How to Make Rainbow Slime

Rainbow slime is beautiful, vibrant, and super fun to play with! It’s not surprising that it’s such a popular craze right now—and you’re bound to enjoy joining in on this trend. Chances are, you already have what you need in your cupboards to get started. Set up your workstation and mix together the ingredients to make all the colors of the rainbow. You’ll love what you create!

Ingredients

Basic Slime

5 ounces (140 g) bottle of clear glue
1 tbsp (14 grams) of baking soda
Gel coloring
Contact solution

Fluffy Slime

16 ounces (450 g) bottle of white glue
4 teaspoons (20 grams) of baking soda
8 tablespoons (120 mL) of contact solution
6 to 8 cups (1,400 to 1,900 mL) of shaving cream
Food coloring or acrylic paint

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Basic Rainbow Slime

1
Pour 5 ounces (140 g) of clear glue into a clean glass bowl. Any kind of generic school glue will work. You could even use colored glue if you don’t want to worry about mixing your own colors for your rainbow slime.^{[1]XResearch source}
- If you want, use a separate 5 ounces (140 g) bottle of clear glue for each color to make a larger quantity of slime. Just make sure to multiply how much baking soda and contact solution you’ll need, too.
2
Add 1 tbsp (14 grams) of baking soda to the glue and stir until it gets slimy. Use a spoon or spatula to mix the baking soda and glue. Check that all of the baking soda dissolves in the glue before moving on to the next step.^{[2]XResearch source}
- If you don’t want to worry about clean up, use disposable spoons and bowls for your slime-making craft.
- Some recipes call for Borax instead of baking soda and contact solution. It’s a great alternative, but be mindful that Borax is harmful if ingested.
- If you want to use Borax, mix 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) with ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of water for every 5 ounces (140 g) of glue you use. Skip the baking soda and contact solution altogether.^{[3]XResearch source}
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3
Add contact solution in small amounts until the slime is no longer sticky. Work in 1 tablespoon (15 mL) increments. Stir the contact solution into the glue with a spoon or spatula. Keep adding additional contact solution in 1 tablespoon (15 mL) increments until the slime is squishy and stretchy but no longer sticky.^{[4]XResearch source}
- If your slime feels dry, add some water to the mixture. If it’s too wet, sprinkle a little cornstarch in it. Use your hands to test the consistency until it’s just right.^{[5]XResearch source}
4
Divide the slime equally between 6 bowls. Or, use enough bowls for however many different colors of slime you’re going to make. Even just 3 or 4 colors will make pretty spectacular rainbow slime! Pick up the slime and rip it into equally-sized chunks, then place a piece into each bowl.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Double check that the bowls are clean. You don’t want any dirt or crumbs contaminating your slime.
5
Put 1 drop of gel coloring into each bowl and stir it in. If, after stirring, you want the color to be darker, add another drop of coloring. Use a separate spoon for each bowl so that the color from one doesn’t transfer to another.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Use food coloring if you don’t have gel coloring. Put a few extra drops in to get the right color!^{[8]XResearch source}
- If you used colored glue, skip this step! Or, add gel coloring to colored glue to see how the pigment changes.
- Make a traditional rainbow out of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple gel coloring.
6
Knead the gel coloring into the slime until the color is fully mixed in. Grab the slime and start pushing and pulling to work the dye through the slime. Knead it against the counter if you want, or just mash it between your hands. It’s super fun to watch the slime change color!^{[9]XResearch source}
- Wear rubber gloves if you’re worried about the dye transferring to your hands.^{[10]XResearch source}
7
Add sparkly glitter to transform your slime into galactic rainbow slime. Use any kind of craft glitter that you have on hand. Make your slime even more whimsical with star- or heart-shaped glitter. Pour the glitter on top of the slime, then mix it in by hand.^{[11]XResearch source}
- If you know you want glitter slime but don’t want to risk getting glitter all over the place, use glitter glue! Just sub it out at the beginning in place of clear glue.^{[12]XResearch source}
8
Mix in beads or sprinkles to change the texture for fun sensory play. Really, any small object works well for this adaptation. Grains of rice, dried beans, crafting beads, edible sprinkles (but don’t actually eat them once they’re in the slime!), poof balls, and buttons are all great options that you may already have in your cupboard.^{[13]XResearch source}
- If you’re crafting with a young child, make sure the add-ins don’t pose a choking risk in case they decide to try and eat the slime.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Fluffy Rainbow Slime

1
Divide 16 ounces (450 g) of white glue between 4 bowls. Put 4 ounces (110 g) of glue into each bowl. If you want to save time on cleanup, use disposable bowls! Also, this recipe makes enough slime for 4 colors. If you want to make more, just use 4 ounces (110 g) of white glue for each additional color.^{[14]XResearch source}
- You can buy glue in bulk online, which can come in handy if you make a lot of slime.
2
Stir food coloring into each bowl, adding more until you get the right color. How deep you make each color is totally up to you! You can lightly tinge the glue or add multiple drops of food coloring to create really vibrant shades. Use disposable spoons if you don’t want to worry about cleanup.^{[15]XResearch source}
- If you don’t have food coloring, use acrylic paint instead! Just be careful and consider wearing gloves because the paint could stain your hands.^{[16]XResearch source}
3
Measure 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking soda into each bowl and stir. Keep stirring until all the powder is completely integrated with the glue, and no white specks remain.^{[17]XResearch source}
- Baking soda helps all the ingredients of your slime bind together. Without it, the slime can sometimes be a bit too runny.
4
Add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of contact solution to each bowl and stir. The contact solution is what makes the glue take on that beloved slime consistency. Keep the bottle handy because you might need to add more later if the slime is too sticky.^{[18]XResearch source}
- Double check that the contact solution you’re using has boric acid and sodium borate in it. Without these ingredients, your slime won’t get to the right consistency.^{[19]XResearch source}
5
Mix 1 to 2 cups (240 to 470 mL) of shaving cream into each bowl. The more shaving cream you use, the thicker the slime will be. Start by adding about 1/2 cup and then add more until it gets to the right consistency. Feel free to use your hands to kneed the slime once it gets too hard to handle with a spoon.^{[20]XResearch source}
- Buy plain shaving cream that is scent-free if possible. The scents in some mixtures can be really strong.
- If the mixture is too sticky even after kneading it for a while, add more contact solution.^{[21]XResearch source}
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Play Time and Storage

1
Shape the slime from each bowl into a log. Now that you have all your colors of slime made, it’s time to put them together into a beautiful rainbow! Work on one color at a time. Pick up the slime, and push, pull, or roll it until it resembles a log. Set it down on a clean counter. Repeat with the remaining bowls, and do your best to make each log of slime roughly the same length.^{[22]XResearch source}
- It’s okay if each section isn’t exactly the same. Focus on enjoying yourself—even if things are a little differently sized, you’ll still end up with a rainbow!
2
Lay the logs side by side, so their sides are slightly overlapping. Remember to order the colors so that your rainbow looks exactly how you want it! Give the slime a few minutes to relax, so the edges meld together.^{[23]XResearch source}
- If you want, place the logs side-by-side in a plastic container. This is a great option if you aren’t ready to play with it yet. When you’re ready, dump it out of the container onto a clean surface.^{[24]XResearch source}
As you pull on the slime and stretch it in different directions, the rainbow effect gets more vibrant. Eventually, the colors start to blend and change as the pigments mix. Have fun exploring all the different ways the colors change as you handle the slime.^{[25]XResearch source}
4
Store your slime in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. If you want to save your slime, put it in an airtight container. The slime should last for about 2 weeks, or maybe longer. If it starts to smell, it’s time to toss it out.^{[26]XResearch source}
- If you made fluffy slime, the fluffy part goes away after about a day, but you can save what’s left for a week in an airtight container.^{[27]XResearch source}
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Community Q&A

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Question
Can I use only one cup of glue?
Community Answer
You can use as little or as much glue as you would like. The amount of glue just depends on how large you would like your slime to be.
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Can I use liquid laundry detergent instead of borax?
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Yes.
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Instead of food coloring, can I use markers?
Community Answer
Yes. All you have to do is just grab a couple of different color markers, poke dots in your slime, and mix. Keep in mind though that the color won't stay as well as it would if you used food coloring.
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Tips

Clean off your workstation before making slime. You don’t want any crumbs in it!^{[28]XResearch source}
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If you’re super into slime (or if your kid is), host a slime-making party! Create a station with different add-ins and coloring options, so each guest can make their own individualized batch to take home with them.^{[29]XResearch source}
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Elmer’s Glue makes slime kits that include everything you need to make a great batch of slime. It’s an easy option if you don’t want to buy individual ingredients.^{[30]XResearch source}
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