How to make slime – borax-free recipes, the best slime glitter and how to remove it from clothes
Slime is becoming a popular fad in the playground for many kids
SLIME has become a playground favourite with kids and making your own at home has rocketed to become the top "how to" trend of year.
The DIY trend is now a global phenomenon attracting millions of gooey creations on social media, but how can you quickly make it at home?
How can you make slime safely at home?
Thankfully the playground fad is simple and easy to create at home.
Safe ingredients to make gloopy slime include food products such as potato starch, sugar, food colouring, shaving foam, glitter and washing up liquid.
Make sure you avoid using the chemical borax, following parents sharing concerns about homemade concoctions that have left their kids with burns on their hands.
You should always wash your hands after playing with slime. So, what is a good recipe?
What is a safe recipe for making slime?
YouTuber Gillian Bower showing four different easy slimes at home, and has racked up over 3,400,000 views for her creations.
This is how you can make the blue glitter slime...
Ingredients:
- Half a cup of Elmer's Clear School Glue
- Half a cup of warm water
- Half a teaspoon of baking soda
- Colourful glitter and stars
- Contact lens solution
Steps:
- Add half a cup of clear glue to a bowl
- In a separate glass jug, add half a cup of warm water
- Add the baking soda to the water
- Mix together until the baking soda has dissolved
- Pour the jug into the bowl of glue
- Mix all together
- Then take whatever glitter or sequins you like, and add as much as you wish to make your sparkly creation
- Pour in a tiny bit of contact lens solution into the mixture and stir
- Keep adding tiny amounts of contact solution until your goo reaches your desired consistancy
- Take it out the bowl and start working with your hands to make the perfect slime
Why has borax and boron sparked safety warnings?
A Investigation found multiple children’s toys contained high levels of boron.
They examined slime, and found eight of the 11 brands failed safety tests.
The limit for children’s toys is 300mg/kg, and the worst performing toy was found to have more than four times this dose.
Which? said: “Exposure to excessive levels of boron could cause irritation, diarrhoea, vomiting and cramps in the short term.”
Nikki Stopford, director of research and publishing at Which?, said: "If you have school-age kids, you’re probably very well aware of the latest slime craze sweeping the playgrounds.
"Kids love it. Parents buying slime for their children should have peace of mind that these toys are safe, so they will be shocked to find that the health of their children could be put at risk by these slimes."
Retailer, Supplier, Sample name (colour of sample tested), Level (mg/kg)
- Amazon, Toysmith, Jupiter Juice (Pink), 1400
- Amazon, CCINEE, Fluffy Slime (Pink), 1000
- Amazon, Cosoro Dodolu, Crystal Slime Magic Clay (Pink), 980
- Amazon, Baker Ross, Mini Bucket Putty (Green), 930
- Amazon, iBase Toy, Slime Toy (Purple), 860
- Amazon, LOYO, Fluffy Slime (Blue), 730
- Amazon, Brezeh, Brezeh Free Slime Toy (Orange), 560
- Amazon, Virtuotrade, My Fluffy Slime (Green), 560
Three met safety standards, which were Goopy Slime (green) by HGL sold at The Works, which had 280 mg per kg.
Second was was Planet Slime Shop’s Hulk Green Halloween Slime, sold on Amazon, which had 220mg per kg, and Smyth’s sold Glam Goo’s Glam Goo Deluxe Pack (Clear), which had 75 mg per kg also passed.
Previous concerns were also raised over the use of cleaning product borax to make slime.
Borax, a compound of boron, is usually sold in powder form for laundry and household cleaning uses.
The chemical is toxic and can be hazardous if contact is made with the skin or eyes.
Mum, Rebekha D’Stephano from Prestwich in Greater Manchester, said goo made with borax left her daughter’s hands “red raw” and covered in blisters.
Schoolgirl Deejay Jemmett, 10, had to be referred to a plastic surgeon after playing with popular homemade toy polymer slime, known as “unicorn or rainbow slime”.
The European Chemicals Agency says borax could damage fertility or cause serious eye irritation which means it is hard to find, but can still be brought online.
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How can you remove slime from clothes?
Slime may keep your kids entertained,but may have its drawbacks if it gets on your kid's clothes or the carpet.
A handy trick may be to use vinegar.
Simply remove excess slime, and then soak the area with vinegar for a few minutes, before washing the area with warm water.
Then wipe the carpet with a towel remove excess dampness, or add clothing to the washing machine as normal.
