How to make slime less sticky without borax

There are a few different tricks that you can try to make slime less sticky.  Since there are so many different types of slime, some tricks might work well with one kind of slime over another.  In general, Fluffy Slime is less sticky.  That’s a good one to try out first!  But these tips should help:

Kids’ fads come and go, but it looks like the homemade slime obsession is here to stay. Because of its DIY nature and the endless creative ideas it can inspire, slime has become an engaging, productive favorite for children and adults. With so many different recipes and ingredients that can be used in slime, however, it can get confusing, and you could end up with a concoction that isn't exactly right. Too much of anything can be a bad thing, so what do you do if your slime is too sticky?

There are tons of variations of slime recipes on the internet and YouTube — the most common of which is probably a glue-water-borax mixture. If your slime is of this variation, you’ll need an activator to bind the molecules of the main ingredient — the glue — back together, Karen Robinovitz, co-Founder of The Slime Institute (a slime-themed experience in New York City) explains to Romper via email. In this case, the activator is borax. Dissolve one teaspoon of borax in 1 cup of water and add a little bit of it at a time to your sticky slime, she says. If your slime becomes too hard, it means you added a little bit too much, too quickly — you can counter it with glycerin or lotion to soften it.

In my house, my 9-year-old daughter Anusheh is the resident slime expert, which is why my bathroom has been taken over by slime-filled Tupperware, glues, and detergents. She has made over a hundred different kinds of slime, in different colors and with various additives, so I asked her what she does when her slime is too sticky. “If your glue-based slime is too sticky,” she says, “keep adding a little bit of liquid detergent until the stickiness goes away.” (If you are uncomfortable using Borax directly, Anusheh says that you can use liquid laundry detergent in its place.) She also adds that you should never substitute baby powder for baking powder to your slime because it will make it super sticky, and no amount of detergent will help.

Other methods you can try are kneading it for a while to get rid of the stickiness, as recommended by Mini Science. Fun At Home With Kids says liquid cornstarch like Sta-Flo Concentrated Liquid Starch can fix slime that has turned out sticky and stringy. Keep in mind that it’s likely your slime won’t stay at its perfect consistency forever — chances are you’ll have to tweak it once in a while as it ages.

After making slime for a while, you’ll realize it can sometimes become a hit or miss, depending on which recipes and ingredients you use. With a little bit of trial and error, and with the suggestions of experienced slime makers, you can fix your sticky slime, and get it to that irresistible, fun texture you wanted.

I often get asked how to make slime less sticky.  When this whole slime-craze started at our house, I thought this was a great way for kids to be creative, use a little science, and even practice their kitchen skills with some measuring and mixing.  About six months into weekly (sometimes daily) slime making, I was surprised that my daughter and her friend were still so interested in slime making.

My daughter quickly learned that I won’t tolerate slime stuck on my table, my floor, my furniture and especially my carpet.  I throw all sticky slimes straight to the garbage bin, so she has mastered the least sticky slime possible!  Want to learn how to make fluffy slime? One of our favorite recipes is a fluffy slime that is borax free.

How to Make Slime Less Sticky

Here are some tips from my slime experts (who have tried it all!)

• Knead your slime.  Even though the slime is sticky at the beginning of the process, it is super important to keep kneading.  As you knead, the slime begins to start sticking to itself and not to your fingers.  The girls tell me they are usually able to remove stickiness by simply kneading a little more than they thought they needed.
• Add a little more contact solution.  If your recipe calls for contact solution as an activator, added small amounts (and continuing to knead) can help take the sticky out.
• You can also try adding a teaspoon or so of baby oil.
• Let the slime breathe.  We have found that just letting the slime get some air can take away the sticky.  This is especially true with the clear slime.  My daughter will often let it sit out for an hour or two, or even over night, and when she comes back and starts kneading, the stickiness is gone.

Slime Recipes and tips!

More than one year later (Yes, I said YEAR!) the slime making is still going, my daughter is now purchasing her own supplies, and she is still having fun with her friends mixing and sliming (I think this should be a new word in Webster’s dictionary!) After a year of intense slime making, we have tried too many recipes to count and have learned what works and what doesn’t work.

We hope you will try our slime recipes? We have tried to make sure we measure out the slime ingredients so you know exactly how to make each recipe. However, we have noticed the weather does make a difference in the results.  On humid days we might need a bit more activator (most cases contact solution). Also, we have found that the no glue slime doesn’t last long since my daughter’s hands are always warm.  It tends to disintegrate in her hot little hands.

If you are looking a basic recipe check out How to make Slime (Gak) This is the easiest recipe only needing two ingredients: liquid starch and glue!

Try this slime recipe with shaving cream to make a fluffy slime.

If you want a stretchy slime that holds it shape Butter Slime is for you.  Adding a little bit of modeling clay does the trick.

Glow in the dark paint can actually be used to make Glowing Slime! We can’t wait to try Elmer’s Glow in the Dark glue too.

Clear slime is super fun. Let this one set a day or two to become really clear!

If you ever wondered how to make slime without glue this recipe will show you how.

We hope all our tips and tricks have shown you how to make slime less sticky! Good luck! If you are looking for some non-slime activities try making oobleck, moon sand and playdough. You can even tell a few kids jokes or ask some would you rather questions while you whip up these fun concoctions!

I would love to keep you fully stocked with creative ideas, yummy recipes, fun crafts, and loads of free printables. Subscribe to Skip to my Lou to get new ideas delivered to your inbox. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram for all my latest updates.

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