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How To Make Slime Without Glue

Kate Broome
on
December 14, 2017
 8 Comments 🔥!

Learn how to make slime without glue and join the craze everyone has been talking about. Slime is squishy, gooey, oozy, and just plain fun. You can make farting noises with it, throw it at walls, and gross adults out with it. But, what exactly is slime and how can you make it yourself if you don’t have any glue on you? Well, check out this guide to find out.

A Quick Gude On How To Make Slime Without Glue:

If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.

What is slime and how do you make it?

Slime (also called Flubber) has been a staple of kid’s lives since the late 1970’s when it became a children’s toy. Slime is a gooey and sticky substance that is somewhere on the spectrum between a solid and a liquid and its viscosity (the speed which a liquid can flow) can actually vary depending on temperature. But just what is this fun substance?

It can exist in nature, interestingly enough, and is used as a defense mechanism. Slime is also prevalent in humans, especially come cold and flu season in the form of snot. There is, however, one animal that shows off its slime. That animal is the beautiful Hagfish (pictured below). As you can see in the picture below, Hagfish secrete slime as a defense mechanism against other fish (and sometimes humans). This slime coats everything, and in water, it is extremely effective in stopping or slowing down any predators. The Hagfish slime is so effective, in fact, that our United States military is looking into creating synthetic slime to be used on our aircraft carriers and other marine ships to be used to protect our ships.

Now synthetic slime, on the other hand, is slightly different (and far less nasty) than the Hagfish slime. Besides being a great toy, it can actually be used to help save people. Slime can be used to plug wounds, and can even be used as armor for divers.

What is the science of slime?

As y’all probably guessed, artificial slime exists because of a chemical reaction. The main ingredients in slime are glue and boric acid (we will cover this later on) react to each other to create this fascinating thing. The glue has molecules in it that slide around easily actually link up with the boric acid molecules that slow down that sliding. That slowed down flow makes the liquid become considerably more viscous and turns it into an almost solid object. Now there are recipes for slime that exclude some ingredients, but this is the general idea behind slime.

Image by gr8effect via Pixabay licensed under CC0

When talking about slime we do need to talk about Sir Isaac Newton and his theories on the matter. He should sound familiar to y’all since he is the one who first theorized about gravity and had his fingers in many different science pies. Slime is considered to be non-Newtonian fluid. What that essentially means is that it doesn’t follow Newton’s law of viscosity (think flow of a liquid and shear rate). In a non-Newtonian liquid, the viscosity is essentially dependent on time (as opposed to pressure and temperature), as opposed to shear rate. Slime is not the only non-Newtonian fluid you are probably familiar with. Some examples of non-Newtonian liquids are:

This is a super simplified idea of non-Newtonian liquids, but if you want something a little more in-depth, you can Google “non-Newtonian fluids,” where you will find hundreds of pages that you can learn more about it.

Types of slime

Now that you can somewhat know the science behind slime, let’s quickly go over all the different kinds of artificial slime there is. Here are just a few of the many types of slime:

These are just a few of the many slime options there are. So, without further ado, let’s make some slime!

How To Store Slime

Before we delve into all the slime recipes, we should know just how to store our slime. All of the slime you make from all these recipes can be stored in plastic containers. The slime will keep for a while, depending on what kind, as long as it is airtight. I personally use containers similar to this, but any will do. Another option is to put your slime in Ziploc bags.

There is such a thing as slime storage containers (pictured above) you can buy, but honestly, you don’t need to spend the money on those when other methods work the same.

Ingredients for Slime

Now y’all might be curious where to get some of these ingredients for making these slime creations. Let’s cover some of the stuff you’ll need most:

General Note: We have absolutely no affiliation with Elmer’s glue, it just happens to be the best glue to use with slime. You can use other glues, but they may not turn out as well as the Elmer’s does.

How To Make Slime Without Glue (Recipe & Ingredients)

If you don’t have an entire tub of glue around the house, and can’t get out to go get some for whatever reason, then you can actually make slime that has no glue in it. These recipes do not require any glue, and actually quite a few them are also borax free. These slimes will be different than the other slime recipes in this guide, so don’t expect super gooey slimes with these glue free recipes.

Slime Recipe without Glue

This is a cool recipe that is actually made with cornstarch and contains no glue (or borax, for that matter). Supplies you’ll need for non-glue slime:

Steps To Make Slime Without Glue

Non-glue alternative: Powered fiber slime

We got this recipe from WikiHow, and though we weren’t super crazy about it we decided to share it. Here’s what you’ll need:

Here are the instructions for making this slime without glue. I will say they are pretty involved instructions that took longer than the other recipes we tried on this list.

The whole thing takes about 20 minutes or so, and (to me) the slime is not worth that amount of time. But, it does not contain any glue, nor does it contain borax.

Dish soap slime without glue:

This recipe is a little different in that it actually uses dish soap. Here’s what you’ll need:

Here’s how to make this slime:

Shampoo and salt slime without glue:

To me, this is one of the easier recipes that don’t require glue to do. Here is what you will need:

Follow these instructions to make your salty shampoo slime:

After a while, you may need to refreeze it if it becomes too runny.

“Maybe now you’ll never slime a guy with a positron collider, huh?” — Dr. Peter Venkman, Ghostbusters 

Shampoo-y and toothpaste-y slime

This recipe calls for toothpaste and shampoo, and is just as easy as the previous shampoo slime. Here’s what you’ll need:

Here are the steps to make this simple 2 ingredient slime:

This will turn into more of a putty-slime than the gooey slime, but it is still fun to play around with.

At Home Fluffy Slime Recipe

You might think that making slime is a difficult and tedious job, but that really is not the case. In fact, fluffy slime only requires 5 ingredients. Once you see how simple this slime is, you’ll realize not only how simple this is, but you can make slime with your kids. It helps them learn science and have fun, and it helps you spend time with them. Or if you don’t have kids, like me, then you get to make some awesome slime to play with.

What you’ll need to make regular super fluffy slime

To make fluffy slime you will need:

Instructions

To make fluffy slime follow these steps here:

Fluffy snow slime

Here is another recipe that requires only 3 ingredients that is great to make in the wintertime.

What you will need:

Here’s how to make 3 ingredient fluffy slime:

The fluffy snow slime is my personal favorite. It is extremely squishy and the white color looks really neat. It also runs no risks of staining anything, which is also useful with younger kids… and some adults.

How To Make Slime Without Borax (Recipe & Ingredients)

When you make slime a lot of recipes call for borax or boric acid. That is what gives the slime the sticky viscosity and makes it almost runny. It is, for the most part, a very safe thing to use in slime. However, it can be a skin irritant and people can have an allergy to borax, and it should not be eaten (what kid doesn’t put slime into their mouth?). And, borax is not something most people have sitting around at home. Even if you aren’t sure if you or your child are allergic to boric acid, it can’t hurt to make some slime without borax in it. So, here are a few recipes to make slime that does NOT contain borax.

Now there is a controversy about borax and its safety

Note: None of the recipes on this will include Borat either.

Borax-free goo

This is actually one of the easier slimes to make in this guide. Here’s what you’ll need:

Instructions:

Like I said, this is an extremely easy slime to make and the gooey-ness is a lot of fun to play around with.

Heat sensitive borax free slime (AKA lava slime)

This recipe is actually courtesy from cNet (can be found here). This is also called volcano slime because when you stick it in the microwave it melts and seems like lava. Here’s what you will need:

Here’s how to make your lava slime:

After that, you can stick your slime in the microwave (for 20 seconds) and when it is melty it can look like awesome and slimy lava.

Super slimy borax-free slime

Here are the ingredients you will need to make super slimy slime:

Instructions:

This recipe was extremely easy to do, just make sure you buy a big enough container of eye drops because you end up using quite a bit of it.

Baby powder slime

This recipe is super simple to make, and who doesn’t want to play with something called baby powder slime? And before you ask, no, it isn’t made with real babies. Here’s what you’ll need:

How to do it:

This particular recipe creates a very slimy and sticky slime, and it is extremely fun to play with.

How To Make Slime With Borax (Recipe & Ingredients)

The recipes in this section all have borax in them. Now, the really slimy slimes all contain borax (also called boric acid). If you or your child have any allergy to borax then stick to the recipes that do not contain any boric acid in them. Now, some of these recipes do require actual borax powder. Borax is something you can find in your local grocery market’s laundry detergent section, but if you can’t find it there you can actually get some on Amazon (like this here).

Flubber

This is the “traditional” slime that you can either buy at the store or make yourself. And, it is pretty much the slime from the movie Flubber, so maybe your batch will contain an adorable little green blob with a massive personality. Here’s what you’ll need:

Here is how to make this traditional slime:

That’s it y’all, it is that simple to make great slime in the comfort of your own home. You can also add in glitter and things like that into this mix to make it more unique, but we will delve into the world of glittery slime later on in the guide.

Clear slime

This slime is clear, with no food coloring or glitter. And it is awesome looking. Here are the things that you’ll need to make clear slime:

Here’s how to make this slime:

If your slime gets a little too hard you can stick it in an airtight container for a while and it will be good to go.

How To Make Slime With Glue (Recipe & Ingredients)

The recipes in this section can range and vary in the type of slime, but they all have one thing in common; they all have glue in them. These recipes are all similar but they produce different results, so let’s go over some.

Simple slime

This is a great slime to try out with your kids because it is easy to do and does not contain any borax. Here is a list of what you will need:

Here’s how to make this very simple slime:

Radioactive slime

This is actually one of my favorite slime recipes on this list. Here’s what you need:

Here’s what you need to do to make it:

Starry slime

This is a very similar recipe to other slime recipes on the list, but this one packs a little something extra. Here’s what you’ll need:

Here’s how to make this starry concoction:

Like I said, this is similar to other recipes but this has a little confetti thrown in.

Unicorn sand slime

This one is a really cool, and super fun, slime to make. Here’s what you need:

 Here’s how to make this unicorn sand:

This slime is great because it is so unique because it has the sand in it. That sand gives a great feel that can keep anyone occupied for a while (including kids and adults).

Other Easy DIY Slime Recipes (Pink, Glitters, etc.)

Now we get onto the other slimes that are great to make. These vary and can contain just about anything. Again, you will probably see patterns in the ingredients and instructions, but they will all differ in one way or another. Let’s go over them.

Edible Slime

So slime that can be edible doesn’t sound like a good lunch choice, but if you have a kid who puts stuff in their mouth, then this might be a good choice for you. So, here’s what you’ll need:

Here’s how to put this slime together:

Starburst slime

If I’m being honest, I am a little crazy for Starbursts. My favorites are the cherry ones, and boy I can scarf them down like there’s no tomorrow. If you’re a fan of Starburst candies, you might like this edible slime. Here are the ingredients for what you need:

Here’s how to make this oh-so-delicious slime:

This is something that requires some cooking, so any kids should get some help making this sweet treat.

Now you can play with it, knead it, and do whatever it is you want to do with slime. It tastes great and is fun to play with.

Silly Putty

There are actually a few recipes to make silly putty (it is an alternate since the real Silly Putty is patented and whatnot). So, let’s go over them.

Recipe 1:

What you need

How to make recipe 1:

The second recipe is actually a little easier to make, so now let’s cover it.

Recipe 2:

What you need

How to make recipe 2:

That’s it. Literally, that’s all there is to this recipe. Easy, right?

Magnetic slime

We are pretty crazy about this slime, it is so…. magnetizing. Attractive. We are so drawn to it. Okay, I’ll stop with bad puns. Here is what you are going to need to make magnetized slime:

Here’s how you can make this fascinating slime:

That’s it for the magnetized slime. It is easy to make and you can wave some magnets over it and the slime will move. It’s fun and teaches kids about magnets and science.

Heat-sensitive slime

Also called thermochromic, this slime will change colors depending on the temperature of what is interacting with it. This is actually how mood rings work, the color varies with temperature.  Here’s what you will need:

Colors:

You will need to select the pigment color, as well as the food coloring color. Here are some possibilities-

How to make this slime:

Snot slime

This slime is just plain gross, yet is so damn cool. Let’s see what ingredients you need to make snot (that doesn’t involve getting the flu or a cold).

Here’s how to make this gross slime:

As y’all can probably tell, this is another great recipe that you can make with the kids and have fun with.

Conclusion

As you can tell, there is no shortage of slime recipes that can fit anything you want. Whether you can eat the slime, magnetize it, light it up with a black light, or make it look like mucus, you will find the perfect slime for you. You can add food coloring, confetti, and even sand into your slime mixture to totally change up the consistency of your slime. Heck, you can even add shaving cream to make super fluffy slime that is fun to play with.

If you, or your child, have any skin allergies then you will want to stay away from boric acid. Borax is not in itself dangerous, but it is something to keep an eye on. You can find boric acid not only in some contact solution but in cleaning products as well. If you are in a pinch then you can make slime in so many different ways you are sure to find a recipe for stuff you already have laying around the house. If you can’t find what you want, Amazon is a great place to shop for anything you will need for your slime.

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