How to make slime safely – a doctor's advice

Therapeutic. Satisfying. Messy. Moreish. Slimy. Disturbing. 

Disturbing? Oh, right. Well, some of you love slime and some not so much. It comes in rainbow, unicorn, pink, green and just about any other form you can think of. And it's pretty popular here.

On some social media sites there are millions of posts. When you type in 'slime' online, loads of how-to videos pop up.

I've come along to this class where they're making slime.

This type of slime is called Oobleck, and when you pick it up it's, it's in solid and then when you leave it in your hand it goes into a very liquidy mixture. 

What's so good about slime?

The best thing about it is that you can play with it for hours and hours and it never seems to stop.

You can make it into different things. 

But some of you have been making it at home, and there have been reports about one of the ingredients, called borax. It's a type of chemical that's used in cleaning products. It's found in some household items in very small doses. But it has caused problems with some children's skin. We asked a doctor about it. 

Hi, Newsround. Keep the borax somewhere up high where small children can't get hold of it easily. If you've got problems like eczema or sensitive skin, perhaps try wearing some gloves when you make the slime, just to keep your skin safe. Try not to splash any in your eye as well. It would be a good idea to tell an adult before you start making your slime just to be sure that if there's any problems, somebody knows. If your skin does start to hurt and it gets itchy or sore or red, run it under lots of cold water. And if that doesn't seem to be making it any better, then speak to an adult and perhaps ring 111 to get some help.

Otherwise, happy slime-making!

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