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Slime Recipes Without Borax

Ningthoujam Sandhyarani
The typical homemade slime recipe ingredients are glue and sodium tetraborate, of which the latter acts as a cross-linking agent. If you have concerns about using this boron compound in making slime, you must try the recipe without borax.
Slime is one of the playthings that kids never get bored with. Playing with this highly viscous, gooey substance is indeed a fun thing to pass time. The original product sold in the market was green in color. Today, there are many variants of it, which differ in color and constituent ingredients. No doubt, you will get a plethora of slime toys, sold in nearly all toy centers. But, it is more fun to make it at home with simple ingredients from the kitchen counter.

How to Make It?

While making slime, a base ingredient is polyvinyl alcohol. Another alternative that serves the same purpose as polyvinyl alcohol is a long chain polysaccharide.
Borax, chemically known as sodium tetraborate, is used for cross-linking the polymer and giving it that rubbery texture. This boron compound is not toxic, but causes skin irritation to a sensitive skin and also, has side effects when ingested. So, borax is not preferred for use in kid's activities.
As with any kid's toy, safety of slime is the first thing that concerns parents. So, you can make a slippery substance with safe ingredients. Also, you can let the kids play with vibrant colored slime, which is a change from the regular green one.
How about using bright red slime for red flowers or blue slime for water? Well, with a good recipe, you can easily do this. The range of colors is wide. Here are some easy methods.

#1

Ingredients
  • Cornstarch, 2 cups
  • Water, 1 cup
  • A dash of food coloring
Directions for Preparation
  • Add cornstarch in a mixing bowl and keep it ready.
  • Pour 2 cups of water in a saucepan and heat it.
  • When water becomes warm, remove the saucepan from heat.
  • Gently pour warm water in a bowl, and stir in a dash of food coloring (or a few drops of liquid coloring).
  • To this bowl containing colored water, add cornstarch slowly, while stirring continuously.
  • By using warm water and constant stirring, you can avoid clump formation.
  • If the concoction is runny, try adding more cornstarch.
  • And if the consistency of slime is too thick, add some more warm water and stir, until you get a smooth slime.

#2

Ingredients
  • Cornflour, 1 cup
  • Water, 1½ cups
  • Flour, 1½ cups
  • Food coloring
Directions for Preparation
  • This is a simple alteration to the above recipe.
  • You can try this method for making a thicker goop.
  • Take a mixing bowl, and mix together cornflour, ¾ cup water, and food coloring.
  • Stir well, and transfer this semi liquid concoction in a saucepan.
  • Heat this mixture over low heat setting.
  • Add flour when the mixture is warm.
  • Gently pour the remaining water into the saucepan, and stir well.

#3

Ingredients
  • Liquid starch, ½ cup
  • White glue, 1 cup
  • Food coloring of desired shade
Directions for Preparation
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine glue and food coloring.
  • Add more food coloring to make a darker shade, as the resulting slime will lighten after adding liquid starch.
  • Stir the mixture well.
  • Following this, add liquid starch to the color glue.
  • Mix well, and you will get a workable goop.
These slime recipes are common, yet excellent inclusions in class activities, and science projects for kids. To avoid the drying of slime, store it in a Ziploc bag, or an air-tight container, and keep it in the refrigerator. Let your kids play as much as they want with this borax free slime, you know it's not going to harm their delicate skin.