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Confession time: My kids and I love slime.

Yes, I have come into messes and I have even had to scrub slime out of the carpet. But with some ground rules, we have been able to enjoy the non-Newtonian fluid over and over again without any further incident.

Related reading: How to get slime out of carpet plus ground rules for minimizing the mess

Before we get into the best fail-proof slime recipe here are some fun facts!

What is slime?

Like Oobleck, slime is a Non-Newtonian fluid.

What this means is that slime acts differently depending on the stress put on it.

When slime is left on it’s own, it will slowly ooze and drip. If you take it and pull at it quickly, it will rip like a solid. And, if you stretch it slowly, it will almost resemble hot mozzarella cheese on a pizza, able to stretch long distances before breaking.

Not only is this type of play dough an awesome way to teach kids about non-Newtonian physics and engage in the benefits of sensory play, it is also a fascinating way for children to learn about chemical reactions.

This is the chemical reaction that makes slime.

School glue is made up of long flexible molecules called polymers. Borax dissolved in water or contact solution containing boric acid have borate ions. When mixed together the borate ions bind with the polymers in the glue to turn a liquid into more of a soild.

It’s important to note that both Borax and contact solution with boric acid have the same chemical make up needed for slime. If you are concerned about whether to use one or the other, consider this movie from Steve Spangler on the safety of Borax.

The best fail-proof slime recipe

Ready to make some slime? Here is the best fail-proof slime recipe!

Slime recipe – What you need:

• 1 tsp Borax (if you don’t have access to Borax, use contact solution and baking soda following these steps)
• 1 cup hot tap water
• 2-3 tbs. tap water
• School glue
• Food colouring (optional)
• Glitter (optional)

Slime recipe – What to do:

1. Dissolve Borax in one cup of hot water, mixing the solution until you can’t see white particles.
2. In a separate bowl, combine glue, 2-3 tbs of tap water, food colouring and glitter if you’re using glitter.
3. Once the coloured glue is fully mixed, add Borax mixture to glue mixture.
4. Remove slime from access water and enjoy!

More awesome ways to play with your slime!

After you’ve made our fail proof slime recipe, you may want to try some of these activities.

1. Dripping slime – hang a colander or cooling rack and set your slime on top. In about 30 minutes, you’ll have dripping slime. Learn more here.
2. Calm down squish ball – using a funnel and a balloon put slime into a balloon as a DIY stress ball. Learn more here.
3. Toy impressions – Grab a handful of toys and wait as they slowly sink into the slime. Remove and check out the impressions!

Slime is fun but it can get on everything. Find out how to get slime out of carpet and clothes using simple steps including great ground rules too.

When it comes to slime, it can be a love it or hate it thing.

A couple of years ago, it became all the rage for school-aged kids along with fidget spinners and the floss dance. And with that came hilarious parent commentary about the non-Newtonian fluid running havoc in their homes.

From pictures of it dripping off of countertops to slime-stained carpets, it is clear that slime can be a problem. The good news? Whether you just love it or your kids do, we have some great parent-tested ways to enjoy slime without it being a problem.

Before we get into how to get slime out of carpet, let’s get into some preventative strategies for enjoying slime.

From pictures of it dripping off of countertops to slime-stained carpets, it is clear that slime can be a problem. The good news? Whether you just love it or your kids do, we have some great parent-tested ways to enjoy slime without it being a problem.

How to enjoy slime without it becoming a disaster

Set ground rules.

As a parent, I have come into the kitchen to find dirty mixing bowls, Borax spills and and trails of food colouring. I have also spent an inordinate amount of time with a scrub brush and water getting dried play dough out of our carpet.

Our rules for slime are simple.

1. The kids have to ask before they make it.
2. They need to clean up and put away whatever they use.
3. The slime has to go into an airtight container.
4. And, if they get any slime on their clothes, they need to tell me right away.
5. Finally, they have to store their slime in an air-tight container.

Since setting ground rules, we haven’t had an issue. In fact, I haven’t had to clean up anything slime-related since.

How to stop slime from getting on the carpet

The best strategy for getting slime out of carpet is not to have slime on your carpet. In order to prevent carpet spills, slime must always be stored in an airtight container.

One of the coolest (and most treacherous things) about slime is that it drips. Slime left on a countertop or a coffee table for a certain amount of time will end up on the floor. If it dries, it can be a nightmare to clean up.

The other crucial piece is establishing a rule where slime isn’t allowed near carpet or upholstery.

How to get slime out of carpet

Clean clothing and carpet with slime on it immediately

As soon as slime dries, it becomes so much harder to clean slime.

If slime gets in contact with clothing or carpet, remove any access immediately.

Pick away anything you can get out. Using a scrub brush and water, scrub what remains. If you’re cleaning clothing, launder clothing normally.

When getting slime out of carpet, you may want to add a cleaning solution to the carpet. According to WikiHow, the best cleaning solutions to get slime out of carpet include:

• rubbing alcohol,
• goo remover,
• citrus solvent, or
• WD-40.

It is best to test solutions on a hidden part of carpet before trying it on the stain.

If it has dried, here is how to get slime out of carpet

1. Chip away at the dried slime using a knife, credit card, or similar. (We have used scissors on our shag rug too but did so very carefully.)
2. Then, soak the spot with water and vinegar.
3. Using a scrub brush clean the spot. You may want to add one of the cleaning solutions above.

If any food colouring gets on your hands while cleaning, put foaming shaving cream on your hands. Wait about 30-60 seconds and then wash thoroughly.

Have you had this problem? How did you get slime out of carpet?