How to Make Dish Soap Slime

Ooey, gooey, and oh-so-fun—what's not to love about slime? But how can you make it if you don't have Borax? Worry not because you probably already have the ingredients in your cupboards! Dish soap can be combined with baking soda, cornstarch, or toothpaste to make stretchy slimes. So, pull up your sleeves because it's time to start mixing and squishing.

Ingredients

Dish Soap and Baking Soda Slime

¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of craft glue
1 tablespoon (15 mL) of dish soap
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 44 mL) of water
Food coloring (optional)
Baking soda, at least 1 cup (180 grams)

Dish Soap and Cornstarch Slime

1/2 cup (62.5 grams) of cornstarch
¹⁄₃ cup (79 mL) of dish soap
1 tablespoon (15 mL) of water

Dish Soap and Toothpaste Slime

2 tablespoons (30 mL) of dish soap
2 tablespoons (30 mL) of toothpaste
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) of salt
Food coloring (optional)

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Dish Soap and Baking Soda

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1
Mix together craft glue, dish soap, and water in a mixing bowl. Use ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of craft glue, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of dish soap, and 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 44 mL) of water. Use a medium-sized mixing bowl so you'll have enough space to work once the slime starts to puff out. Stir everything together until it becomes foamy.^{[1]
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- When working with kids, give them their own bowls so they can enjoy making their own slime.
2
Squeeze 4 to 5 drops of your favorite food coloring into the bowl. Add more drops for a deeper color or fewer drops for a paler shade. Mix and match primary colors to teach kids how different shades are made.^{[2]
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- For example, mix together yellow and blue to create green.
- You can use either gel or liquid food coloring.
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3
Stir in 1 cup (180 grams) of baking soda. Measure out the baking soda and use a long-handled spoon to mix it in with the soap and glue. Don't use your hands yet! Stir the mixture until there are no visible clumps of baking soda left.^{[3]
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- The mixture will be super sticky at the beginning, and it will stick to your hands and get under your nails.
4
Continue adding baking soda until the slime isn't sticky to the touch. Add the baking soda in 1/4 cup (45 grams) increments until it becomes pliable and smooth. Test the slime by pressing down on it with your fingers—if it clings to them, continue adding baking soda.^{[4]
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- If you accidentally add too much baking soda, add ¹⁄₂ to 1 tablespoon (7.4 to 14.8 mL) of dish soap to return its elasticity.
5
Keep your slime in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. After you've finished playing with the slime, put it into a plastic container with a lid. Enjoy it for the next couple of days, and throw it out once it gets runny.^{[5]
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- This is a great slime for kids who have sensitive skin! And it makes your hands smell great, too.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Dish Soap and Cornstarch

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1
Mix together cornstarch, dish soap, and little bit of water. Use 1/2 cup (62.5 grams) of cornstarch, ¹⁄₃ cup (79 mL) of dish soap, and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of water. Use a spoon to mix things at the beginning, but once the cornstarch has mostly been incorporated to the dish soap, feel free to use your hands!
- The water makes the soap get a little sudsy, which gives the slime a foamy texture.
2
Add in glitter or other small objects to create a sensory experience. Add 1 tablespoon (9 grams) of glitter for some sparkly fun. Add in dry rice or beans to create a cool sensory experience for your kids.
- Even beads, small action figures, or jelly foam cubes can be fun additions to slime. Just make sure the child who will be playing with the slime is old enough to not swallow any of the small items.
3
Use more cornstarch for too-sticky slime or more water for chalky slime. Depending on the humidity where you live, you may need to adjust the proportions of the recipe slightly. Fix sticky slime by adding another tablespoon (9 grams) of cornstarch. Combat chalky or crumbly slime by adding 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of water.
- Of course, if you prefer sticky slime, just add more water until it gets to the consistency you'd like.
4
Store the slime in an airtight container for 2 to 3 weeks. When you're done playing with your slime, put it into a plastic container that has a lid. When you want to use it again, just massage it with your hands a few times to work out any stiffness, and enjoy!^{[6]
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- Once the slime has dried out, it's time to throw it out and make a new batch.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Dish Soap and Toothpaste

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1
Combine dish soap and toothpaste until all the toothpaste is dissolved. Use 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of dish soap and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of toothpaste. Mix them together with a spoon for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the toothpaste has completely dissolved in the soap.^{[7]
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- Don't use your hands at this stage, as the mixture will stick to your skin and will be hard to get off.
2
Add a pinch of salt to the mixture and stir it for 1 minute. Use about a 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) of table salt. Stir it into the soap and toothpaste mixture for at least 1 minute so that it can start to react with the other ingredients.^{[8]
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- The ions in the salt thicken the mixture and make it gel together, which creates the characteristic slime texture.
3
Squeeze in 1 to 2 drops of food coloring if you want colored slime. You could even separate out your slime into separate batches and made multiple colors for a cool effect. Add in more drops of food coloring for a darker shade, or mix and match primary drops to create other colors.
- Glitter also makes a cool addition to slime.
4
Cool the mixture in the fridge for 1 hour. After you mix in the salt, put the entire bowl into the fridge and set a timer for 1 hour. There's no need to cover the slime, but it won't hurt anything if you do.^{[9]
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- Cooling the slime makes the mixture congeal together. If you skip putting it in the fridge, the slime won't have the right consistency.
5
Mix the slime with your hands one more time and enjoy! Take the slime out of the fridge and loosen it from the edges of the bowl with your fingers. Massage the slime and then remove it completely from the bowl.^{[10]
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- Try to keep this slime away from your clothes, furniture, and carpet. It has a looser structure than some other slimes and it stains and sticks to things more easily.
6
Store the slime in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days. Use a plastic, airtight container to store your slime. Enjoy it for a few days, but get rid of it once it doesn't hold together anymore.^{[11]
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- You could always try incorporating the old slime with a batch of new slime to see if you can give it new life.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can you add lotion to the toothpaste slime?

Riana

Community Answer

Yes, lotion may improve the texture of the slime, so it's 100% OK to add a pump or two in the slime.

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Question

Will the slime get stuck to my hands?

Community Answer

It might, but you can always add more activator to make your slime less sticky.

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Can I add two types of toothpaste?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. It may be sticky at first. Just add a slime activator, such as borax or contact solution.

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Tips

If slime gets onto clothes or furniture, don't despair! There are lots of ways to clean up slime.

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Use glitter glue to make your slime glittery.

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