Slime and Bath Bombs at Home — Ingredients, Recipes and Safety

Few things are more fun than making your own slime and fizzing bath bombs at home — and both projects rely on just a handful of simple ingredients that are great to have on hand. Here we cover what you need, how to make each one, and how to do it safely.

Homemade Slime — The Basics

Classic, stretchy slime forms when PVA glue bonds together with a solution containing borax. Borax is the activator that transforms thin glue into a stretchy, pliable mass.

• Borax 1.8 kg — enough for countless slime recipes and it goes a long way.

Simple Slime Recipe

1. Stir 1 tsp of borax into 1 cup (about 240 ml) of warm water until fully dissolved. This is your borax solution.
2. Pour approximately 120 ml of white or clear PVA glue into a separate bowl. Add food colouring or glitter to taste.
3. Gradually add the borax solution to the glue, stirring continuously. The slime will begin to thicken and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Knead it with your hands until it becomes stretchy but not sticky. Add a tiny bit more borax solution if it's still too wet.

Tip: less is more when it comes to borax — always add it a little at a time. Too much borax solution will make the slime stiff and brittle.

Homemade Bath Bombs — The Basics

Bath bombs fizz when two dry ingredients react in water: citric acid and baking soda. Citric acid is the key ingredient — without it, the bomb simply won't fizz.

• Citric Acid 500 g — pure citric acid for bath bombs and soap making.
• Vegetable Glycerin — softens the mixture and helps the bomb hold its shape.

Simple Bath Bomb Recipe

1. Mix together 1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of citric acid in a dry bowl.
2. Add 1/2 cup of cornstarch and, if you like, 1/2 cup of Epsom salt.
3. In a separate container, stir together 1 tbsp of glycerin, a little essential oil and colouring. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients very slowly, stirring quickly — add it too fast and the mixture will start fizzing straight away.
4. Pack the mixture firmly into a round mould, leave to set for 24 hours, then carefully unmould.

Tip: the mixture should hold together when you squeeze it, like damp sand. If it's too dry, add a tiny bit more of the glycerin mixture at a time.

Safety and Helpful Tips

• Borax and citric acid are common household crafting ingredients, but they should not come into contact with eyes or mouth. Have an adult supervise children and always wash hands afterwards.
• Store all ingredients in sealed, labelled containers out of reach of young children.
• Use colouring and fragrance sparingly — a little goes a long way, and too much colouring can stain hands or the bathtub.

Ready to Take It Further?

Once you've got the hang of slime and bath bombs, homemade soap and candles are just around the corner. Browse our soap making supplies for soap bases, moulds and fragrance, and our candle making range for wax, wicks and scent. You'll find all the essential craft supplies in our craft supplies section.