Can I make slime with contact lens solution?

How to make slime with contact lens solution?

What exactly is slime? The definition of slime is - a soft, moist, slippery substance, generally regarded as repulsive, so probably no surprise that slime became so popular with children and teenagers. 

The toy manufacturer Mattel was awarded the honour of manufacturing and bringing slime to the mass market in the winter of 1976, the only colour choice was green and it was sold in a plastic dustbin can - it was cold to the touch, and oozed slowly between your fingers, fascinating young and old alike, as long as you didn’t get on the cat or the carpet. The American TV show Nickelodeon increased its popularity in the late 70's by using a slime-like green substance in many of its shows.

How To Make Slime With Contact Lens Solution

At a basic level you need just three ingredients found in most households with children to make slime:

• PVA glue
• Baking Soda 
• Contact Lens solution

There is the option of adding use food colouring or glitter, some recipes out there contain anything from toothpaste to condensed milk!

We like to keep it simple, as we have a ready supply of contact lens solutions we use the following recipe for the perfect slime.

Ingredients:

• 50mls  White PVA glue.
• 1½  – 2 Tbsp contact lens solution, - Renu MPS works well as it contains Boric Acid.
• 1 Tbsp Baking Soda.
• Food colouring, (optional) - we are a bit of a traditionalist here, so love green.

Equipment:

• Large bowl
• Measuring jug- unless you have a 250ml bottle of PVA glue
• Measuring spoon

Method:

• Pour 250ml of PVA glue into a large bowl, add a few drops of food colouring if using - start with just a couple of drops and add more drop by drop until you get the colour you are looking for.
• Stir until well blended.
• Add baking soda and stir.
• Now the fun part - Add 1½ tbsp contact lens solution and stir until the mixture becomes sticky.
• If it’s too sticky add a little more contact lens solution ½ tbsp at a time.
• Knead the slime until it binds together well and forms the perfect slime.

Tips

• You can make slime thicker by adding more contact lens solution or make it slimier by adding less contact lens solution.
• Try experimenting with colour, if you don't have green, try mixing blue and yellow, or blue and red for a lovely purple.
• If you are brave try adding glitter to make sparkles.

Why Make Slime At Home?

Making slime at home is a great activity for kids of all ages, it encourages social interaction, science-based learning and kitchen skills.
By making your own slime, you can choose the colour and the texture, simply by playing with the quantity of ingredients added, you can also make HUGE quantities quite cheaply.

What Age Can Children Play With Slime?

We wouldn't advise giving slime to children under 5 due to choking hazards, although children under this age love the feel of slime, if you are going to let your young child play with slime make sure they are supervised at all times.
A great way of letting small toddlers play with slime (they always want to get on the act, especially if they have older brothers or sisters playing) is to place the slime in a sealable freezer bag and let them squish away, we recommend a responsible person supervise at all times.

How To Store Slime?

• Slime shouldn’t go off but it can dry out, so keep your slime in an airtight container.
• Slime stored covered and in the fridge can last up to 2 weeks, slime will last longer if there is no or very little airspace in the container.
• Remember to bring the slime up to room temperature to get the best slimy slime.

3 Reasons Kids Might Enjoy Playing With Slime

You may have noticed that kids are attracted to slime, whether green, red or with sparkles, slime seems to fascinate the young and old alike.

Slime is not just great for kids, adults can enjoy the benefits of slime, which can be used like a stress toy and provide relief from stress.
Some people find slime so relaxing that they are happy to watch others play with it, there are hundreds if not thousands of clips on YouTube dedicated to slime, both making it and playing with it this clip has over 80m views in the past 18 months!

Can Slime Create ASMR And What Is ASMR?

ASMR, or to give it its full name auto sensory meridian response refers to a pleasant tingling sensation typically beginning on the scalp and moving down the back of the neck and spine.
ASMR is classified as a low-grade euphoria and can be triggered by sensory input, either auditory (whispers) - tactile (touch) or visual (watching). Playing with slime and watching slime being played with can cause ASMR sensations.

Is Borax In Slime Dangerous?

The use of Borax in slime has been reported to cause blisters or small burns on children’s hands, this is thought to be due to a high concentration of Borax in the slime or children with sensitive skin.
To avoid any nasty reactions to Borax, we recommend using contact lens solution, the amount of Boric acid in the solution is very dilute and is safe for use in contact lenses so shouldn't cause any skin reactions, however, if you have a child with any skin sensitivity, we recommend they wear non-latex vinyl gloves, don't rub their eyes whilst playing with the slime and wash their hands afterwards. 

Lastly a warning - It is advised that children under the age of 10 should be supervised in the kitchen whilst making slime because of potential choking hazard and toxicity if toddlers attempt to ingest it. You could even place the slime in sealed clear zip-lock bags if you suspect your child may try to ingest it. Take extra care if using food colouring, as it can stain skin, clothing and surfaces. And don't forget about cross-contamination, afterwards be sure to clean all surfaces thoroughly with an antibacterial solution.