistency is dissolved;
a dye is added to the glue solution;
pour in a solution with a thickener and mix with a stick;
when the lump stops sticking to the sides of the bowl, they take it in hand and actively knead it.

To prevent the toy from spoiling and retaining all its properties for a long time, simple tips will help:

Periodically add a thickener to the mass. To make the composition softer, 2-3 drops are enough

After that, the slime is kneaded in the hands for 4 minutes.
When buying, you need to pay special attention to the terms of production of goods and storage conditions in the store.
You need to play with slime in moderation. You cannot hold the slime in your hands for too long, without a container.
If the slime has become too watery, a few grains of salt will help.

Grains of salt are added to the container where the slime is stored, covered with a lid and shaken. The salt absorbs excess moisture and returns the old structure to the slime.
The mass can harden. The reason becomes too intense, long play or overfeeding. A few drops of water are added to the mass and left alone for three hours.
Adding a thickener will help remove excess stickiness. Then the slime is placed in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours.

> All these methods restore not only the structure, but also increase the size of the slime.

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What is an activator and what is it for

A thickener is one of the main components of any slime, which serves as a binder of a certain composition. It is impossible to create a thick slime without a complex chemical compound. Slime activator can be of various shapes:

liquid;
gel;
powdery.

The use of a thickener in the slime making process makes it possible to achieve a thickening of the mass. The activator allows the liquid mixture to acquire an elastic form. Thanks to this, the slime stretches perfectly and is easy to knead. Below is information that will help you find out how you can thicken the slime.

Types of activator

There are several types of activators that can help you achieve the desired slime consistency. To achieve this effect, you can use:

vizine (eye drops);
sodium tetraborate;
gelatin;
liquid detergents and dishwashing detergents;
potato starch;
hair spray;
air freshener;
baking soda;
table salt;
contact lens solution;
alcohol tincture or acetylsalicylic acid;
icing sugar.

Boric acid can be used as an activator

Experts subdivide activators into several varieties:

Salts are the most popular group of thickeners. Add such an activator at the end, when all the ingredients of the slime have been mixed. The composition of the salt activators includes borates. These thickeners include tetraborate and salt.The listed substances will quickly thicken the antistress toy.
Soap activators are an excellent substitute for salt thickeners. Soapy varieties include washing gel, powders.
Sprays. Hairsprays, air fresheners with strong hold levels can be effective activators for creating lingering mucus.

Note! It is worth remembering that if a spray is used as a thickener, then the mass will thicken more slowly. Slime with contact lens fluid will be sticky

Slime with contact lens fluid will be sticky

How to make slime at home without sodium tetraborate?

Despite the fact that sodium tetraborate is the best thickener for slimes due to the presence of boric acid in the composition, many slimers do not want to use it due to the caustic component and are looking for what can be added instead.

In addition, sodium tetraborate is not found in every home, when it is present like sugar or starch in every kitchen. Let's consider what can be used to replace sodium tetraborate, what substances to use as a thickener.

With any eye drops

Consider what kind of eye liquid you can use and how much it costs at the pharmacy.

Ingredients:

Any eye drops (preferred brand with the name "Vizin").
Silicate glue.
Soda.

Eye drops "Vizin" have a fairly high cost, they cost about 500 Russian rubles.

Recipe:

We mix 50 grams of glue and 2-4 drops of Vizin in a plastic container, depending on the desired consistency.
If you want to colorize the slime, add dye.
Knead the mass until smooth. If it becomes too thick, add a couple more drops of eye liquid.
Pour a tablespoon of soda dissolved in warm water into the mass.
Stir until you have a small tight lump.
We take out the mass and knead it in our hands for 5 minutes.

Slime is ready!

The resulting toy will stretch well and stretch in your hands. If you add too many eye drops during cooking, the slime can become tough.

Next, we offer a video with a visual example of making slime from eye drops:

With liquid mealy powder

Liquid starch is sold at any hardware store; dissolved potato starch has different properties and will not work for this recipe.

Ingredients:

100 grams of PVA glue.
50 grams of liquid starch.
Half a glass of water.
Food coloring or glitter, if desired.

Recipe:

Combine glue and water in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
Add colorings or confetti. If you want a clear slime, skip this step.
Pour in liquid starch and stir the mixture until the liquid disappears.
Remove the toy from the container and knead it with your hands, giving it the desired shape.
Place the slime in a clean container for five minutes.
Done, you can enjoy the toy.

With Borax

Reference! Borax is similar in properties to sodium tetraborate; the difference is that Borax is available in powder form, and tetraborate is a ready-made solution sold in a pharmacy.

Ingredients:

PVA glue, 100 grams.
1.5 cups of water at room temperature.
Two tablespoons of Borax.
Dye if desired.

Recipe:

Dissolve Borax powder in a glass of warm water.
In another container, mix the remaining water and PVA glue.
Add dye.
Stir the mixture thoroughly.
Then slowly pour the dissolved powder into the mass, stirring the mixture constantly.
Now thoroughly knead the resulting mass with your hands until smooth.
The slime is ready! Take it out of the container and knead it slightly, giving the desired shape.

Made of glue and lens washer

There are no strong thickeners in this recipe, so it will take more time to make slime.

Also, the slime from these components turns out to be transparent, but if you wish, you can add dyes or glitters.

Ingredients:

Half a glass of water at room temperature.
A teaspoon of baking soda.
50 grams of stationery glue.
Contact lens solution, one pack.

Recipe:

In a bowl, combine the water and baking soda, then add the glue and stir again until smooth.
Pour in the lens solution gradually, but not all at once: add a little, stir, and add again. So until you use up all the liquid.
Then stir the mixture until a homogeneous viscous substance is formed.
Place the resulting slime in a container, cover and refrigerate for 4-5 hours.
After that it will be possible to play with the slime.

Boric acid (powder)

Boric acid is an insecticide and antiseptic used in agriculture and medicine. Sodium tetraborate is made on its basis, but the powder can also be used to create slimes. The pros and cons of acid are the same as that of the drug.

You can buy a sachet or a large package at a pharmacy (which is preferable), and if this is a substance for destroying garden pests or fertilizing the soil, then in a store. Price - from 70 rubles. for 10 g.

Cooking method

Pour the glue into a bowl.
Mix boric acid and water in another container.
Combine both liquids and stir.
If the mass comes out too tight, you can soften it with shower gel.

Read about the other 8 recipes for boric acid slime. You will learn how to properly dilute boric acid and what ingredients are required to make the right slime.

What is the slime made of?

The slime contains 2 components - a thickener and an activator. The first is a viscous substance (guar gum, glue, shampoo, etc.). An activator (sodium tetraborate) is introduced into it, which activates the properties of the thickener and changes the consistency of the mixture.

Important! The activator is often referred to as a thickener and these concepts are confused. Thickener - base substance

An activator is needed to thicken it.

When preparing slimes at home, PVA, silicate or Titanium glue is often used as a thickener. These are the most common materials. But with prolonged contact, they are toxic, so they try to prepare safe toys for babies from non-toxic ingredients:

shampoo;
cleaning toothpaste;
crumple gel;
washing gel;
shaving foam.

The most effective activator is sodium tetraborate (boric acid salt). But prolonged exposure to boron can cause health problems. In this regard, it is replaced with less toxic substances (soda, starch, salt, sugar or gelatin).

A popular recipe for PVA slime without a thickener. It can be difficult to buy borax, so toys are prepared without it with the addition of components similar in effect (starch, soda or salt). Products come out less toxic and safe.

Components:

50 g of glue;
1 tablespoon of baking soda;
half a glass of water.

Preparation method:

Dilute the glue with half the norm of water.
Add color if desired.
Dilute baking soda in the remaining half of the water.
Mix both compositions, kneading thoroughly with a spoon, then with your hands.

Despite the absence of tetraborate, the slime comes out elastic and viscous.

A working slime recipe without glue and thickener implies that there will be no PVA or silicate glue and sodium tetraborate in the composition. The product does not necessarily have the consistency of a store toy, but it is quite suitable for short-term entertainment for toddlers.

Activator composition

Making homemade slimes is impossible without an activator. This component triggers a chemical reaction in a viscous base and converts it into an elastic mass. When a thickener is added to any polymer base, a partial curing process begins, as a result of which the original liquid acquires density and elasticity.The main activating substances in toys are boric acid derivatives (borates) and salicylates.

Several types of different thickeners are used for the preparation of "tyanuchek". These substances differ in composition and origin. By composition, activators are divided into the following categories:

liquid chemical solutions and aerosols;
dry powdery substances.

It is not difficult to make the right and high-quality slime - the main thing is to choose the right thickener and mix it thoroughly with the main mass for slime. Stirring allows you to evenly distribute the active substance, to involve the entire initial mass in the reaction.

Effective ways to increase slime

If, nevertheless, it was not possible to save the slime, and it decreased in volume, effective methods will help.

Soaking and stretching

The following recipe will help to make a slime more:

they take a damaged slime in their hands, actively knead it and stretch it in different directions for 4 minutes;
105 ml of warm water is poured into the container;
immerse the slime in water and stir with a stick for 35 seconds;
take the lump again and knead it quickly.

These steps are repeated several times until the structure of the slime acquires softness and elasticity.

Envelope with salt

If the toy is given moisture, it will become larger. A number of sequential actions should be performed:

the toy is immersed in warm water for 3 minutes;
then a pinch of salt is poured onto the surface of the mass and the envelope is folded;
begin to actively knead the lump.

Salt injections

Injections with salt will help to restore the original size to a purchased or homemade slime. Take a syringe with a needle and fill it with saline.

Solution preparation

Preparing the solution is simple:

102 ml of warm water is poured into the container;
add 4-5 g of salt;
the slime is immersed in the finished solution for 4.5 minutes;
the lump is picked up and kneaded with your fingers;
if the mass sticks to the skin, then a little salt is poured onto the surface of the slime.

Excess liquid from the surface of the slime is removed with paper napkins.

Injection

The next step is the regenerative injection:

22 ml of water is poured into the container;
dissolve 2 salts;
the finished liquid is drawn into a syringe;
the needle is inserted into the slime and slowly saturated with the solution.

It is recommended to repeat the procedure three times with an interval of three hours. Do not inject too often. Otherwise, the composition will deteriorate, and elasticity will be lost.

Using shaving gel

Regular shaving gel and baby powder will help to increase the slime:

A small amount of powder is poured onto the surface of the slime and intensively begin to knead the mass.
After that, two zips of shaving gel are made on the surface. Stretch the slime again in different directions.
After 4.5 minutes, the lump will become large and elastic.

Shaving foam will also help to save the toy without the use of other components. A small ball of the product is squeezed onto the lump, after which they begin to actively knead with their fingers for three minutes. The method will help not only increase the volume, but also make the composition soft, viscous.

How to enlarge with kinetic sand

The lump can be enlarged without the use of shaving foam. The component can be replaced with kinetic sand. It is sold in the stationery and toys section. The composition differs from ordinary sand in a more moist structure. The method is suitable for increasing only those slimes in which kinetic sand was originally added:

Kinetic sand 34 g is added to the mass.
Slime is actively kneaded until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
Pour a portion of sand again and knead.

With this method, the mass grows before our eyes. In this case, the composition becomes soft and viscous.

Adding plasticine

If the slime is made of plasticine and gelatin, then this method of volume restoration is suitable for it. To work, you need air clay, which is sold in small containers with lids.

The mass of such plasticine is very soft and sticks to the hands:

A small piece of airy plasticine is mixed with slime.
The mass is intensively kneaded with your fingers so that there are no lumps.

As a result of all these actions, you will get a large elastic lump that stretches well and does not stick to your hands. Instead of plasticine, you can take PVA glue. Suitable for both purchased and homemade slimes:

the mass is put in a polyethylene bag;
add a little glue and tie the bag;
slime is kneaded until a homogeneous consistency is formed;
then the lump is taken in hand and continues to knead for another 5 minutes.

What is not suitable as a thickener

Some polymeric materials and polysaccharides only cross-combine with certain components. Slime often does not work when used as a thickener:

glycerin;
boric ointment;
sorbitol;
pepsin;
salicylic acid.

These components work well with office glue, silicone and other synthetic substances. When using boric acid, soda or a concentrated saline solution must be added to the mass. To avoid failure, slimers advise using only proven recipes. If you observe the proportions, you will get full-fledged slimes with the properties of a non-Newtonian fluid.

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

There is a whole list of reasons why a slime may not thicken very well. Typically, the cause of the problem is:

Insufficient amount of thickener

It is important to add all the ingredients according to the recipe. If the mixture still does not begin to thicken, you can add a small percentage of the activator and stir the composition.
Expired glue base

Glue, which has been open for a long period, loses the properties necessary to create a slime. It is best to use sealed tubes of glue to prepare the toy. Otherwise, the product will stick to your hands or will not thicken at all. It is also important to consider that not every glue is suitable for making anti-stress. Some even sheets of paper cannot be glued.
An overabundance of water, which can often be one of the main ingredients. A large amount of liquid will often cause the product to become excessively watery.

Slime glue should be of good quality

Often, slimers, devoid of experience, are interested in how to fix the situation if the slime turned out to be very liquid. To deal with this problem, it will be enough:

Use the glue base by mixing it with a little water.
Place the product in the refrigerator for 40 minutes to ripen

In this case, it is important to cover the container with a lid.
Stir the composition vigorously for 5 minutes. You can take the slime in your hands and knead it quickly.
Additionally add an activator.

Advice! Do not greatly exceed the recommended dosage in the recipe so that the toy does not harden.