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How to Make Slime — Every Recipe

Fluffy slime, butter slime, clear slime, and more. Step-by-step recipes using UK ingredients from Boots, Tesco, and Hobbycraft.

How to Make Slime — Every Recipe

Slime recipes

Making slime is one of the most satisfying things you can do with an afternoon. It's squidgy, stretchy, sparkly, and endlessly customisable. And the best part? You can make brilliant slime with ingredients from your local Boots, Tesco, or Hobbycraft.

Every recipe below has been tested, rated for mess level, and written so you can follow it step by step. Always make slime with an adult nearby — some ingredients need careful handling.

Basic Fluffy Slime

The classic. Light, airy, and incredibly satisfying to poke.

Mess Level: 🟡 Moderate — keep a damp cloth handy

You'll Need

  • 120ml PVA white glue (available at Tesco, WHSmith, or Amazon UK — around £3)
  • Shaving foam — 3 big squirts (any supermarket brand works)
  • Contact lens solution containing boric acid (Boots own brand, around £4) — this is the activator
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • Food colouring (optional)

Method

  1. Squeeze the PVA glue into a mixing bowl.
  2. Add shaving cream and mix until combined — it should look like fluffy clouds.
  3. Add food colouring if you want (a few drops — you can always add more).
  4. Sprinkle in the bicarbonate of soda and stir.
  5. Add contact lens solution a little at a time, stirring after each addition. The slime will start pulling away from the bowl.
  6. Once it's no longer sticking to the bowl, knead with your hands for 2–3 minutes.
  7. Done! Store in an airtight container.

Top tip: More shaving foam = fluffier slime. Go big.

Butter Slime

Smooth, spreadable, and satisfying to cut with a palette knife.

Mess Level: 🟢 Low — surprisingly neat

You'll Need

  • 120ml PVA white glue
  • Soft modelling clay — like Daiso Soft Clay or similar (around £5)
  • Contact lens solution (boric acid type)
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • Food colouring (optional)

Method

  1. Mix PVA glue and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
  2. Add food colouring if desired.
  3. Add contact lens solution a little at a time until slime forms.
  4. Pull apart the soft clay and knead it into the slime gradually.
  5. Keep kneading until the clay is fully incorporated — it should feel like soft butter.

Top tip: Warm the clay slightly (a few seconds in your hands) before adding it. It mixes in much more easily.

Clear Slime

Crystal-clear and mesmerising. Takes patience but looks incredible.

Mess Level: 🟡 Moderate — very sticky until it sets

You'll Need

  • 120ml clear PVA glue (available from Hobbycraft or Amazon UK — around £4)
  • Contact lens solution (boric acid type)
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

  1. Pour clear glue into a bowl.
  2. Add bicarbonate of soda and mix gently — avoid creating bubbles.
  3. Add contact lens solution slowly, stirring gently.
  4. Knead until it pulls away from the bowl.
  5. Here's the secret: leave it in a sealed container for 3–5 days. The air bubbles will rise and escape, and you'll have perfectly transparent slime.

Top tip: Add glitter or small beads after the clearing period for a fishbowl effect.

Crunchy Slime

The sound! Add foam beads to basic slime for sensory-overload crunchiness.

Mess Level: 🟡 Moderate — beads escape everywhere

You'll Need

  • One batch of basic slime (see fluffy slime recipe above, minus the shaving cream)
  • Polystyrene foam beads — around £5 for a big bag

Method

  1. Make basic slime (PVA glue + bicarbonate of soda + contact lens solution).
  2. Fold in foam beads gradually until you get the crunch level you want.
  3. Squish, stretch, and listen to that satisfying crackle.

Glow-in-the-Dark Slime

Charge it under a lamp, turn the lights off, and watch your slime glow.

Mess Level: 🟡 Moderate

You'll Need

  • 120ml clear PVA glue
  • Glow-in-the-dark paint — around £4. Non-toxic versions available from Hobbycraft.
  • Contact lens solution (boric acid type)
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

  1. Mix clear glue and glow-in-the-dark paint in a bowl. Use a generous amount — 2–3 tablespoons.
  2. Add bicarbonate of soda and stir.
  3. Add contact lens solution slowly, stirring until slime forms.
  4. Knead for 2–3 minutes.
  5. Hold the slime under a bright light or lamp for 30 seconds, then take it into a dark room. Magic.

Magnetic Slime

It moves on its own when you hold a magnet near it. Genuinely mind-blowing.

Mess Level: 🔴 High — iron oxide stains. Wear old clothes.

⚠️ Adult supervision essential for this recipe.

You'll Need

  • 120ml PVA glue (white or clear)
  • Iron oxide powder — around £5. Handle carefully — it stains everything.
  • Contact lens solution (boric acid type)
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • A strong neodymium magnet — around £4

Method

  1. Make basic slime (glue + bicarbonate of soda + contact lens solution).
  2. Add 2 tablespoons of iron oxide powder and knead until fully mixed. The slime will turn dark grey/black.
  3. Hold the magnet near the slime and watch it crawl towards it.

Safety: Iron oxide can stain skin and surfaces. Work on a protected surface. Wash hands thoroughly after. Keep the neodymium magnet away from electronics and small children — they're extremely strong.

Galaxy Slitter Slime

Deep purple, holographic glitter, and glow-in-the-dark swirls. The ultimate show-off slime.

Mess Level: 🟡 Moderate — glitter gets everywhere (it always does)

You'll Need

  • 120ml clear PVA glue
  • Purple and blue food colouring
  • Holographic glitter — around £4
  • Star confetti — optional, around £3
  • Glow-in-the-dark paint — a small squirt
  • Contact lens solution (boric acid type)
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

  1. Mix clear glue with purple food colouring and a tiny drop of blue.
  2. Add glitter, star confetti, and a squirt of glow-in-the-dark paint.
  3. Add bicarbonate of soda, stir.
  4. Add contact lens solution slowly until slime forms.
  5. Allow to sit sealed for 2–3 days for maximum clarity. Then stretch and admire your galaxy.

Slime Storage and Lifespan

How to Make Slime — every recipe, tested and rated. Adult supervision recommended for all activities. Part of GOO.

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