How to Make Silly Putty Without Starch or Borax

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Things You'll Need

  • 1/2 tsp Epsom salts

  • 2 cups

  • 1 tbsp white glue

  • Craft stick

Making homemade Silly Putty is a hands-on craft experiment for you and your children to enjoy. Many Silly Putty recipes require liquid starch or borax, which are ingredients usually found in the laundry section of most convenience stores. Although borax is a natural mineral that is environmentally-friendly, it can cause skin and eye irritation (see References). Liquid starch also is known to cause eye and skin irritation, as well as nausea and vomiting if ingested (see References). Although neither substance is considered dangerous, there is a safer alternative for making homemade Silly Putty.

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Step 1

Use Epsom salts instead of borax or liquid starch.

Put 1/2 tsp of water into a cup. Pour the Epsom salts into the water and mix it together until all or most of the salt is dissolved.

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Step 2

Use standard white glue.

Pour the white glue into the other cup.

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Step 3

Transfer the salt water to the cup holding the glue. Mix the salt water and glue together with a craft stick. Remove the putty from the cup.

Tip

Play with homemade Silly Putty on waxed paper to keep it from sticking to furniture, carpet, and fabrics.

Store the putty in a plastic bag so it does not dry out.

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