Do your kids want slime that stretches for miles? Discover how to make stretchy slime with an awesome slime recipe that DOES NOT USE liquid starch or borax powder. What I love most about this recipe is the super stretch you get with your slime! We love making homemade slime!

DIY SLIME WITHOUT BORAX OR LIQUID STARCH!

SLIME WITHOUT BORAX

I was super excited to try out this recipe that my friend in Canada came up with after doing some trial and error of her own. In the U.K. and Canada, liquid starch is not sold, so it’s impossible to make our slime with liquid starch.

Also in Canada, borax powder is not suggested for use in kids activities, and in the UK and Australia it is not readily available.

So what can you use instead of borax? The good news is that it is easy to make slime with eye drops (eyewash or saline solution) and glue, if the eye drops contain boric acid or sodium borate.

As a rule of thumb, we have to double the number of eye drops used compared to the saline solution. See our homemade dollar store slime kit with eye drops!

Want to make slime without borax or eye drops? Check our list of taste safe, completely borax free slime recipes!

MAKE STRETCHY SLIME FOR SCIENCE!

Did you know that slime is science too! Kids love to play with slime, and its also a great way to encourage your kiddos to learn more about science. Liquids and solids, Non-Newtonian fluids, polymers, and so much more.

Read up on basic slime science here, and share it with the kids next time you make a batch of slime.

You will definitely want to make this stretchy slime in a few colors! We made three batches because we love the way slime looks when the colors swirl together!

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Of course, a large batch of slime will add to the all over amount of stretch you can get out of the slime. Grab a ruler and see how long you can stretch it before it breaks. Here’s a hint, stretch slowly, pull gently, and let gravity help you out!

Make slime that stretches! Easy slime recipe without borax and starchPin

SLIME RECIPE

This slime gets better with time. It requires you to spend some extra time kneading it but you will have an awesome feeling stretchy slime when you are done.

SLIME INGREDIENTS:

  • Approximately 2 tbsp of Eye Drops (make sure boric acid is listed as an ingredient)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 cup White or Clear PVA Washable School Glue
  • Food Coloring {optional but fun}
  • Mixing Bowl, Measuring Cup, and Spoon
Supplies for making slime include eye drops, baking soda, and gluePin

HOW TO MAKE SLIME

STEP 1:  First measure a 1/2 cup of your glue into a mixing container.

STEP 2:  Add food coloring. For a deeper shade, because the glue is white, I like to use anywhere from 10-15 drops of food coloring. Stir to combine!

STEP 3:  Add 3/4 teaspoon {I did not level my 1/4 tsp exactly, so this may be closer to a full tsp worth of baking soda}. Mix it up!

Baking soda helps to firm and form the slime. You can experiment with your own ratios! We have found clear glue slime usually doesn’t need quite as much baking soda as white glue slime!

how to make slime without boraxPin

STEP 4: You can start by adding a full tbsp of eye drops and see how you like that consistency, you may need to add more. You can also follow our method below if you want to fine-tune the consistency to your desired texture.

Adding too much slime activator (eye drops) can lead to a rubbery and too firm slime. 

Now for the eye drops! Add 10 eye drops and mix. Add 10 more and mix. You will start to see some consistency changes. Add 10 more drops and mix.

Even more, change is happening. Add 10 more drops and you should be seeing a pretty thick and stiff mixture. You can probably grab it and start to pull it away some but it’s still really sticky.

Add 10 more and mix.

STEP 5:  Now, it gets fun. {You have added 40 drops so far.} Put a few drops of the eye drop solution on your fingers and pull out the slime.

It should come out nicely but still feel slightly sticky. The eye drops on your hands will help. Start working the slime and kneading. My husband says I look like I am pulling taffy.

Get slime on clothes? Check out how to get slime out of clothes and hair.

Additionally, I will add 5 more drops to the slime while it’s in my hands. Just keep kneading and pulling and folding it for a good five minutes. {In the end, I have used 45-50 drops of our eye drop solution}

Kneading is an extremely important part of making slime! It will improve consistency considerably!

Making stretchy slime with glue, baking soda, and eye dropsPin

This is a good view (below) of how it comes together at the point where you are going to remove it from the container to start kneading it.

There’s nothing better than a huge pile of slime to play with any time. This stretchy slime made with eye drops and glue was just as much fun the next day.

Mixing stretchy slime in beakerPin

MORE FUN SLIME RECIPES TO TRY

Here are a few of our favorite slime recipes! Did you know we also have fun with STEM activities?

MAKE SLIME WITHOUT BORAX FOR STRETCHY SLIME FUN

Click on the link or on the image below for more awesome slime recipes.

48 Comments

  1. I tried and it didn’t work… My saline solution does contain boric acid so the glue is the problem?
    I’m from France and I didn’t use the Elmer’s school glue that everyone all over the Internet seems to use for slime. I used a vinylic white glue (standard glue used in french school). Any advice where it went wrong?

  2. My daughter would like you to know we made a pink batch for a birthday gift and it turned out really well!

  3. I am really happy to hear that! I hope you get a chance to try the fluffy slime too. My son thought it might be his new favorite!

  4. PLEASE HELP… I need some help… I just don’t get it 🙁
    I have made this recipe 8 times in the hopes I will figure it out… but every time, without fail, after a few hours it turns to rubber. Please help me figure out what I am doing wrong. My girls get all excited and then boom… disappointment.

  5. PLEASE HELP ME
    I have made this recipe 8 times in the hope of finding the right combo… but each time, without fail, it turns to rubber after a few hours. My girls get all excited play with it then the disappointment hits.
    Please tell me what I can address do differently to stop this.

  6. Feel free to email me at [email protected] for more help if you like! It may be the solution you are using and we can go over that together. What are therein ingredients in the eye drops?

  7. I think I may have figured it out… but if I run into any issues I’ll definitely email!!!

  8. I had made three colors of this slime. Light blue, pastel pink and a green that we turned to black. It worked super well but the next day it dried up. I have put it in a container with a lid. Can you help me where I went wrong on?

  9. Just double checking that you originally stored it in a container with a lid? I figured thats what you meant. Did you try working it into itself? I don’t know what might have happened, I have a batch I never stuck in a container still sitting out and it hasn’t dried out. I would give it another go and make a fresh batch.

  10. I have wasted 3 bottles of Elmer’s glue trying to make slime. I made some yesterday from your recipe and it worked perfectly. Today , it won’t thicken. What can I do to make it thicken?

  11. We used latex glue (can’t get Elmer’s glue where I live) and it worked great. The problem is my son put the slime all over his T-shirt and now it’s all dried up and un-removable. Do you have any tricks to get it out? Thank you!

  12. Oh boy! Well first I am glad it worked for you, but sadly I don’t have any experience removing something like that. Have you tried letting it sit in a bucket of hot soap water?

  13. If you followed the recipe exactly, this should not be an issue since you achieved it once. Every now and then this will happen to me and I have found the reason to simply be a bad batch of glue! I would definitely check out amazon for the gallons of white glue. I couldn’t believe how much cheaper it was to make slime that way!

  14. Thank you! I soaked it in hot water and I was able to peel the slimy bits off using my finger nails. 🙂

  15. add more activator (liquid starch, borax, or contact solution with baking soda) little bit at a time like teaspoon.

  16. oh my goodness! My little 8 yr old girl had a blast making this. It was super easy! She played with it for hours!!! Thank you so much!

  17. We purchase it from Amazon or store like Michaels Craft Supplies {which is also online}.

  18. Hi, I did this and it is really sticky and won’t work. It might be the ingredients but I’m not very sure. Please help! Thankyou

  19. Elmers glue is sold at just about any store that sells office supplies;
    Walmart
    Walgreens
    Cvs
    Ralph’s
    Albertsons
    Probably most grocery stores
    Target
    Rite Aid
    (I think you get the picture here)

    I know this is a super late reply but hope it helps

  20. You should be able to use a different PVA glue but keep in mind you may need to tinker with the recipe!

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  22. I refuse to let my children play with slime because I am scared of the mess. Is this slime easy to clean and store?

  23. Well, its definitely easy to store but you don’t want it to get all over furniture, rugs, clothes, and hair! If your kids are prone to throwing it and leaving it on things, it might get messy. We play at the counter or table so clean up is easy.

  24. k the ingredients in your eye drops or solution! Boric acid and sodium borate are needed. If it does contain those things, you may need to add a little more and give it a good stir.

  25. If the eye drops don’t contain boric acid, it won’t work, will it?
    I have tried this recipe before but it didn’t work. My eye drops have polyvinyl acid, butt no boric acid. Will it still work? I don’t want to waste my ingredients on making slime that won’t work.

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  27. WELL… boric acid is BORAX. If you got to the store and buy the box of borax it is the same thing the woman lied about her son being burned from. Borax is a major component of eye solution and if it is good enough for the eyes it is good enough for our clothes. We have allowed the eye industry very wealthy and slander a huge company. Borax is boric acid. So just get a box of borax which will be cheaper in the long run with making slime.

  28. Yes, you can certainly do that. The borax slime recipe isn’t one of our favorites but not for any health reasons more for stretchiness! There is definitely a recipe out there for everyone. Boric acid is in the boron family along with borax powder but they are not one in a same. Boric acid has to go through a rigorous chemical reaction to become the powder that one can not do at home.

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  30. Late reply, but maybe it will help in the future. I’ve heard vinegar works on removing slime. Personally I just wear old clothes when making it, no different from any other crafting project.

    Hope the vinegar works for you!

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  32. I used PVA school glue bought from Hobbycraft in the UK. Worked a charm. https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/hobbycraft-school-pva-glue-300ml/590873-1000

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  34. You are correct, it will not work without boric acid or a combo of boric acid/sodium borate.

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  37. You definitely need it along with the saline solution for thickening and stability!

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