What kinds of thickeners are there for slime, what can it be replaced with, and how can you make the product yourself?

Beginning slimers often ask questions: how can they thicken the slime so that it stretches well, does not tear, and does not stick to your hands?

What to do if the already made slime turns out to be liquid?

Many hand chewing gum lovers find pleasure in not having to buy a toy, but making it at home. Children especially enjoy such experiments.

Helpful information:

• How to make slime from starch
• Is it possible to get a haircut during pregnancy?
• How to make slime from shampoo
• How to make slime from soda
• Is it possible to drink chicory during pregnancy?
• Is it possible to have cocoa during pregnancy?

Therefore, it is useful to know what substances can be used as activators so that it is effective, affordable and safe.

What is a slime activator?

A slime activator is also called a thickener. This is a substance that is added to other ingredients so that they change their properties. Due to a chemical reaction, the liquid mixture coagulates and becomes thick and plastic.

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Most often, the role of an activator is played by various liquids of suitable composition. But sometimes these substances come in the form of a powder or gel.

How can you thicken slime?

In order for the slime to acquire the intended consistency, it is important to choose the right thickener. Most often, one of the following substances is used:

• sodium tetraborate, also known as borax or borax;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• liquid for contact lenses;
• salicylic acid (a popular antiseptic);
• washing gel;
• dishwashing liquid;
• Polish for hair;
• air freshener in the form of a spray;
• soda;
• starch;
• gelatin;
• salt;
• powdered sugar;
• Visin eye drops;
• Teymurov spray.

Recipes usually tell you what type of activator you need to use to thicken the slime. But sometimes you don’t have just such an ingredient on hand. To avoid difficulties with replacement, let’s understand the properties of all these substances.

Home care rules

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

• The ideal storage location is the container with an airtight lid in which the toy was sold. Homemade slime is stored in plastic containers purchased at the store. A jar of cream or balm or a sealed bag with a zipper is suitable for storage. The main thing is that no air gets inside the container.
• The slime should be stored in a place where there are no sudden changes in temperature. The optimal range is considered to be from +4 to +9 degrees.
• The storage place must be reliably protected from sunlight.

In order for the slime to retain all its original properties for a long time, you need to follow a number of rules:

in the case of making slime yourself, you need to select the right, working recipes; it is important to follow the exact proportions specified in the recipe; To prevent the composition from deteriorating, you should remove the lump from the jar every day and knead it; for feeding you need to use only approved components and in acceptable dosages; the best ingredient for feeding is salt; The slime contains dust and dirt, so it needs to be cleaned regularly (large particles of dirt are removed with tweezers, the dust is washed under running warm water).

Is it possible to thicken slime with boric acid?

The main active ingredient of borax is boric acid salts. It is due to them that it acts as a thickener on the slime mass. Therefore, in addition to sodium tetraborate, you can take other salt products.

Salt suitable for adding to the mixture is also found in contact lens liquid, Visine eye drops, and table salt solution. These substances can be used as a replacement for boric acid.

Salt-containing preparations are the most famous option for activators. When they are added, a chemical reaction quickly begins, the mass thickens and becomes denser before our eyes.

The application scheme is simple: after the main ingredients are mixed, the salt product is added drop by drop. Its quantity depends on the volume of the slime and what density you want to achieve.

How to make snow slime

Borax powder should be diluted with water before use; 1 tablespoon of powder is diluted with a glass of water.

You need to work with borax powder carefully; children will need parental help. If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves.

Rules for choosing ingredients

Flavorings are divided into two types:

• cosmetic;
• food.

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

Flavors of this type are not recommended for creating slime. Allergic reactions may occur upon contact with skin. If the human body does not tolerate the substance, the skin may itch, turn red and develop a rash. Even if a person is allergic to just one component in the composition, it is still not suitable

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

It is better to use cosmetic fragrances. There are a huge number of products on the market that you can buy and prepare your own fragrance. Thus, the slime acquires any smell.

Food flavorings

They are in 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 the liquid form.

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

First of all, pay attention to the origin of the substance. It is better if it is as close to natural as possible. Components to which you are allergic are completely excluded. Form of ingredients

As a result, the flavor should be obtained in the form of a liquid.

The choice of 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.

Washing gel or dishwashing liquid

If you don't have sodium tetraborate, or you don't want to use it, you can thicken the slime with laundry gel (for example, Persil) or dishwashing liquid (Fairy is best suited).

In order to get slime, you need to mix two capsules of washing gel with a bottle of PVA glue (125 ml) and mix thoroughly until smooth. You can beat the mixture with a blender. Then the slime should stand for 15-20 minutes. After this, it is completely ready for use.

This recipe is not recommended for people with sensitive skin.

You can cook without Persil. A teaspoon of “Fairy” is added to the PVA glue, after which the mass is thoroughly kneaded by hand or on the table. The result is a pleasant to the touch and beautiful handgam.

What thickeners can be used for slime?

We remind you that the above substances work with good PVA glue. Not necessarily expensive. It happens that you can get slimes with budget brands of this glue.

1. Hairspray. With it, the slime will be exactly the slime in the classical sense. It will be very stretchy, slightly sticking to your hands. 2. Liquid laundry detergent (Persil or Losk). The first one definitely gives good results with most types of PVA glue. 3. Shaving foam. This is actually something that can be used in place of a slime thickener. Moreover, the toy turns out to be voluminous, light, airy, and stretches well. And in appearance, this slime is more like a fluffy marshmallow. 4. Shaving gel. Unlike foam, you only need a little bit of it, less than a pea (!). Otherwise, there is a risk of getting rubber. 5. Thick liquid dishwashing detergent. It works almost the same as washing gel.

Is it possible to thicken slime with air freshener?

To thicken the slime mixture without boric acid, hairspray or an air freshener spray may be suitable.

The varnish should be taken with the highest fixation force.

For preparation you will need PVA glue or stationery glue. We place a bottle of glue in the container and begin to spray varnish on it. This should be done in small portions, for a few seconds. After each serving, stir the mixture thoroughly.

The slime turns out to look like plasticine. When kneading, excess varnish drips off. At first, the slime hardly stretches and breaks, but if you let it sit for a few minutes, it becomes more elastic.

Do the same with an air freshener. Not all brands are suitable; only Air wick can be recommended.

You can only work with varnish or air freshener in a ventilated area!

One composition uses only varnish or only a freshener.

If the mass turns out to be too liquid, baking soda dissolved in water will help bring it to the desired consistency.

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.

How to thicken slime with baking soda

Slime can be thickened with soda alone, without using additional activators. This is a remedy that allows you to do without sodium tetraborate and other strong substances. The process is not fast, but exciting. First you need to prepare a soda solution. To do this, take 2 tablespoons of powder per glass of warm water. Then squeeze office glue into the center of the container. Do not stir under any circumstances!

We begin to carefully collect the glue with a spatula from the edges to the center. It may take quite a long time. You want the glue to resemble a jellyfish. When it thickens, you can take it in your hands and knead until smooth.

Different brands of glue produce a mass of different consistencies. You can correct too liquid slime by adding a few drops of boric acid.

Ninja slime (slime ninja) - description of slime, types, where to buy and how to make

Tips and tricks

• When creating slime, follow safety precautions.
• Slime made at home without sodium tetraborate is less dense and rubberized. Therefore, store it in the refrigerator in a closed container.
• Slimes made without tetraborate have a short shelf life - from 3 to 7 days.
• If the slime breaks, add soap with glycerin, hand cream or baby cream.
• To prevent the toy from becoming smaller, add a pinch of salt and a little water to the container where the slime is stored. After this, shake the container slightly and leave the toy alone for a couple of hours.
• Do not store slimes in a warm place, otherwise they will spread.

Now you know what activators are for and what can be used as thickeners for slimes. You will definitely find at least one of the listed components at your home or at the nearest pharmacy. Depending on the type of activator, the consistency of the slime also changes, so feel free to experiment, and if your slime doesn’t work out, try again.

Is it possible to thicken slime with gelatin?

Gelatin does not make classic slimes - they do not stretch and are more like jelly. You can make, for example, such a trembling mass from shampoo or shower gel.

To do this, completely dissolve the gelatin with water, add shampoo or gel, pour it into a mold and leave it in the refrigerator for an hour. The formed jelly does not stretch and cannot serve as chewing gum for the hands.

But you can wash yourself with jelly slime, and the collagen contained in gelatin is good for the skin.

Effective ways to increase slime

If you still fail to save the slime and it has decreased in volume, effective methods will help.

Soaking and stretching

The following recipe will help you make more slime:

• take the damaged slime into your 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 in your hands again and quickly knead it.

Similar steps are repeated several times until the slime structure becomes soft and elastic.

Envelope with salt

If you give a toy moisture, it will become larger. A series of sequential actions should be performed:

• immerse the toy 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 return store-bought or homemade slime to its original size. Take a syringe with a needle and fill it with saline solution.

Preparation of the solution

It's easy to prepare the solution:

• 102 ml of warm water is poured into the container;
• add 4-5 g of salt;
• immerse the slime in the prepared solution for 4.5 minutes;
• take the lump in your hands and knead it with your fingers;
• If the mass sticks to the skin, then sprinkle a little salt on the surface of the slime.

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

Injection

The next step is a restorative injection:

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

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

Using shaving gel

Regular shaving gel and baby powder will help increase slime:

• A small amount of powder is poured onto the surface of the slime and the mass is intensively kneaded.
• After this, two sprays of shaving gel are applied to the surface. Again stretch the slime in different directions.
• After just 4.5 minutes the lump will become large and elastic.

Shaving foam will also help save the toy without using other components. Squeeze a small ball of the product onto the lump, and then begin to actively knead it with your fingers for three minutes. The method will help not only increase the volume, but also make the composition soft and viscous.

How to enlarge using kinetic sand

You can enlarge the lump without using shaving foam. The component can be replaced with kinetic sand. It is sold in the stationery and toy department. The composition differs from ordinary sand in that it has a wetter structure. The method is suitable for enlarging only those slimes that initially had kinetic sand added to them:

• Kinetic sand 34 g is added to the mass.
• The slime is actively kneaded until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
• Add a portion of sand again and knead it.

With this method, the mass grows before our eyes. At the same time, the composition becomes soft and viscous.

Adding plasticine

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

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

• A small piece of airy plasticine is mixed with slime.
• Knead the mass intensively 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 use PVA glue. Suitable for both purchased and homemade slimes:

• the mass is placed in a polyethylene bag;
• add a little glue and tie the bag;
• The slime is kneaded until a homogeneous consistency is formed;
• then pick up the lump and continue kneading for another 5 minutes.

Sugar - slime activator

Unfortunately, sugar can thicken the slime only for a short time; in the heat the slime will melt, so it won’t make long-lived slimes.

Add shampoo or liquid soap to the sugar. For 2 tablespoons of shampoo, take a teaspoon of granulated sugar and mix until it is completely dissolved. To make the mass homogeneous faster, it is better to use powdered sugar. After this, put the container in the refrigerator for several hours. To speed up the process, you can use the freezer.

The mass becomes thick, you can take it with your hands. But, as a rule, it melts quickly, the slime loses its shape and spreads.

With the help of powdered sugar, wonderful edible slimes are prepared, which craftswomen use to decorate desserts.

To do this, take marshmallow, melt it in the microwave, and then knead it with the addition of powdered sugar. The result is an elastic mass that stretches and wrinkles in your hands.

If you add a lot of powder, you get a thick mastic, reminiscent of plasticine, from which you can sculpt cake figures.

What available means can be added to the slime to thicken it, and where is such a substance sold?

When making slimes, you can always use ordinary products as a thickener, those that are in everyone’s kitchen, as well as those that can be bought at any pharmacy. The following describes how you can thicken a toy at home using sodium tetraborate, as well as other things besides it from improvised and purchased products.

Sugar

To make “chewing gum for hands,” it is better to use powdered sugar rather than sugar. It is best to use such a sweet thickener in a recipe with shampoo and liquid soap.

• Option 1. Shampoo and liquid soap are mixed in equal quantities, and a teaspoon of powdered sugar is dissolved in them. After thorough mixing, the mixture is placed in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Option 2. 1 tablespoon of sugar is dissolved in 100 milliliters of thick shampoo. After the sugar has completely dissolved, the mixture is placed in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Soda

Slime with soda as a thickener is called “hand gum”, since its appearance is very similar to chewing gum. It is very easy to prepare at home using available ingredients. Required:

• ordinary soap solution;
• salt;
• culinary coloring.

How to cook:

1. Mix soda and salt in a 2:1 ratio.
2. Fill with soap solution (mix soap and water 1:1).
3. Add dye.
4. Mix.
5. Pour the mixture into the bag.
6. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Important! For greater viscosity, you can add a drop of ordinary vinegar.

Gelatin

Required components:

• gelatin;
• plasticine.

How to cook:

1. Dissolve gelatin according to the instructions on the package.
2. Bring gelatin to a boil and remove from heat.
3. Knead 50 grams of plasticine in your hands until plastic.
4. Place the plasticine in warm water.
5. Mix.
6. Combine with gelatin.
7. Place in the refrigerator until cool.

When making slime, gelatin and plasticine must be warm.

Borax

Slime, prepared with Borax thickener, is the most multifunctional. It can roll, retain imprints, and take on different shapes. Borax is available at a hardware store or pharmacy.

How to saddle a slime with Borax:

1. Mix the powder with water in a ratio of 1:12.
2. Add PVA.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
4. Mix.
5. After thickening, add dye.

Interesting. If you rinse such a slime under running water, the dye will wash out and the toy can be painted a different color.

Hair fixation spray

A fairly inexpensive thickener for slime if you prefer to use sprays to create it. You should choose varnishes with super strong hold. And also use a protective face mask to avoid inhaling the varnish if you want to thicken the toy with it.

1. PVA is poured into the vessel and mixed with dye.
2. Now the varnish is added in long “sprays” of 5–7 seconds.
3. After each splash, the mixture is stirred.
4. When the mixture is thick enough, you should start adding soda little by little. Make all additions without ceasing to stir.

Starch

Starch is allowed in the use of edible slimes. To prepare them, condensed milk is used instead of shampoo. To make the slime thicker, you can take liquid starch or dilute dry starch in water in a ratio of 3:1. If it is an inedible slime, then shaving foam or shampoo is used along with starch.

Boric acid

Necessary:

• 100 grams of PVC;
• 200 grams of stationery glue;
• cooking coloring;
• shaving foam;
• 1 tablespoon boric acid.

Preparation:

1. Mix PVC, office glue and dye.
2. Add foam.
3. The slime should double in size.
4. Boric acid is added.
5. Everything is kneaded like dough.

Sodium tetraborate

The most common slime thickener sold in pharmacies. Dissolve 100 milliliters of PVA in 50 milliliters of warm water and add tetraborate. Add the coloring element and mix well. Pour the mixture into a bag and mash.

Starch to thicken slime

Handgam from starch is very easy to make. To do this you need to take shampoo, vegetable oil and starch. If desired, add dye to the oil and shampoo and mix. We begin to gradually add starch so that the mass takes on a dough-like consistency.

If you replace the shampoo with condensed milk, you get another edible slime from which you can make jewelry.

Is it possible to thicken slime with hydrogen peroxide?

Peroxide is most often used together with starch or soda. In the first case, the mixture turns out to be fluid, in the second - elastic, similar to a bouncy ball.

For the first recipe, we take starch and dilute it with cold water (proportions 1:1) or hot (proportions 1:2). We get a mass similar to jelly. Add PVA glue and hydrogen peroxide.

In the second recipe, instead of peroxide, soda is added, dry or dissolved.

Instead of dry starch, you can use flour. The mixture will be doughy, thick, but almost inelastic.

TOP 10 THICKENERS FOR SLIME / CHECKING FOR SUITABILITY / CHECKING 10 SLEEME RECIPES

Top 3 slime recipes

Slime without PVA glue with sodium tetraborate

By following the recipe exactly, you can get a beautiful, high-quality toy with a pleasant texture. This slime stretches well and makes a crunch when pressed.

You will need:

• shower gel – 6-7 dispenser pumps
• toothpaste – 1 tsp.
• water – 2 tsp.
• sodium tetraborate
• glitter, dye - for decoration.

Additionally: a container with a tight-fitting lid (plastic or glass container), a deep plate, a spoon/stick for stirring.

Preparation procedure:

1. Pour 1 tsp into a container. water. Add shower gel and any toothpaste.
2. Close the lid and shake the contents of the container well for about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the resulting foam to a plate, add glitter if desired and color the mixture. Stir thoroughly.
4. Add a few drops of sodium tetraborate (thickener). Knead to the desired consistency, up to 20-30 minutes.

The easiest slime recipe for beginners

Thickeners for slime, the list of which is listed above, make it possible to make slime using what is at hand, without purchasing additional special components. The first slime you ever make yourself can pleasantly surprise your child. The recipe ingredients are simple, accessible and inexpensive, and the result should be amazing.

You will need:

• Water – 2 tsp.
• shampoo or dishwashing gel – 1 tsp.
• Hand cream – 0.5 tsp.
• PVA glue – 5 tsp.
• Soda – 0.5 tsp.
• Naphthyzin drops
• Acrylic paints or gouache

Additionally: deep container, spoon/stick for stirring.

Preparation procedure:

1. In a deep bowl, mix water and shampoo, beat until foam appears.
2. Add cream, mix. It is not necessary to achieve uniformity.
3. Pour in water and glue, stir well so that the glue is evenly distributed throughout the mass.
4. If desired, tint the future slime with a couple of drops of paint of the desired color.
5. Add a few drops of Naphthyzin and stir until the mixture begins to pull away from the edges of the container.
6. As soon as the slime acquires density and becomes elastic, the toy is ready.

The resulting slime stretches well, kneads with your hands, and you can make “bubbles” from it. Stored for up to 10 days.

Super slime made from glue and toothpaste

A very large, very crispy, airy, loudly clicking slime that stretches into a film. There are quite a few ingredients in the recipe, but they are all necessary. It is not recommended to replace them or remove any one.

You will need:

• Silicate glue – 200 ml.
• Dye (gouache or special food coloring)
• Toothpaste – 0.5 tsp.
• Shaving gel – 20 gr.
• Sodium tetraborate – 2-3 drops.

Additionally: large deep container, stirring spatula.

Preparation procedure:

1. Pour glue into the container, give it the desired color by adding dye available at home.
2. Add toothpaste and stir thoroughly until completely dissolved. The mass should lighten.
3. Pour in the shaving gel, beat the mixture well until fluffy.
4. Add sodium tetraborate. Stir with a spatula.
5. When the slime begins to thicken and it becomes difficult to stir with a spatula, continue kneading the mass with your hands until the desired thickness.

How to make an activator with your own hands

If you experiment with different recipes, it may happen that some of them do not work. The mixture will not thicken, or even turn out to be liquid like water. In such cases, a universal thickener will come in handy, adding which you can try to save the unsuccessful slime. You can prepare it in reserve and keep it on hand just in case.

How to soften slime if it breaks and does not stretch

To prepare the activator, you will need a liter bottle of water, into which you need to add 50 ml of tetraborate. Shake the liquid.

If necessary, a few spoons of this solution can be added to the remaining ingredients.

Advice for young designers

Having learned from the article how you can thicken slime, you are free to begin your own creativity. The main thing to remember is that each type of thickener presented gives the toy special properties. Some maximize elasticity and softness, others increase elasticity and ductility, and others affect the texture and format of the surface.

• Tips on how to easily make transparent slime →

Try to create a whole collection of slimes with your own hands, using simple ingredients available at home, easily available at the pharmacy or in online stores. Be bold, create unique designer slimes.

Why doesn't the slime thicken?

3 main reasons:

• Not enough activator. If you add all the ingredients and vigorously stir the liquid for several minutes, but the slime does not thicken, then this recipe may need more thickener. Try increasing its quantity.
• The glue has expired. Try to use a new tube of glue for slime if the old one has not been used for a long time. The properties of the glue weaken when it is open for a long time. Pay attention to the expiration date. Expired glue can cause slime to become runny and sticky.
• Some types of glue are not suitable for handgaming at all. Such glue, as a rule, does not bond well even to paper. If you have done everything according to the recipe, and the tetraborate does not help thicken the mixture, then the problem is most likely in the glue.
• Too much water has been added. If most of the mixture is water, the slime will be very runny.

If the slime turns out to be very liquid, you can thicken it in several ways. Try the following steps one by one:

Add glue

If PVA glue was used and water was added to it, the glue solution could turn out to be too liquid and the activator could not work in it. In this case, to thicken the slime, just add more glue and mix the mass properly.

What glue is guaranteed to be suitable for slime.

Place in the refrigerator

In some cases, in order to fully “ripen”, the slime needs to brew. Try closing it and putting it in the cold for half an hour or an hour.

Mix

Vigorous stirring thickens the slime as it causes the reaction to occur faster. Before trying the next remedy, stir the mucus thoroughly again. If you can pick it up, knead it with your fingers.

What to do if the slime doesn't work

There are situations when, despite efforts and compliance with the proportions specified in the recipe, the slime does not acquire the desired consistency. Don’t be upset, because the result is influenced not only by compliance with the proportions, but also by:

• the quality of materials used in the manufacturing process;
• compliance with step-by-step actions;
• incorrectly formulated recipe.

A large amount of water can make the toy watery.
In the case when the slime does not turn out homogeneous, it can be saved by vigorous stirring until the product acquires the required level of viscosity.

In a situation where the toy drags like a cobweb behind your hand, it is worth adding a small percentage of liquid starch to the composition. Excessive viscosity can be removed by including boron or flour in the solution.

You can make your own slime thickener at home. There is absolutely no need to purchase expensive products. You can use materials that are found in every home, for example, powder or dishwashing detergent. By experimenting with the ingredients used, you can create the perfect anti-stress toy and delight yourself and your children.