The Strategic Air & Space Museum Presents:

Michael’s Super Simple Flubber Formula

This is for fun, NOT to eat

Flubber, also known as Gak, Goop, and Slime, has a number of recipes spread all about the Internet. Each one has its plusses and minuses, similarities and differences. Michael’s Super Simple Flubber Formula, may be the easiest to prepare of them all. No measuring cups, measuring spoons, or bowls are needed.

Supplies:

1)     A 4oz bottle of Elmer’s® Glue-All.

2)     20 Mule Team® Borax Powder Laundry Booster. (Available at Walmart.)

3)     One Zipoc® sandwich bag. Must have a closable zipper!

Optional Supples:

1)     Food coloring- your choice of color.

2)     ½ Teaspoon measuring spoon.

Instructions:

1)     Remove the top off the glue, and pour into the Ziploc bag. Be patient as it will take a while for the thick glue to empty. Fill the bottle with warm water. Replace the top, and shake, shake, shake! Remove the top, and pour the murky water into the Ziploc bag. If you wish, add 4 drops of your favorite tint of food coloring. Not adding food coloring will produce white flubber.

2)     Rinse out the glue bottle twice, then fill half way with warm water. Carefully add 4 giant pinches (or ½ Teaspoon) of Borax powder to the water inside the glue bottle. Replace the top, and shake, shake, shake! Remove the top, and pour ½ of your mixture inside the Ziploc bag. Zip the bag shut, and “shake & squeeze,” mixing thoroughly the contents. Add the second half of the bottle and repeat the last instruction.

3)     After about five minutes of squeeze-mixing, the Flubber will set-up completely, and you will be ready for some slimy fun!

What’s happening here?

The glue and borax solutions mix together to form a gooey substance called a polymer. A polymer is a set of long chain molecules that have become twisted up and wrapped around one another. It is sort of like the lights you use to decorate a tree or house during the holidays. Right out of the package, they are easy to use, and well ordered, but after your toss them together into a box, they become big tangled mess. This property is what gives your polymer its rubbery elastic characteristics.

Clean up:

Should you, your children, or students get Flubber in clothing, carpet, or hair, treat the area with lemon juice or orange juice, and it will completely dissolve. Follow-up with soap and water.