How to Make Goo With Borax: Safe, Squishy Slime Guide

Borax slime comes together with three things: glue, water, and a borax solution. The borax dissolves in water and reacts with the polyvinyl acetate in white school glue, linking the long glue molecules into a stretchy net. That reaction is what turns a puddle into goo. If you want to know how to make goo with borax, the short version is: mix 1/2 cup glue with 1/2 cup water, stir in a borax solution a little at a time, then knead. It firms up in under a minute and keeps for about a week in a sealed container.

What you need

White school glue gives the most reliable result. Clear glue works too, but the slime comes out more translucent and a bit less bouncy.

• 1/2 cup white school glue (one 4 oz bottle is close enough)
• 1/2 cup warm water, for the glue mixture
• 1 teaspoon borax powder
• 1 cup warm water, for the borax solution
• A bowl, a spoon, and a jar with a lid
• Optional: food coloring, glitter, or a drop of lotion for a softer feel

Borax is sodium tetraborate, sold as a laundry booster in the detergent aisle. It is a cleaning product, not a toy ingredient, so treat it that way. The American Cleaning Institute has general guidance on storing and handling household cleaning products, and the same habits apply here: keep it labeled, keep it closed, keep it away from food.

Do not substitute contact lens solution unless you check the label for boric acid and sodium borate. Many lens solutions use different active ingredients and will not set the glue. If you are not sure what is in the bottle, skip it.

Borax is the part that decides whether you get slime or a crumbly mess. One teaspoon in a cup of water is a good starting ratio. More borax does not make better slime. Past a point it makes rubbery, breaking slime that snaps instead of stretching.

How to make it, step by step

1. Pour 1/2 cup glue into a bowl.
2. Add 1/2 cup warm water and stir until the glue and water are fully combined. This thins the glue so the borax can reach it evenly.
3. In a separate jar, stir 1 teaspoon borax into 1 cup warm water until the powder is completely dissolved. Warm water dissolves it faster than cold.
4. Add the borax solution to the glue in small splashes, about a tablespoon at a time, stirring after each one.
5. Watch for the mixture to pull away from the sides of the bowl and clump around your spoon. That is the signal to stop adding.
6. Take the blob out and knead it with your hands for a minute or two. It will feel wet and stringy at first, then smooth out.
7. If it is still sticky after kneading, dip it in the borax solution once and knead again. If it is stiff and tears, work in a few drops of warm water.

Most batches need somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of the borax solution. The exact amount depends on your glue and the humidity in the room, so add slowly and let the mixture tell you when it is done.

Say you use a full 4 oz bottle of glue, which is about 1/2 cup. You mix in 1/2 cup water, then add the borax solution one tablespoon at a time. At tablespoon four or five, the mixture suddenly stops coating the bowl and gathers into a ball. You stop there, knead for two minutes, and end up with a ball roughly the size of a tennis ball. That is a normal batch.

Fixing common problems

Slime is forgiving, and most failures have a simple cause.

• Too sticky: not enough borax. Add a splash of solution and knead.
• Too stiff or snapping: too much borax. Knead in warm water a few drops at a time.
• Crumbly and never came together: the borax did not fully dissolve, or the glue was a brand that does not contain polyvinyl acetate. Check the bottle.
• Stringy and never firms up: too much water in the glue step. Pour off any standing liquid and add more borax solution.
• Sticky hands after playing: normal. Wash with soap and warm water.

Store the goo in a sealed jar or zip bag. It lasts about a week before it dries out or grows mold, whichever comes first. Keep it out of the sun and out of the fridge.

Safety and cleanup

Borax is not meant to be eaten, and it should not go on broken skin or near the eyes. Wash hands after play, and keep the whole project away from kids who still put things in their mouths. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes recall and safety information for household products, and it is worth a look if you are buying a new brand of borax or glue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention covers handwashing basics, which is the main cleanup step here.

A few practical rules:

• Do not let pets near the slime or the borax powder.
• Wipe surfaces with a damp cloth. Borax powder is a mild irritant if it gets in your eyes or lungs, so avoid making dust clouds when you scoop it.
• Throw used goo in the trash, not down the sink. It can clog drains.
• If you or your child has sensitive skin, have them play with it for a few minutes first and check for redness.

If a child swallows slime or borax, call Poison Control right away. If you have a skin condition, an allergy, or any concern about exposure, ask a doctor or pharmacist rather than guessing.

Slime that has dried out can sometimes be revived with a few drops of warm water and a good knead. Once it smells off or has visible spots, throw it out and make a fresh batch. The ingredients are cheap enough that a new batch beats a salvage job.

Key takeaways

• The basic ratio is 1/2 cup glue, 1/2 cup water, and 1 teaspoon borax dissolved in 1 cup warm water.
• Add the borax solution in small amounts and stop when the mixture pulls away from the bowl.
• Too sticky means more borax solution; too stiff means a little warm water.
• White school glue with polyvinyl acetate works best. Check the label before substituting.
• Store in a sealed container for about a week, and throw it out once it dries or smells.
• Keep borax away from eyes, mouths, and pets, wash hands after play, and call Poison Control if it is swallowed.