Slime is a type of polymer with qualities of both solids and liquids. It's described as a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning it doesn't have a constant viscosity and it flows differently from other liquids like water.
Kids love slime for its sticky and squishy nature, which allows them to craft various creations. They can use it to learn about different types of polymers in school and for fun at home. DIY clay slimes allow you to achieve a texture and consistency you like.
If you're seeking a unique and therapeutic craft for yourself or your kids, follow our guide to making slime out of clay!
How to Make Clay Slime With No Glue or Borax
While many slime recipes involve the use of glue or borax, some allow you to avoid these ingredients. Soft polymer clay is among the main ingredients used to make buttery slime — a silky, soft and fluffy slime. Buttery slime is also less sticky and messy than those containing glue or borax. Here are some easy-to-make, no-glue clay slime recipes:
Recipe 1
This is a two-ingredient slime recipe:
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- Body lotion or hair conditioner
- Super Sculpey Ultralight™ polymer clay
Here's how to create this buttery clay slime:
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- Protect your finished furniture or worktop with the Sculpey Tools™ Oven-Safe Work Mat, aluminum foil, metal baking sheet, wax paper or ceramic tile. This prevents the polymer clay from staining or discoloring your worktop.
- Take a handful of soft Super Sculpey Ultralight™ polymer clay and roll it into a ball. This polymer clay option works because it's lightweight, easy to work with and flexible.
- Condition or soften the clay further by rolling it back and forth in your hands until it feels warm. Conditioning the clay removes the trapped air, aligns the clay particles and ensures the ingredients mix evenly.
- Spread out the clay and pour a few pumps of lotion on top.
- Knead the lotion into the clay until it feels soft, stretchy and firmer than before or is not easily breakable.
- Continue adding lotion and kneading it into the clay until you achieve your desired slime consistency.
The resulting slime clay smells nice and is a delight for your kids to play with. Another advantage of the Super Sculpey Ultralight™ polymer clay is that you can store your DIY slime in a plastic sandwich bag or a polypropylene plastic container. You can add some glitter as you knead the clay to give it some character and pizzazz.
Recipe 2
The second recipe includes three ingredients only:
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- Soft polymer clay
- Water
- Shaving foam
Here's how you mix these ingredients to make buttery slime:
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- Roll your polymer clay into balls and place them in a glass bowl.
- Add water to the container until it covers almost half of the clay balls.
- Mix the water and clay mixture until it's light and has a consistent texture.
- Add a few pumps of shaving cream and mix thoroughly. Shaving cream gives your slime a desired foamy texture.
- Start kneading the clay, water and shaving cream mixture until it's fluffy and stretchy.
How to Make Clay Slime With Glue or Borax
Although making clay slime without glue or borax is possible and relatively easier, certain recipes call for glue. This ingredient acts as a bonding agent or activator that turns the slime into a polymer. Here are two clay slime recipes that use glue or borax:
Recipe 3
You'll need these ingredients to make clay slime with glue:
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- ¼ cup of soft polymer clay
- ½ cup of PVA white glue
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon of saline solution
- Food coloring
Follow these steps to mix the ingredients and create clay slime:
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- Add the PVA glue to a bowl and mix it with the water until soft. PVA glue is a water-based adhesive that hardens to create professional-quality, long-lasting slime.
- Add food coloring of your choice to achieve your desired slime color.
- Mix the baking soda into the PVA and water mixture. Baking soda gives the slime form and firmness, preventing it from becoming too gooey.
- Add the saline solution and stir until the slime forms and doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl. Continue adding the solution until the slime is no longer sticky.
- Knead the soft clay into the slime to thicken and improve its texture and feel.
Recipe 4
This recipe uses borax and other readily available ingredients to make clay slime:
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- 1 cup of warm water
- A few pumps of school glue (pro tip — substitute the PVA white glue with glitter glue to impress your kids with some fun-colored and glittery slime)
- ½ tablespoon of borax
- Acrylic coloring
- Soft polymer clay
- Body lotion
Follow these steps:
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- Add the warm water to a cup and mix in the borax until fully dissolved.
- Mix the glue with some acrylic coloring in a separate bowl until fully combined.
- Add small amounts of the borax solution to the colored glue mixture until you have slime.
- Knead an equally sized piece of polymer clay into the slime and work it in until you have a buttery slime.
- Add a few pumps of body lotion to infuse a nice scent and give the slime some extra stretch.
While borax is an effective slime activator, please note that it is potentially toxic and can irritate the skin, eyes and throat with prolonged contact. When making slime with young kids, use caution with this ingredient or choose a borax-free recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
To recap the information above, we'll answer some of the most common questions about making clay slime.
Can You Make Slime From Polymer Clay?
Yes, you can make slime out of polymer clay. It consists of the same polymer used to make plastics and comprises a large network of cross-linked polymers.
Should You Use Borax or Baking Soda for Slime Recipes?
Both are excellent slime activators, but baking soda is a safer option that doesn't contain the same toxic chemicals found in borax.
Which Is the Best Polymer Clay for Making Slime?
Original Sculpey® and Super Sculpey Ultralight™ are two of the best clay products. They remain soft, flexible and easy to work with until baked. They're also safe and non-toxic, making them ideal for kids.
How Do You Make Polymer Slime?
Making polymer slime involves combining soft polymer clay with slime activators, like baking soda, saline solution, borax or glue, and other ingredients like shaving foam or body lotion.
Purchase Soft Polymer Clay for Your DIY Slime
Slime is a fun play medium for your kids. Making it at home is an engaging and interesting activity you can engage in together. While most of the ingredients, like glue, shaving cream and body lotion, are readily available at home, you need super-soft clay. Sculpey is a premium clay manufacturer with a wide range of synthetic polymer clays made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Check out our polymer clay inventory for super-soft clays for your DIY slime projects, sculpting, jewelry and home decor crafts.
