We’re big on slime around here, but we also have plenty of room in our hearts for putty. Though the two have marked similarities, putty affords a completely different play experience than slime. It’s likely that if you enjoy one, you’ll appreciate the other, but they some people opt for one over the other due to these slight differences. If you’re intrigued to learn about the difference between slime and putty, read through what we have to say about the two.
Their Different Consistencies
The difference between slime and putty is their consistency, or how they feel and behave in your hands.
Slime
Slime often droops, stretches with ease, and is a cinch to squeeze. It’s a non-Newtonian fluid, and it acts very much like water in slow motion, kind of like thick syrup. It can keep its form, but it’s more likely to change as you play.
Putty
Putty is also a non-Newtonian, but it has a lot of characteristics that make it seem more like a solid. It’s more like dough than syrup, and while it’s stretchable and squeezable for sure, this takes a little more effort than with slime. Putty keeps its form after you play with it for the most part and doesn’t really droop in your hands.
Why Their Consistencies Are Different
Especially when making it on your own, the reason behind this thickness is a different amount of activator in putty than in slime, be it contact solution, borax, or something else. As you add more, your creation becomes thicker and tougher. Other varieties consist of polydimethylsiloxane, a chemical structure held together with covalent bonds that break a few at a time as someone handles it. Whichever ingredients make it up, each lend to solid-like qualities.
How You Play With Each
Because putty is thicker and more solid than slime, this means different kinds of play. While slime is great for making huge slime bubbles and running gobs of it through your hands, putty usually comes in smaller quantities. This lends better to using it as a portable fidget toy that has a lower risk of ending in a mess.
If you’re interested in Dope Slimes’ signature Dope Putty, visit our online Slime Shop store. We stock all kinds of slime, putty, and slime supplies, and are constantly adding new products.
FAQs
Because putty is thicker and more solid than slime, this means different kinds of play. While slime is great for making huge slime bubbles and running gobs of it through your hands, putty usually comes in smaller quantities.
Does slime turn into putty? ›
What Happened: The glue has an ingredient called polyvinyl acetate, which is a liquid polymer. The borax links the polyvinyl acetate molecules to each other, creating one large, flexible polymer. This kind of slime will get stiffer and more like putty the more you play with it.
What is slime putty used for? ›
At home, it can be used to pick up dirt and lint. Silly Putty® in various strengths is used to help people build up hand muscles after injuries. Because Silly Putty® adheres well, it was also used by Apollo astronauts to hold tools in zero-gravity!
Can putty slime dry out? ›
SILLY PUTTY is made primarily from silicone and color pigments. Silicone is an oil-based product and by nature will not dry out.
Which is better slime or putty? ›
While slime is great for making huge slime bubbles and running gobs of it through your hands, putty usually comes in smaller quantities. This lends better to using it as a portable fidget toy that has a lower risk of ending in a mess.
How to fix putty like slime? ›
Knead your putty in a bowl of hot water to get a very soft consistency. Fill a large bowl halfway with hot water so you can soak your putty. Place your putty in the water and begin folding and squeezing it with your hands. Continue kneading it in the water until it feels softer and easier to play with.
How do you melt putty into slime? ›
Start by heating up the putty in some hot water so it becomes softer and easier to stretch and pull. Then, mix in some hand lotion and hair conditioner to change the texture to a gooey, slimy consistency. Store your slime in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to a week. That's all there is to it!
What type of slime is the best? ›
Cloud Slime is incredibly stretchy and holdable, but the drizzling technique can take practice. The Cloud Slime texture is one of our favorites for sensory regulation because it triggers something soothing in our brain to watch the texture change and have the drizzle texture feel so different from how looks.
Why does slime go bad? ›
However, slime does not last forever since it is a liquid substance! Slime will lose its moisture and may shrink or melt overtime. Slime that is properly cared for should last for a few months.
Why is my slime ripping? ›
If you pull too fast, it will rip due to the heavy bead to slime ratio. Once you get it going, it will stretch and drizzle with beauty. It will inflate with air. We recommend adding the excess in a different air tight container or zip lock bag and combining it back when it deflates overnight.
The putty could fail over time if the surface is wet or unclean, and it may not adhere adequately.
What is silly putty made of? ›
Silly Putty is a polymer made from silicone oil and boric acid. A polymer is a chain of molecules that are all tangled up. Silly Putty has flexible molecules that, when smooched by fingers, slide over each other and cause the material to flow. Therefore, Silly Putty is considered an elastomer.
How to make slime putty? ›
Silly Putty
- Step 1: Supplies. 1/2 cup white glue. ...
- Step 2: Glue and Water Mix. Mix together 1/2 cup of glue with 1/2 cup water. ...
- Step 3: Borax and Water Mix. In a separate container, combine 2 tbsp Borax with 1/4 water. ...
- Step 4: Throw It All Together! Combine both mixes. ...
- Step 5: Play! and Store.
Slime is both a liquid and a solid! It is a non-Newtonian fluid, whose viscosity (which is how fast or slow a fluid flows) changes depending on pressure. Slime's consistency depends on the polymers.
What happens to slime after use? ›
However, slime does not last forever since it is a liquid substance! Slime will lose its moisture and may shrink or melt overtime. Slime that is properly cared for should last for a few months.
What is putty made of? ›
putty, cementing material made of whiting (finely powdered calcium carbonate) and boiled linseed oil. It is beaten or kneaded to the consistency of dough and is used to secure sheets of glass in sashes, to stop crevices in woodwork, and to fill nail holes.
What should you not do with slime? ›
Enforce a “no touching your face!” rule when your child is playing with slime, and make sure they wash their hands when they are done. It's also very important your child doesn't put slime in their mouth. If slime that contains Borax is ingested, call Poison Control right away at 800-222-1222.
