Make liquid glass or at least crystal clear slime with the kids. Our Elmer’s clear glue slime recipe is amazingly easy, and it’s the perfect chemistry and science demonstration the kids love. We stumbled upon a fun little fact to get our slime to look as clear as glass. Homemade slime is an awesome activity to share with kids, and we have the best slime recipes to share with you!
ELMER’S CLEAR GLUE SLIME RECIPE
GOT HOMEMADE SLIME?
Are you new to the slime craze or have you been loving slime all along? I absolutely NEVER thought I would have tried making homemade slime so many years ago.
My biggest thought was how can I ever get it to turn out like the pictures. Then I made some…
And you know what?
Making slime is actually pretty easy. We have a growing handful of homemade slime recipes that I use over and over again.
Yes, Elmer’s Washable School Glue is absolutely fantastic for making slime quickly and easily. That’s exactly why you will see us use it each and every time.
Except, I just want to you know, I am NOT PAID by Elmer’s brand to represent their glue. It just works that well, and my goal is to show you how easily we make our slime every time.
CRYSTAL CLEAR SLIME LOOKS LIKE LIQUID GLASS!
We {my son really} stumbled upon one fascinating little tip to really get your slime to look like crystal clear glass, and I will leave that at the very end for you to discover too.
Though, I will tell you, that the best way to achieve crystal clear and glass-like slime is by using our borax slime recipe.
Our other basic slime recipes {although they contain borons too} will leave you with a cloudy clear slime instead unless you add food coloring, but we wanted an absolutely crystal clear slime like liquid glass!
ELMER’S CLEAR GLUE SLIME RECIPE UPDATE
I have a lot of readers express that their clear glue slime seems brittle and crumbly, so you are not alone if you experience this. White glue and clear glue are a bit different in viscosity and make slightly different slimes. I have always found that clear glue slime is simply thicker.
We have been experimenting with the recipe just a bit to find a better ratio of ingredients. So for this easy clear glue slime, we reduced the amount of borax used.
For maximum stretchable slime, I would hands down try the saline slime solution recipe as it’s our go-to for easy, stretchy slime making.
However, if you really want to make a super clear slime, this is the best recipe!
The secret to stretching slime is to be move slowly and pull gently. Dues to its chemical composition it will break when you pull fast and hard.
Read more about the science below. You can break off small blobs and really stretch them quite thin for a super clear look. You can even watch us make it live on our facebook page!
No more having to print out a WHOLE blog post for just one recipe!
Get our basic slime recipes in an easy to print format so you can knock out the activities!
—>>> FREE SLIME RECIPE CARDS
ELMER’S CLEAR GLUE SLIME SUPPLIES
I always suggest that you check out our recommended slime supplies page if you haven’t already. Additionally, we have a slime troubleshooting page that is good to read through even before making slime!
- 1/2 cup Elmer’s Washable PVAClear Glue
- 1/2 cup water to mix with glue and 1/2 cup of warm water to mix with the borax powder
- 1/4 tsp Borax Powder {laundry aisle}
- Measuring cups, bowl, spoon or craft sticks
- Grab your FREE clickable slime supplies pack (see below too).
MAKING ELMER’S CLEAR GLUE SLIME STEP BY STEP
*Note: We used a full cup of glue for this slime activity. You can also get a nice pile of slime with only a 1/2 cup.*
First Measure out 1 cup of clear glue into a bowl, and then you can go ahead and add 1 cup of water to the glue. Stir to combine. See full steps below photos.
MAKE YOUR BORAX SLIME ACTIVATOR
Measure out 1/2 teaspoon of borax powder and 1 cup of hot water {hot tap water is fine and does not need to be boiled} as seen below. This is best done by adults. If you are halving the recipe, use 1/4 borax powder to 1/2 cup warm water.
Add the borax powder to the water and stir well to combine. This is your slime activator. You are making a saturated solution and you will see a few particles still floating around and settling to the bottom. Spend a minute stirring to make sure the powder is well incorporated.
FORMING YOUR BORAX SLIME
Add the borax slime activator solution {borax powder and water} to the glue/water mixture. Start stirring! Your slime will begin to form instantly. Keep stirring until your slime has formed and remove immediately to a dry container.
With our new ratio of borax powder to water, you should not have any leftover liquid in the bowl. If you do keep stirring. With higher ratios of borax to water, you may have leftover liquid.
Continue to knead slime with your hands for several minutes to improve the consistency of the slime.
MAKE CLEAR SLIME STEP BY STEP
STEP 1: In a bowl mix 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup of glue. Mix well to combine completely.
STEP 2: Make up your slime activator by mixing together 1/4 tsp borax powder and 1/2 cup warm water in a separate bowl. Hot tap water is fine and does not need to be boiled. This step is best done by an adult. Spend a minute stirring to make sure the borax powder is well mixed in.
STEP 3: Add the borax slime activator solution {borax powder and water} to the glue/water mixture. Start stirring! Your slime will begin to form instantly. Keep stirring until your slime has formed and remove immediately to a dry container.
With our new ratio of borax powder to water, you should not have any leftover liquid in the bowl. If you do keep stirring. With higher ratios of borax to water, you may have leftover liquid.
STEP 4: Start kneading your slime! It will appear stringy at first but just work it around with your hands and you will notice the consistency changes.
You can knead the slime in the bowl before you pick it up as well. This slime is stretchy but can be stickier. However, keep in mind that although adding more activator (borax powder) reduces the stickiness, it will eventually create a stiffer slime. You can always add but you can’t take away!
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE HOMEMADE SLIME RECIPE
We always like to include a bit of homemade slime science around here! Slime is an excellent chemistry demonstration and kids love it too! Mixtures, substances, polymers, cross-linking, states of matter, elasticity, and viscosity are just a few of the science concepts that can be explored with homemade slime!
What’s slime science all about? The borate ions in the slime activators (sodium borate, borax powder, or boric acid) mix with the PVA (polyvinyl acetate) glue and forms this cool stretchy substance. This is called cross-linking!
The glue is a polymer and is made up of long, repeating, and identical strands or molecules. These molecules with flow past one another keeping the glue in a liquid state. Until…
You add the borate ions to the mixture, and it then starts to connect these long strands together. They begin to tangle and mix until the substance is less like the liquid you started with and thicker and rubbery like slime! Slime is a polymer.
Picture the difference between wet spaghetti and leftover spaghetti the next day. As the slime forms, the tangled molecule strands are much like the clump of spaghetti!
Is slime a liquid or solid?
We call it a Non-Newtonian fluid because it’s a little bit of both! Experiment with making the slime more or less viscous with varying amounts of foam beads. Can you change the density?
Did you know that slime aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)?
It does and you can use slime making to explore states of matter and its interactions. Find out more below…
ELMER’S CLEAR GLUE SLIME LIQUID GLASS TIP!
We made this large batch of slime and it was filled with air bubbles, so it wasn’t crystal clear and it didn’t look like glass at all! But it was still a lot of fun and cool to play with too.
We stuck it in a glass container and put a lid on it and it ended up sitting on the counter untouched for a day and a half while we were busy with swim and school and friends.
My son checked on it and noticed that the large air bubbles were much less large.
We let it sit even longer and the bubbles were even smaller and almost nonexistent. Well, there’s only so long you can let the slime sit before playing with it again.
We did test this out on three separate batches of our Elmer’s clear glue slime to just check it out.
No more having to print out a WHOLE blog post for just one recipe!
Get our basic slime recipes in an easy to print format so you can knock out the activities!
—>>> FREE SLIME RECIPE CARDS
HOW DO YOU STORE SLIME?
Slime lasts quite a while! I get a lot of questions regarding how I store my slime. We use reusable containers in either plastic or glass. Make sure to keep your slime clean and it will last for several weeks. I love the deli-style containers I have listed in my recommended slime supplies list.
If you want to send kids home with a bit of slime from a camp, party, or classroom project, I would suggest packages of reusable containers from the dollar store or grocery store or even Amazon. For large groups, we have used condiment containers and labels as seen here.
We have the best resources to look through before, during, and after making your (KEYWORD) slime! Make sure to go back and read the slime science above too!
CHECK OUT MORE FUN (THEME) IDEAS
ADD RELEVANT LINKS
EXTRA SLIMY RESOURCES
OUR TOP SLIME RECIPE IDEAS YOU NEED TO MAKE!
BEST INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING SLIME!
THE AMAZING BENEFITS THAT COME OUT OF SLIME MAKING WITH KIDS!
Check out even more Elmer’s Glue Slime Recipes to Try! Click on photos below. Or try a basic white Elmer’s glue with your favorite mix-ins!
BEST Homemade Slime Recipes EVER! Click on the photo!
No more having to print out a WHOLE blog post for just one recipe!
Get our basic slime recipes in an easy to print format so you can knock out the activities!
—>>> FREE SLIME RECIPE CARDS
sammy
August 3, 2017 at 9:08 ami tried this but i wasted a whole cup of glue because this didn’t work… it broke in pieces and wasn’t like slime at all
littlebins
September 29, 2017 at 8:45 amHmm. Did you follow the measurements exactly. A whole cup of glue needs a whole cup of water in addition to the borax solution.
Brooke
December 13, 2017 at 8:09 pmSame here. Just turned out crumbly. I even added a 1/2 c more water but then it was just a sticky, glob. I expected more slimey. It’s rubbery and breaks apart easily. Sad!
littlebins
December 14, 2017 at 10:11 amFeel free to email me at [email protected] and we can troubleshoot it together! I am happy to help.
Christina
April 28, 2018 at 11:45 pmAdd some play doh to it it will turn whatever color the play doh is but it helps to not have the slime so stiff not to much though… It would turn sticky but the right amount and it will turn it into an actual slime with good feel and be stretchy…
Ashley
January 4, 2018 at 5:02 pmThe same just happened to us:( My kids were so excited for the clear slime and I hate wasting glue. Bummer!!
littlebins
January 18, 2018 at 8:00 pmBorax slime is more difficult to make and seems to take some practice. You can thin the glue with an extra 1/4 cup of water.
Laurynn
February 4, 2018 at 6:03 pmIf you just add the borax, it will turn out that way. You have to mix while you pour it in the borax. This always works for me!
Maisy
March 2, 2018 at 2:47 pmMy slime sucks I’m really upset it’s like an orbeez
littlebins
March 2, 2018 at 6:29 pmHi feel free to email me at [email protected] and we can go over it!
Lauren
August 13, 2017 at 11:00 amWe used this recipe and have enjoyed playing with our clear slime. Thank you for sharing!
Zahara hernandez-cook
September 6, 2017 at 8:23 pmHello i was checking out how to make clear slime. Can i use my contact lens solution instead of borax because borax is very unsafe! Thanks!
littlebins
September 29, 2017 at 8:48 amIt’s actually not unsafe and you can check out Steve Spangler, scientist on Facebook to read more about that. If you want completely clear slime, you can not use saline solution because you also need to add baking soda which will disrupt the clarity.
Manmohan Singh
September 14, 2017 at 11:10 amCan we can’t make it without using borax
littlebins
September 14, 2017 at 12:39 pmWell you can make slime without borax, but if you want crystal clear slime you need to use borax or you will have cloudy slime. If you plan to add food coloring then you can use our liquid starch or saline slime recipes!
Emily
October 19, 2017 at 9:23 pmAt first I was very skeptical of this because of all the water involved, but I just tried it about 20 mins ago and I am very impressed! I used about 1/2 cup of glue and 1/2 cup water, then the 1 cup of borax water, and I now have about 2 cups of really nice slime. Could have used less of the borax water, but still…really nice recipe. Thank you!
Emma
October 21, 2017 at 8:21 pmthis never really answered my question I wanted to know if clear glue is better than white
littlebins
June 12, 2018 at 11:21 pmDepends on the look you want and the theme you are making…
Maya
October 27, 2017 at 3:15 pmHey I live in the UK and my mum doesn’t let me order things online and I want to know if contact lens solution would work as well???
littlebins
June 12, 2018 at 11:19 pmIt does not work as well but isn’t horrible either!
Haillie Sloan
October 30, 2017 at 1:34 amI used this recipe and I never had made Clear slime before and I love this recipe it works if we had to give stars I would give it five star rating.
Rebecca
October 30, 2017 at 9:56 pmI’m super excited to try this!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
elziv
October 31, 2017 at 1:03 pm*very nice post, i certainly love this website, keep on it
Kathryn
November 29, 2017 at 3:04 pmhi, thanks for the recipe! could you please advise me on how to store the slime? I’m wanting to make it for Christmas presents, wondering how long that will last for and maybe how to revive it? thanks
littlebins
November 29, 2017 at 3:53 pmWe store our slime in reusable containers, plastic or glass!
Mary
December 11, 2017 at 12:09 pmHow much slime does this recipe make? My son has a Market Day project and needs to make enough to pass out to 30 kids. I was thinking we would just give them 1/3 to 1/2 cup portions. So I’m trying to decide how much glue to purchase.
littlebins
June 12, 2018 at 11:07 pmOne batch of slime fills approx 5 condiment size containers, just enough but not too much!
India
December 14, 2017 at 12:01 amThis recipe has been great and easy for me! Made over 10 x now. It works very well however I have realized there are many different factors that contribute to the gooeyness of the slime. Most of all ive realized never add too much borax! Any more than the 1ts and u will have hard slime.thanks again littlebins!
littlebins
December 14, 2017 at 10:10 amMakes a great science experiment doesn’t it! I appreciate the comment. Have you checked out our thinking putty recipe?
Ron
January 3, 2018 at 12:06 amWhat would your favorite slime recipe be?
littlebins
January 18, 2018 at 8:02 pmMy favorite is the saline slime recipe we have but you won’t get a really clear slime, but honestly if you want really fun slime make the saline recipe!
Victoria
January 7, 2018 at 9:25 pmHello,
I love all of your slime recipes but I don’t have liquid starch,
Ware do I find some?
littlebins
January 18, 2018 at 7:55 pmAt the grocery store in the laundry aisle!
Hannah
January 15, 2018 at 12:21 pmIs there a website where I can get borax/ clear glue cheaply because a small bottle of Elmer’s cost £10.00 on eBay!! Also should I add lotion or will that ruin it?
littlebins
January 16, 2018 at 5:20 pmSounds like you don’t live in the US? I have never added lotion to our slime recipes, so I wouldn’t recommend it unless you find a different recipe. Have you checked Amazon for glue or is that not available?
Tim Aben
April 8, 2018 at 11:48 amWe put lotion in all of our slimes. The kids LOVE it! It makes the slime silky and smells amazing! It doesn’t affect the fun factor at all, and actuall y enhances it!
littlebins
April 30, 2018 at 7:12 amAdding lotion is a fun way to make a scented slime!
littlebins
January 17, 2018 at 10:43 amWhere do you live? Have you tried amazon? I wouldn’t add lotion.
Angela
May 11, 2018 at 1:21 pmMy grand daughter and I put lotion in often. We use a hand lotion from bath and bod, smells delicious! If you’re not sure it will work just add a bit to a small amount.
littlebins
May 11, 2018 at 2:09 pmYes, you can add a bit of lotion. You can even replace the 1/2 cup of water you mix into the glue with a 1/2 cup of lotion!
Donna
January 16, 2018 at 9:03 pmThis recipe was really odd all the slime went like rubber no stretch has been the issue every time we do with clear clue help???? We used borax
littlebins
January 17, 2018 at 10:43 amYes, it seems like clear glue is not the stretchiest with the borax slime recipe. You have to be much more patient with the stretch. Unless you need clear glue for a specific reason, try the saline solution slime recipe instead.
Anomynous
January 18, 2018 at 7:20 pmWhy doesn’t this recipe say how much of the ingredients?
littlebins
January 18, 2018 at 7:32 pmHave you scrolled down far enough to look for them?
Anomynous
January 18, 2018 at 7:24 pmI only want the clear slime recipe, not the borax one… Would I just disinclude the borax?
littlebins
January 18, 2018 at 7:31 pmFor a truly clear slime you need to use the borax recipe. The borax solution is the slime activator for totally clear slime. The others will be cloudier.
Anomynous
January 19, 2018 at 5:58 pmOk! Thanks!
scooter
February 13, 2018 at 10:19 amcan the borax solution be mixed the night before?
Alex
March 1, 2018 at 5:09 pmMy daughter loved our slime, but now we have some on our clothes. Do we wash the clothes normally?
littlebins
June 1, 2018 at 10:19 pmI pick off as much slime as possible, rinse in the sink with dawn dish detergent so that the majority of it is off the clothing, and then wash as usual! Works well for us.
J Bianca Jackson
April 12, 2018 at 11:48 pmDo you think that microwaving the slime (possibly in short increments with stirring in between) might help get rid of the bubbles faster?
J Bianca Jackson
April 13, 2018 at 12:04 amOr mixing the slime in a warm water bath? I guess I am thinking about how annealing works to create order in materials science.
littlebins
May 12, 2018 at 12:34 pmThe warm water bath can be a temporary fix but it isn’t the best!
Sophia Ofshtein
June 12, 2018 at 8:30 amMy daughter and I just made this and added blue dye and glitter! It’s so beautiful, love the noises it makes. It’s honestly the best slime I’ve ever made! Good consistency and fun to play with!
Jennifer Engelbrecht
June 19, 2018 at 8:02 pmI never comment, but this was INSANE. Best slime I’ve ever made, and my kids have been making us make slime for months on end. You people have saved the day, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Shawn M
July 15, 2018 at 11:01 pmHey, I want to make pancake syrup colored clear-ish slime…. what color powder can I use with this recipe for that pancake syrup look!!? or any other suggestions?
littlebins
July 16, 2018 at 2:46 pmYou probably want to pick up both brown and red food coloring. You don’t want to use paint or pigment powder since you still need it to be clear. We made a honey colored slime this way.
Shawn M
July 16, 2018 at 6:40 pmThanks.. you know how many drops of each id need, or less red and more brown. I can speed up the color testing process without wasting coloring!
Emily Tabor
January 28, 2019 at 9:47 amWe followed this recipe and the slime is amazing. Thank you so much!!! We were not patient to let the bubbles go but the bottom 1/2 inch was super clear after 24 12 hrs.. The kids keep saying it looks like a water fall as the love to streach it.
littlebins
January 28, 2019 at 12:44 pmAwesome thank you for letting me know!
Ginger Daubenhauser
February 17, 2019 at 3:46 pmWe made this slime. We halved the recipe and boiled the water to dissolve the Borax. It came out perfect. Actually, the best we’ve made. (We’ve made 18 before this one)
Thank you for a great recipe.
jennifer folkert
December 22, 2017 at 6:21 pmSame problem with slime that broke apart when stretched beyond an inch. Made with about 3/4 tsp borax, everything else the same and it worked perfectly.
littlebins
December 24, 2017 at 11:10 amIt can take a little experimenting depending on where you live too. Borax isn’t my most favorite slime recipe but it does seem to be a popular one!
Taylor
December 29, 2017 at 3:41 pmYou used too much borax. Use less and knead more. Botox much borax.
Morgan Roberts
February 19, 2018 at 1:42 pmsame
Lily
February 15, 2018 at 1:45 pmThat slime is so good and it worked really well with me
littlebins
February 20, 2018 at 8:12 amAlways feel free to email me at [email protected] and I can help you through the recipe. We are committed to helping you make great slime!