According to the translation, slime is mucus. It has a jelly-like structure. The first mention dates back to 1976. This toy has the properties of a non-Newtonian fluid. The authorship and original design belong to Mattel and implies the presence of guar gum in the composition. The toy is capable of changing its quality characteristics for the worse depending on external factors. This may be drying out of the mass, the main reason for which is a leaky container, or spreading of the slime, which is observed when the prescribed storage rules are not followed.
Slime basic
Why slime becomes very sticky: possible reasons
Slime is a stretchy substance with increased elasticity. It is pleasant to the touch and does not stick to your hands. But very often a problem arises, which is the loss of structure and the slime begins to stick not only to your hands, but to all surfaces.
If the slime has become sticky and watery, do not throw it away immediately. You can perform resuscitation and try to save him. There are many reasons why this trouble could have happened. First of all, you need to deal with them and, accordingly, fix the slime. Most often, the problem lies in non-compliance with storage rules.
Spreading Slime
In addition to non-compliance with the instructions for care and use, the reason may be, for example, an expired expiration date.
Remember! Due to exposure to harmful infrared radiation from the sun's rays, the mass may drain and decrease in size. If you freeze it, the soft slime will become hard and very dense.
Sticky Slime
Violation of instructions and proportions
Failure to comply with proportions and consistency when making slime yourself can lead not only to stickiness, but also to severe hardening. Increased stickiness is a consequence of an insufficient amount of thickener added to the composition. Also, this problem often appears when using “old” glue.
The Internet is literally littered with non-working recipes for making slime. Very often, the presence of components such as sugar or processed cheese in the recommended composition simply leads to damage to the toy.
Sticky mass
Violation of technology
If the toy gets sticky right away, the reason is most likely due to faulty slime making technologies.
- Cheap slimes usually do not immediately have the qualities that high-quality original toys have. They cannot tolerate temperature changes.
- Both extreme cold and heat are detrimental to slime; it becomes sticky and watery.
- Another factor that changes the original structure of a toy is not using it for a long time.
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Remember! The slime must be regularly removed from the sealed packaging and crushed. Its texture directly depends on the constant physical impact on it.
Process disruption
Loss of elasticity can also occur if stored improperly.
Using low-quality components when making slime yourself will also result in low-quality slime.
Expiration date
Store-bought slime has a limited shelf life. On average, this figure varies from 6 to 12 months. Self-prepared mass lasts much less - only 3-4 months.
On a note! Ninja slime has the longest service life. The stated period is 12 months.
Proper feeding of toys
There is another reason why a toy can become sticky - it is “feeding” with the wrong components. It is not recommended to use flour, sweet juice or sugar for these purposes. Literally for two days it will acquire a pleasant structure, but then it will simply deteriorate.
You should “feed” your pet exclusively with salt and only once a day.
When “reviving” solid slime with warm water and a solution of baking soda, failure to comply with the proportions can also lead to stickiness.
Tips and tricks
Timely preventive measures help preserve the properties of the product and significantly extend its service life. And they are as follows:
- Selecting working and correct recipes. There are many ways to make slime, the main thing is to choose the right one. To do this, before making a product, it is recommended to read reviews or make it using a video, in which everything will be explained and shown step by step, and at the end the final result of the work will be presented.
- Heating, and heat in general, is contraindicated for slime, as it will lose its shape. In this case, you need to store it in a cool place or refrigerator on the bottom shelf.
- There is no need to freeze the slime, as this can ruin all its beneficial properties; you just need to periodically cool the toy.
- Maintaining the proportions of the components is very important at the manufacturing stage, because if you put more or less ingredients, its structure will deteriorate and the result will be a bad toy, unsuitable for use.
- Regular play with slime allows you to maintain its consistency in the desired form; knead it no more than 1-2 times a day.
When purchasing slime, first of all you should pay attention to its quality; it should not contain any unpleasant odors of chemicals. As you know, many manufacturers of cheap products, in order to save money, use low-quality components when making slimes, which significantly reduces their shelf life. As a rule, this leads to the fact that the slime loses its shape and sticks, and to avoid this, you need to follow the recommendations from this article.
How to properly store slime so it doesn't stick
The correct method of storage
Compliance with the rules for storing slime is the main aspect that allows you to preserve the texture of the toy and extend its service life.
Needs to be cleaned of dirt
Lizun needs to arrange “bath procedures”. It should be washed with warm soapy water about once a week. This will get rid of fine dust. Large particles are removed with tweezers.
It is not recommended to play with slime on a dirty surface. For example, you cannot throw it on the floor. Also, not only before the game, but also after, you should wash your hands with soap.
Water procedures to clean slime
Do not heat the product
Some people recommend heating the slime in the microwave. This method raises more questions than positive feedback.
When heated, the toy not only loses its abilities, but also the structure of the slime deteriorates significantly. Direct sunlight is also harmful to it. Infrared radiation simply “kills” the slime.
Slime after heating
Do not freeze the toy
Blast freezing using a freezer also adversely affects the composition of the toy. The slime becomes covered with ice and even if you defrost it gradually, it will still lose its main characteristics:
- stretchiness;
- elasticity;
- homogeneity.
But you still need to store the toy in the refrigerator, in an airtight container or a special bag with clips.
Proper storage of toys
What to do if the slime sticks to your hands: possible changes
Its condition directly depends on the shelf life of the slime. If the toy is “old,” this may cause it to become sticky. Another reason why slime sticks to everything is the lack of proper proportions when creating it. In these cases, it will not be possible to save the toy using improvised means. But if stickiness occurs after a long use, you can try to revive the slime.
Changing the toy structure
Boric acid
A good way to correct the consistency of slime at home is to add boric acid.
You can buy it at any pharmacy. The drug is able to change the structure of the toy and make it more elastic. Due to the fact that the drug is strong, you need to add it a little. In this case, a little is better than a lot.
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Using boric acid to save a toy
2 tablespoons of hot water, but not boiling water, are poured into the container in which you plan to knead. 1 teaspoon of toothpaste is squeezed out there.
After stirring the resulting composition, you can lower the sticky mass into it. Soaking time - 5 minutes. This is done in order to achieve a uniform consistency. After adding 1 tablespoon of boric acid powder, the slime will begin to thicken.
On a note! If this drug has already been used previously, it should not be added again. It won't work.
Baby oil
How to prevent slime from sticking to your hands? You can remove stickiness using cosmetic oil for children.
Sticky slime should simply be coated with a small amount of cosmetic product. When the activator reacts and the mass begins to thicken and stretch, it is advisable to place it on a sheet of white paper. This must be done in order to get rid of excess moisture and fat.
Use of cosmetics
Soda solution
What to do if the slime gets sticky? Sticky slime can be saved with regular baking soda. It is not only a good thickener, but is also absolutely safe to use.
Before use, you need to dissolve it in a small amount of water. For one slime, 20-30 grams of soda is enough. If the slime is too watery, you don’t need to add water.
Soap products
Not all means are suitable for carrying out resuscitation with slime. Experienced slimeers advise using exclusively liquid soap. It helps soften the slime.
Adding detergents should be done gradually. It is important to thoroughly knead the slime after this for at least 10 minutes.
Vegetable or cosmetic oil
Adding vegetable oil will allow the slime to become sticky for a while. It will stop sticking, but, unfortunately, it will deteriorate very soon. In just 2-3 days it will become covered with mold.
In this case, it is best to add a cosmetic product. Just 20-30 ml of this oil will allow the slime to regain its stretchiness and elasticity for a longer period of time.
Shaving foam
What to do if the slime sticks to your hands? Experienced slime players advise adding a little shaving foam. This method allows you to revive fluffy slimes. They become more fluffy and pleasant to the touch.
A huge advantage of using foam is the fact that the slime will take in exactly as much foam as it needs. But you also can’t overdo it, so as not to over-thicken the slime.
Shaving foam as the main component to restore elasticity
Use starch
If the slime sticks to your hands, experienced bloggers tell you what to do in this case. You can add starch; not only potato starch is suitable for this, but also corn starch.
This method is not ideal. Liquid slime can only become sticky for a short period of time. The mass will stop spreading and become elastic. The service life of this slime is 10-12 days.
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Addition of sodium tetraborate
What to do if the slime sticks to your hands? Sodium tetraborate or, as it is also called, borax, is a very effective thickener that can change the structure of not only homemade, but also store-bought slime.
This recipe is not suitable if the slime is too thick. It can only save liquidish material. How to prevent slime from sticking to your hands? You can fix thickened slime with just 2 drops of this substance. After adding tetraborate, the mass must be thoroughly mixed.
Very often, resuscitation efforts aimed at saving a toy lead to changes in the structure. In this case, you can remove unnecessary stickiness using ordinary baking soda. It is simply mixed gradually until the desired result is obtained.
Due to the fact that the most excellent activator is sodium tetraborate, it is used to thicken even a very watery structure. Gradually adding it will not only improve the structure of the slime, but also make it more elastic.
Effective activator
Unchildish ways
Alcohol is an effective way to remove slime from hair. They should wet a cotton pad, place it on the stained hair, and press a little. Keep for 15-20 minutes. Afterwards, brush the strands and wash with shampoo.
Liquid for removing the sticky layer from gel polish
Removing slime from hair with a liquid to remove the sticky layer from gel polish is an unusual technique. Moisten a cotton pad with the product, apply it to the strands, hold for 20 minutes, pressing slightly. If the stained area is small, you can attach the cotton wool with a clothespin to your hair. Afterwards, rinse with water and comb out with a comb.
You can remove slime from your hair with car lubricant. It effectively cleans any surface from traces of the sticky toy, not just curls. Soak cotton pads in the solution and keep them on the soiled locks for half an hour. Afterwards, wash off with shampoo and comb out.
Preventive measures
It is not difficult to correct the situation, but it is better to prevent possible troubles. Anti-stress will not stick if you carry out some actions every time before the game.
Important! The simultaneous use of substances containing alcohol and glue is unacceptable. The mass will become very unpleasant to the touch and will begin to collapse literally before our eyes.
Knead
For freshly made slime, stickiness is a natural state. You can get rid of it simply by kneading the mass. If store-bought slime gets sticky, you can also fix it by kneading.
Clean
A large amount of dust that appears during prolonged play can be removed with soapy water. Large grains are removed using tweezers. It is because of the dirt that the slime can begin to stick and attract any debris to itself.
Dry
If the contents are incorrect and the humidity is high, the slime may also begin to stick. You can correct the situation by opening the container. If the slime is very wet, it is recommended to place it on a paper napkin or sheet of paper for a while.
There is a huge variety of slimes on the market. Even more recipes for their preparation are surfacing the Internet. Regardless of the initial characteristics of the toy, with a little creativity and imagination, almost any slime can be turned into a real work of art.
High quality refurbished slime
Slime is a mass whose main quality is plasticity. Its main purpose is to warm up the hands and sculpt. Slime is often used as an anti-stress. Based on the above, loss of elasticity and increased stickiness will not allow you to enjoy the game.
Maintaining the declared service life, and sometimes extending it, is not difficult. It is important to study the composition and carry out resuscitation actions based on this knowledge. This is due to the fact that special chemical components are used to make original slimes. When restoring slime, it is necessary to replace complex components with simpler and more accessible ones.
How to clean slime from carpet
The next thing in the house that often suffers from slime is the carpet. If you notice slime stuck to the carpet while it is still wet, you should immediately try to put all the pieces back together using the remaining slime. You can do this quite easily, since the slime particles cling to each other due to their unusual properties.
If you find the slime has already dried, the most effective way to clean the carpet from the slime is dry cleaning. But this is very labor-intensive and quite expensive. If it is a large rug or rug, then the delivery issue alone causes problems.
Therefore, we advise you to try to remove the slime using improvised means, such as hydrogen peroxide or a mixture of sea salt, lemon juice and a tablespoon of ammonia, for the preparation of which you simply need to mix all the ingredients together. Apply the mixture to the stain, leave for a while, rub with a sponge and remove the residue with a vacuum cleaner.
