How to Make Less Sticky Slime

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 26, 2022 References Tested

Slime is icky and fun to play with. It is a great sensory activity for young children, and it can help older children focus while they work. Unfortunately, some slime recipes turn out sticky, which can feel unpleasant and lead to messes! Fortunately, there are easy ways to correct a batch of sticky slime. You can also try using a less sticky slime recipe for your next batch.

Ingredients

Fixing Slime That is Too Sticky

1/2 tsp (3 g) of baking soda
1 tsp (5 mL) of contact saline solution
1 tsp (5 mL) of baby oil

Using Shaving Cream and Contact Solution

4 fl oz (120 mL) of white school glue
2 to 3 drops of food coloring (optional)
1½ cups (360 g) of shaving cream
2½ tablespoons (37.5 mL) of contact saline solution

Using Laundry Detergent and Baking Soda

4 fl oz (120 mL) of white school glue
2½ tablespoons (37.5 mL) of liquid laundry detergent
1 tsp (4 g) of baking soda
1 tbsp (15 mL) of water

Using Baking Soda and Contact Solution

4 fl oz (120 mL) of white school glue
1/2 tbsp (6 g) of baking soda
2 to 3 drops of food coloring (optional)
1 tbsp (15 mL) of contact saline solution

Using Sand and Contact Solution

5 fl oz (150 mL) of clear school glue
1 tsp (4 g) of baking soda
2 tbsp (47 g) of colored craft sand
1 tbsp (15 mL) of contact saline solution

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Fixing Slime That is Too Sticky

1
Sprinkle on about 1/2 tsp (2g) of baking soda. Sprinkle the baking soda over your slime and then use your hands to knead it in. Keep kneading until the slime no longer feels sticky. If it still feels sticky after adding baking soda, add 1/8 tsp (0.5 g) more and knead again.^{[1]
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- It is important not to add too much baking soda since this may cause your slime to become less stretchy. Knead the slime thoroughly before adding anymore!
2
Add 1 tsp (5 mL) more of the contact solution. Pour the contact solution over your slime. Then, knead it with your hands to work the solution in. After a few minutes, the slime should no longer feel sticky. If it still feels sticky, then add another ¼ tsp (1.3 mL) of contact solution to the mixture and knead again.^{[2]
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- Make sure not to add too much contact solution since this will cause your slime to become rubbery and break easily.
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3
Include 1 tsp (5 mL) of baby oil to reduce stickiness and add shine. Baby oil is a common ingredient in shiny slime recipes, and it can also make your slime less sticky. Try kneading 1 tsp (5 mL) of baby oil into the slime. Knead until it is well-combined with the slime and the slime is no longer sticky.^{[3]
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- Don’t add any more baby oil to your slime than 1 tsp (5 mL) or it may become goopy and lose its stretchiness.
4
Knead the slime until it is no longer sticky. If you don’t want to add anything else to your slime, keep kneading it! This will help the ingredients to combine better and carry out their chemical reactions. Press the slime with your hands and fingers, stretch it out, form it back into a ball, and press it out again. Continue doing this until your slime feels less sticky.^{[4]
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Tip: To keep the slime from sticking to your hands as you knead it, apply a thick layer of hand lotion or coat your hands with a little oil, such as baby oil.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Using Shaving Cream and Contact Solution

1
Pour 4 fl oz (120 mL) of white school glue into a bowl. Plain white school glue works best with this recipe. Do not use clear or glittered school glue.^{[5]
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2
Stir in 2 to 3 drops of liquid food coloring, if desired. You don't have to do this, but it will make your slime more colorful. If you don't do this, your slime will come out white. Stir the mixture until no streaks remain.^{[6]
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Tip: Keep in mind that the slime will come out pastel-colored regardless of how much food coloring you use.
3
Add 1½ cups (360 g) of shaving cream. The amount does not have to be precise, but try to use around 1½ cups (360 g) of shaving cream. Make sure that you are using the basic, foaming kind of shaving cream and not the gel kind.^{[7]
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- Men's shaving cream is the best to use because it is white and won't affect the color of your slime.
- You can use women's shaving cream, but be aware that it usually comes in a light pink or purple. This may change the color of your slime.
4
Stir the mixture together until everything is combined. You can do this with a spoon or rubber spatula. As you stir, make sure that you scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl so that everything gets mixed in. As the ingredients come together, they will produce a fluffy slime.^{[8]
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- The slime may look sticky at this point. Don't worry, you still have 1 more ingredient to add!
5
Stir in a contact saline solution that contains boric acid. Measure out 2½ tbsp (37.5 mL) of contact saline solution. Slowly pour it into the slime while stirring it. Keep stirring until the slime starts to leave the sides of the bowl. You may not end up using all of the saline solution.^{[9]
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- The contact saline solution must contain the ingredient: boric acid. If it does not contain this, the slime will not work. Read the ingredient label.
6
Knead the slime for a few minutes until it is no longer sticky. Pick the slime up with your hands; it will be a little sticky. Knead the slime by stretching it out, then squishing it back together. Keep doing this for a few minutes until the slime is no longer sticky.^{[10]
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- If the slime is still sticky, then add 1/4 teaspoon of contact saline solution and knead it again.
7
Store the slime in an airtight container when you're not using it. Because this slime contains shaving cream, it will only last about 1 or 2 days. After that, it will start to dry out; you should throw it away once that happens.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Using Laundry Detergent and Baking Soda

1
Pour 4 fl oz (120 mL) of white school glue into a bowl. Do not use clear school glue, as the ingredients are different and the slime may not turn out right.^{[12]
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2
Stir in enough liquid laundry detergent to turn the glue into slime. Add the detergent 1/2 tsp at a time until the glue starts to clump together and leave the sides of the bowl. How much detergent you end up using depends on the brand, but expect to use about 2½ tbsp (37.5 mL).^{[13]
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- Laundry detergent comes in different colors and fragrances. Choose a color and smell that you like.
Tip: If your laundry detergent is clear and you want colorful slime, stir 2 to 3 drops of food coloring into the mixture.
3
Combine baking soda and water in a separate cup. Mix 1 tsp (4 g) of baking soda and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of water in a cup. The exact amounts do not matter; you want a solution that looks like cloudy water. If the solution is so thick that your spoon leaves streaks in it, add more water.^{[14]
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4
Add the baking soda solution to the slime until it is no longer sticky. Measure out 1 tsp (5 mL) of the baking soda solution, and pour it into the slime. Give the slime a stir, then repeat the process until the slime is no longer sticky. You may not end up using all of the baking soda solution.^{[15]
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- If you run out of the baking soda solution, simply make more.
5
Knead the slime for a few minutes. Take the slime out of the bowl. Stretch it out, then squish it back together. Do this a few times. As you continue to knead the slime, you'll notice it becoming less sticky.
6
Keep the slime in a sealed container when you're not using it. This type of slime does not last very long, so enjoy it while it is still squishy. After 2 to 3 days, the slime will start to dry out and need to be thrown out.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Using Baking Soda and Contact Solution

1
Pour 4 fl oz (120 mL) of white school glue into a bowl. Do not use clear school glue for this. They are not the same thing and will not produce the same type of slime.^{[16]
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2
Stir in 1/2 tbsp (7.5 g) of baking soda. You can use a spoon or rubber spatula to do this. As you add the baking soda, you may notice the glue starting to thicken, which is normal.^{[17]
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3
Add 2 to 3 drops of liquid food coloring into the mixture and stir again. You don't have to do this, but it will make the slime look nicer. If you leave the food coloring out, your slime will be white.^{[18]
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- Try adding a few drops of green food coloring for green slime, or 2 drops of yellow and 1 drop of red for orange slime.
4
Mix in 1 tbsp (15 mL) of contact saline solution. Pour 1 tbsp (15 mL) of contact saline solution into the bowl, then give it a stir. This will cause the ingredients to come together and form a slime. Keep stirring until the ingredients leave the sides of the bowl.^{[19]
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- Make sure that you use a contact saline solution that contains the ingredient "boric acid."^{[20]
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5
Knead the slime for a few minutes to make it less sticky. Take the slime out of the bowl. Knead it by pulling it apart with your hands, then clumping it back together. Keep doing this for a few minutes. As you knead the slime, you may notice that it is becoming less and less sticky.^{[21]
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6
Add more contact saline solution, if needed. If the slime is still too sticky for you, add 1/4 tbsp (3.75 mL) of contact solution, and keep kneading it.^{[22]
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7
Put the slime into an airtight container when you're done playing with it. This type of slime may not last very long, so enjoy it while you can! After about 2 to 3 days, the slime will begin to harden and dry out. At that point, you should throw it out.

Tip: Use a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid or resealable plastic bag to store your slime. Make sure to label the container or bag and place it somewhere that it will not be mistaken for food. Slime is not edible!

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Using Sand and Contact Solution

1
Pour 5 fl oz (150 mL) of clear school glue into a bowl. Do not use regular white school glue for this. The ingredients are not the same, so the slime will not turn out.^{[23]
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- This recipe is more like slime or putty. It is not the same as kinetic sand or moon sand.
2
Stir 1 tsp (4 g) of baking soda into the slime. Keep stirring until the baking soda is completely mixed into the glue. You can use a rubber spatula or a spoon to do this step.^{[24]
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Mix 2 tbsp (47 g) of colored craft sand. Purchase a bottle of colored craft sand from the kids' section of a craft store. Measure out 2 tbsp (47 g) and add it into the bowl. Stir everything together until the sand is evenly distributed.^{[25]
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- You can also find colored sand in the floral department of a craft store.
- You can also use colored aquarium sand from an aquarium supply store or a pet store.
4
Stir 1 tbsp (15 mL) of contact saline solution into the slime. Measure out 1 tbsp (15 mL) of contact saline solution and add it to the bowl. Give the mixture a stir until the ingredients come together. Keep stirring until the slime leaves the sides of the bowl.^{[26]
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- Use a contact saline solution that contains "boric acid." Check the ingredients label on the bottle.^{[27]
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5
Knead the slime, then add more contact solution, if desired. Pick the slime up with your hands. Pull it between your fingers, then squish it back together. Do this a few more times until the slime feels less sticky. If the slime still feels too sticky, add 1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) of contact saline solution, and knead again.^{[28]
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6
Make more colors of slime and mix them together for a unique effect. Repeat the process for each color that you want to make. Once you have made all your colors, you can squish them together into a big blob. The colors will create a streaked, galaxy-like effect.^{[29]
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7
Keep the slime in a sealed container when you're not using it. Like all good things, this type of slime does not last forever. It will eventually dry out, especially if you play with it a lot. Once the slime starts to turn dry and hard, it is time to throw it out and make a new batch.

Ready to make another batch of slime? Try mixing up a batch of clear slime, glossy slime, or butter slime next!

Community Q&A

Question

How can I make slime without contact solution or borax?

Community Answer

Detergent works well, preferably Tide or Gain. You could also use liquid starch.
Question

What should I do if I don't have any glue to make slime?

Community Answer

There's a lot of other things you can use. For example, clay + lotion makes perfect butter slime. Or you can use a face mask and activator.
Question

What do I do if my laundry detergent doesnt work?

Community Answer

Use another kind of laundry detergent or activator. Borax powder mixed with 2 tbsp of hot water works the best.

Warnings

Do not ingest the slime. This activity is not recommended for young children who still put things into their mouths.

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