Slime Ingredients
What makes slime work has to do with the chemical reaction between the various ingredients. Slime is made of the following:
- Elmer’s washable clear or white glue
- Contact lens saline solution with boric acid and sodium borate
- Water
- Baking soda
- Food coloring
- Glitter
Basic Chemistry
Glue is a polymer. It is made of long chains of rod-shaped molecules that will slide across each other until you add the saline solution, which has borax as the active ingredient. When the two get together they grab on to each other, also known as cross-linking. This makes the molecules no longer to slide over each other.
If you want to learn more about the chemistry and physics of slime, check out The Science of Slime. The article discusses why slime is slime, or according to the article, a non- Newtonian liquid.
Saline Based Slime Recipe
You will need a bowl, a measuring cup, a spoon, and some muscle. Once the last ingredient is added, you are going to have to stir fast!
Into the bowl, pour one-half cup of glue. Clear glue creates a bright, translucent slime and white glue is more opaque. Add in one-half cup water and mix well.
To the glue and water mixture, put in ten drops of food coloring and about a half teaspoon of glitter. Blend well. If you use white glue, add more food coloring for a richer shade.
Next add a half-teaspoon of baking soda. It will help the slime solidify. Blend it with the other ingredients until it is well mixed.
Add one tablespoon of the saline solution. Stir fast! If it still feels watery, add a few more drops of saline solution. The slime will begin to form immediately as the chemical reaction takes place. You will notice the texture changing as you blend.
Lastly, knead your slime until it pulls away from the sides and bottom of the bowl. The first time you pull it out of the bowl, splash a bit of saline solution on your hands to keep it from being tacky.
Make sure to wash hands and surfaces after use. Store slime in an airtight covered container. It has the shelf life of about a week.
There are many different types of slime, including magnetic, glow in the dark, fluffy, edible, color changing and more.
Easy Slime Removal
Slime can get everywhere, as many a mother knows. But, like the making of slime, the removal will use chemistry. The secret is vinegar!
Wipe up as much of the mess as possible. For the stuff that you can’t get up with a paper towel, pour a heavy does of vinegar on it and wait. The vinegar will break down the slime components. Wipe the stain with a damp cloth. And voilà, all gone. This will work on all types of flooring, even carpet! However, slime is most easily removed from resilient flooring.
Store your slime in a container with a lid and enjoy for over a week. Leave us a comment below and let us know how your slime making or removing went!
