How to make slime without glue or activator with shampoo

Q: Is toothpaste an activator for slime?

Homemade slime awakens kids tactile sense as they squish and stretch the fun, goopy blob. The slime can be made with ingredients like glue, shaving cream, and even toothpaste—a lesser-known but prime ingredient. Read on to learn how to make slime with toothpaste for a fun indoor activity with your kids.

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Things You'll Need
References
About This Article
Did this article help you?
Can you make slime with shampoo only?
How do you make slime out of shampoo?
How do you make slime with toothpaste and shampoo?
Is toothpaste an activator for slime?

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There is no denying it: slime is fun to play with, no matter how old you are! It is icky, gooey, and fun to poke and prod. The most popular recipe calls for glue and borax, but not everyone has that on hand. This doesn't mean you have to skip out on the joy of making and playing with slime. All you need is some shampoo and a few extra ingredients!

1
Pour ½ cup (120 milliliters) of shampoo into a bowl. Thicker shampoos will give you better results. Choose a color and a fragrance that you like.[1]
2
Stir in some color or glitter, if desired. If the shampoo is white or clear, you could add a few drops of liquid food coloring into the bowl. If you want glittery slime, add some glitter. Stir everything together with a spoon.[2]
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3
Add 2¼ cups (280 grams) of cornstarch. Give it a stir with your spoon.[3] If you want a thicker slime, you are done. If you want a runnier, gooier slime, read on!
- If you don't have cornstarch where you live, look for corn flour instead.
4
Stir in the water 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) at a time. You may need up to 6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) of water. The more water you add, the runnier your slime will be.[4] If you want something more dough-like, you might not need much water, if at all.
5
Knead the slime by hand. At one point, the slime will have picked up all the water and cornstarch it can. Once that happens, your slime is done and ready to play with! Scoop it out of its bowl, and let it run through your fingers.
- Store the slime in an airtight container once you are done playing with it.
- You may need to add 1/4 teaspoon of water to the slime to refresh it the next day.[5]

1
Squeeze some thick shampoo into a bowl. You can use any type of shampoo you want, but thicker shampoos work better. Choose a color and fragrance that you like.[6]
2
Stir in some body wash, if desired. This will help make your slime thicker. Use equal amounts of shampoo and body wash. Stir the two together until there are no more streaks.[7]
- Make sure that your body wash and shampoo are similar colors, or your slime will end up muddy.
3
Stir in some salt until the shampoo thickens. There is no set amount for the salt, as each brand of shampoo reacts differently with it. Simply add in a pinch of salt, then give the slime a stir. Keep adding salt and stirring until the shampoo turns into a glob.[8]
4
Freeze the shampoo for 15 minutes. Once you have your glob, place the bowl into the freezer. Leave it there for 15 minutes.[9]
5
Play with the slime. Once the freezing time is up, the slime will have set and is ready to play with! When you are done playing with it, put it into an airtight container. You may need to re-freeze (15 minutes) it if it becomes too runny.

1
Squeeze some 2-in-1 shampoo into a mixing bowl. The 2-in-1 combo shampoos seem to work the best. Choose a fragrance that goes well with mint.[10]
- You can try plain shampoo as well, but make sure that it is thick.
2
Add in some toothpaste. You can use white toothpaste or gel toothpaste, it does not matter. You will need to use the same amount of toothpaste as you did shampoo.[11]
3
Stir the two together with a spoon. Keep stirring until the color is consistent and no streaks remain. As you stir, the shampoo and toothpaste will come together and form a putty-like slime.[12]
4
Adjust the consistency, if needed. If the slime is too thick for you, you can add in some more shampoo. If it is too thin, try some more toothpaste. Make your addition, then stir it in well.[13]
5
Play with the slime. This slime is not quite as gooey as the store-bought kind, but it is fun to poke and prod. When you are done playing with it, scoop it into an airtight container.

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Question
What type of toothpaste should I use?

Most types of toothpaste will work. Just remember that the color of the toothpaste will add to or change the color of your slime.
Question
Will any shampoo work?

Yes, but thicker shampoo works better.
Question
What can I do if my slime is runny?

Add more shampoo. Make sure it is quite thick. It should work, or just get thick toothpaste and add it into the slime.

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Store the slime in an airtight container when you are done playing with it.

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Slime can be messy. Play with it over a table. Don't get it on the carpet or your clothes.
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Don't give the slime to infants. They might eat it as they don't know what it is, and shampoo-based slime is not edible.
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Things You'll Need

2¼ cups (280 grams) cornstarch
½ cup (120 milliliters) shampoo
6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) water
Food coloring (optional)
Glitter (optional)
Mixing bowl
Spoon

Shampoo
Salt
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Freezer
shower gel (optional)

2-in-1 shampoo
Toothpaste
Mixing bowl
Spoon

References

About This Article

Article SummaryX

One of the easiest ways to make slime with shampoo is to combine it with salt, since you don't have to do any measuring. Choose a thick shampoo in a color and scent that you like and pour it into a bowl. To make it thicker, you can stir in an equal amount of body wash! Next, add a pinch of salt, then stir the slime. Keep adding salt and stirring until the mixture turns into a thick glob. Put the slime in an airtight container and freeze it for 15 minutes. Once the slime sets, it's ready to play with! If you want to learn how to make your slime using cornstarch instead, keep reading!

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 586,030 times.

Did this article help you?

Can you make slime with shampoo only?

How do you make slime out of shampoo?

Basic fluffy slime recipe.

Put 1/2 cup shampoo and 1/4 cup of cornstarch in a bowl..

Mix well..

Add 3 drops of food coloring (optional)..

Add 1 tablespoon of water and stir. Slowly add 5 more tablespoons of water, stirring well after each one..

Knead the slime for around 5 minutes..

How do you make slime with toothpaste and shampoo?

Mix 2 tbsp (30 mL) of thick shampoo and 1 tsp (5 mL) of toothpaste together to form the base of your slime. Add more shampoo to your slime mixture if it's too hard, or add more toothpaste if it's too runny. Put your slime in the freezer for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour until it's your desired consistency.

Is toothpaste an activator for slime?

Homemade slime awakens kids' tactile sense as they squish and stretch the fun, goopy blob. The slime can be made with ingredients like glue, shaving cream, and even toothpaste—a lesser-known but prime ingredient. Read on to learn how to make slime with toothpaste for a fun indoor activity with your kids.