How to Activate Slime Without Activator

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 11, 2023 References

If you have rubbery, dried-out, sticky, or stringy slime, you can fix it by adding certain ingredients in place of an activator like Borax, which standard slime recipes call for. If you are making slime from scratch and are concerned about using Borax because it irritates your skin or you don’t feel it’s safe around your kids, use a Borax-free slime recipe. These recipes use other ingredients to activate the slime in place of Borax. Try making fluffy slime using cornstarch or stretchy slime using baking soda and contact lens solution as alternatives to making traditional slime with a Borax activator.

Ingredients

Fluffy Slime

1/2 cup (118.29 mL) of shampoo
1/4 cup (30 g) of cornstarch
6 US tbsp (89 mL) of water
Food coloring (optional)

Stretchy Slime

1 cup (236.58 mL) of school glue
1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda
Food coloring (optional)
Contact lens solution

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Fixing Existing Slime

1
Mix lotion into rubbery slime to make it stretchy again. Squeeze 1 squirt of moisturizing lotion onto slime that has lost its stretch. Knead it in with your hands to mix it in. Mix in more lotion, 1 squirt at a time, until the slime is as stretchy as you want it.^{[1]
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- Any kind of moisturizing hand or body lotion will work for this.
- This works well rubbery slime that just breaks when you try to stretch it out.
2
Moisten dried-out slime with warm water. Hold dried-out slime under warm running water or dunk it in a bowl of warm water for 1 second at a time, then play with the slime in your hands to mix the water in. Repeat this as many times as needed until the slime becomes moist and stretchy again.^{[2]
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- This works well for slime that has dried out slightly because it was left out and not stored in an airtight container.
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3
Add baking soda and contact lens solution to make slime less sticky. Put the sticky slime into any kind of bowl or container. Pour ¹⁄₂ tsp (2.5 mL) of contact lens solution and 1/2 tsp (2 g) of baking soda onto the slime, then mix it in thoroughly by kneading the slime with your hands. Add more of each substance if the slime is still too sticky.^{[3]
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- Don’t add more than ¹⁄₂ tsp (2.5 mL) of contact lens solution and 1/2 tsp (2 g) of baking soda at a time. If you add too much, the slime can become rubbery and break apart.
4
Fix stringy slime by mixing in liquid starch. Put the stringy slime into any type of bowl and pour in 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of liquid starch. Stir the liquid starch in thoroughly with a metal spoon. Keep stirring in liquid starch, 1 US tbsp (15 mL) at a time, until there are no strings of slime sticking to the spoon.^{[4]
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- Once the slime loses its stringiness, you can pick it up and start to knead it with your hands to firm it up.
Warning: Keep in mind that some liquid starches contain a form of Borax.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Fluffy Slime with Cornstarch

1
Mix 1/2 cup (118.29 mL) of shampoo and 1/4 cup (30 g) of cornstarch. Pour 1/2 cup (118.29 mL) of shampoo into any type of bowl and add 1/4 cup (30 g) of cornstarch. Mix it together thoroughly using a metal spoon until it is an even consistency.
- You can use any type of shampoo, but thicker shampoos typically work better.^{[5]
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2
Add 3 drops of food coloring if you want to color the slime. Squeeze 3 drops of food coloring out of the bottle into the mixture. Stir it in thoroughly to color the slime.^{[6]
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- This is completely optional. Don’t add any food coloring if you don’t want to color the slime.
Tip: Green is a classic slime color, but you can make it any color you want. Feel free to add more than 3 drops if you want a brighter color.
3
Stir in 6 US tbsp (89 mL) of water, 1 at a time. Add 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of water to the mixture and stir it in. Pour in another 5 US tbsp (74 mL) of water, stirring thoroughly between each spoonful.^{[7]
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- This will make slime that has a fluffy, dough-like texture.
4
Knead the slime dough for at least 5 minutes. Close your hands into fists and press your knuckles firmly against the slime dough to knead it. Flip it over and do the same to the other side. Repeat this process for at least 5 minutes until the slime has a fluffy, doughy consistency and doesn’t feel too sticky.^{[8]
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- If you find that the slime is too sticky after kneading it, try adding more cornstarch and continue to knead it until you’re happy with the consistency.
5
Store the slime in a zip-top plastic bag to keep it moist. Put the slime in a sealable bag when you aren’t playing with it. Squeeze out the air and close the zip-top to prevent it from drying out.^{[9]
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- You could also keep the slime in a small sealable container instead of a plastic bag.
- As long as you store slime correctly, it can last for months.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Creating Stretchy Slime with Baking Soda

1
Mix together 1 cup (236.58 mL) of school glue and 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda. Pour 1 cup (236.58 mL) of school glue into any kind of bowl. Add 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda and mix it in thoroughly using a metal spoon.^{[10]
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- This recipe creates slime that has a consistency similar to slime made using Borax. However, it will have a slightly grainy texture like sand.
2
Stir in 3 drops of food coloring if you want to make colored slime. Pour in 3 drops of food coloring of your choice. Mix it in thoroughly to color the slime dough.^{[11]
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- You can add more or less food coloring if you want the slime to be brighter or less colored. Skip the food coloring completely if you just want white slime.
3
Add 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of contact lens solution and mix it in. Pour in 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of contact lens solution. Stir it in thoroughly, paying attention to how it changes the consistency of the slime dough.^{[12]
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- The contact lens solution works as an activator with the baking soda in place of Borax.
- Contact lens solution is also known as saline solution.
4
Keep mixing in contact lens solution until you get the desired consistency. Add 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of contact lens solution at a time, stirring each spoonful in thoroughly. Stop mixing it in when the slime has a nice stretchy, doughy texture.^{[13]
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- You might need to start kneading the dough with your hands to mix in additional spoonfuls of contact lens solution as the slime becomes more firm.
- If the slime feels too sticky, you can add a few drops of baby oil to the mixture.
Tip: The more you play with the stretchy slime dough, the firmer it will get. If it feels soggy, just knead and play with it until you achieve the desired consistency.
5
Store the slime in an airtight container or bag to make it last a long time. Place the stretchy slime into a sealable container or zip-top plastic bag. Put the lid on the container or close the bag to keep the slime fresh.^{[14]
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- As long as you store the slime this way whenever you aren’t playing with it, it will last for at least a few weeks or even months. You can always add more activator to it when it starts to dry out or lose its stretchiness.

Community Q&A

Question

Can you tell me the meaning of kneading in easy English?

Community Answer

Kneading means pushing and massaging with your hands (as with bread dough), like a kitten does while drinking milk from its mother.
Question

What is a substitute for contact lens solution?

Haylie Chau

Community Answer

You can use a mix of borax and warm water instead of contact lens solution. But remember to use 1 teaspoon of borax and 1 cup of water. Also, mix the baking soda with 5 tablespoons of water.