How to Make Slime from Glue Sticks
Transform solid school glue sticks into stretchy, satisfying slime by slicing, melting them into a smooth liquid base, and activating with simple household supplies.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Microwave-safe glass bowl
- ✓ Dull butter knife or plastic scraper
- ✓ Silicone spatula
- ✓ Microwave
- ✓ Measuring spoons
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 2 standard solid PVA glue sticks (approx. 22g each)
- ✓ 2 tbsp warm tap water
- ✓ 1/4 tsp baking soda
- ✓ 1 tbsp contact lens solution (containing boric acid)
- ✓ 2 drops liquid food coloring (optional)
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Always use oven mitts when removing the heated glass bowl from the microwave to avoid burns.
- • Heat the glue only in 10- to 15-second intervals to prevent boiling over, smoking, or burning the PVA polymer.
- • Ensure contact lens solution contains boric acid and sodium borate, as standard saline without these will not activate the slime.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Uncap and Slice the Glue Sticks
Twist up the glue sticks completely and detach them from their plastic bases into a microwave-safe bowl. Use a dull butter knife or plastic scraper to cut the glue cylinders into thin discs roughly 1/4-inch thick. Smaller pieces ensure an even, rapid melt without scorching.
- • Glue sticks fully removed from casing
- • Glue cut into uniform, coin-sized discs inside the bowl
- • Leaving the glue in large chunks, causing uneven melting and hard rubbery lumps.
Add Water and Microwave in Short Bursts
Pour two tablespoons of warm water directly over the sliced glue discs to help break down the binders. Place the bowl into the microwave and heat on high power for 15 seconds. Remove carefully, stir briefly, and microwave for an additional 10 to 15 seconds until the glue completely liquefies.
- • Glue chips collapse into a warm, milky liquid without solid chunks
- • Slight steam rising from the surface
- • Microwaving continuously for 40+ seconds, which causes the mixture to boil over and scorch.
Whisk into a Uniform Liquid Base
Vigorously stir the melted glue mixture with a silicone spatula for 30 to 45 seconds to dissolve any remaining gelatinous bits. If small stubborn lumps remain, reheat for 5 seconds and stir again until completely smooth. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute to cool slightly before adding activators.
- • Silky, clump-free liquid base with the consistency of standard liquid school glue
- • No visible solid fragments clinging to the spatula
- • Adding activator while the glue is scalding hot, which can break down the cross-linking polymers.
Incorporate Food Coloring and Baking Soda
Add 1 to 2 drops of food coloring along with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the warm glue base. Stir thoroughly until the color is vibrant and uniform, and the baking soda has completely dissolved into the liquid. The baking soda acts as a pH buffer necessary for the borate ions to link the glue chains.
- • Evenly tinted liquid with zero visible baking soda granules
- • Slightly thickened, glossy liquid base
- • Adding too much baking soda, which will result in a stiff, crumbly slime that easily tears.
Introduce Activator and Stir into a Mass
Drizzle in 1/2 tablespoon of contact lens solution and stir rapidly in continuous circular motions. As the liquid instantly thickens and begins stringing together, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of solution drop by drop while stirring until the mixture pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
- • Slime forms a single cohesive blob that wraps around the spatula
- • Bowl sides are left mostly clean with little residue
- • Pouring all the contact solution in at once, which over-activates the slime and eliminates stretchiness.
Knead and Condition the Slime by Hand
Pick the slime mass up out of the bowl and knead it rapidly between your palms, stretching and folding it repeatedly for 2 to 3 minutes. The initial wet, slightly sticky texture will quickly transform into a smooth, glossy, and pliable slime as body heat and air incorporate into the matrix.
- • Slime releases cleanly from fingers without leaving sticky film
- • Holds a bubble and stretches smoothly without snapping
- • Assuming the slime is ruined when initially sticky and adding too much extra activator instead of kneading through.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by It’Sarah 💜 — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Contact lens solution? Diluted borax water (1/4 tsp borax dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water)
- No Microwave? Double boiler setup (heatproof bowl resting over a pot of simmering water)
- No Silicone spatula? Popsicle stick or metal spoon