Glowing Goo using cheap, easy to get, ingredients

In this instructable I will show you how to make awesome Glowing Glow in the Dark Goo using household ingredients. Other recipes call for hard to aquire items like Poly Vinyl Alcohol and other things that are not simple for the average person (like myself) to get ahold of. It does call for Glow Powder, which although isn't common, isn't hard to get either and can easily be substituted.

You can watch the video or read the Instructions, or both.

Step 1 Assemble the Ingredients

Assemble the ingredients

Ingredients List:

Borax 1 tsp

Water 1 1/2 cup

Elmers Clear 1/2 cup (4 oz container)
(or White or light blue) school glue

Glow Powder 1/2 tablespoon (optional)
(or Glow in the dark paint)

Food Coloring few drops (optional)

Comments

[RetroTechno]

Is this stuff toxic? I can imagine some inquisitive (or not too bright) kid eating this stuff. You might want to include a word of warning if that wouldn't go down well.
Otherwise, neat-o Instructable!

[KnexKrazed]

Is That Hypothetical?
Just Depends Whether Or Not You Eat Glue On A Regular Basis.
(Not Really, Glue Is Toxic Sometimes)

[TheNerdyDuo]

The borax is of more concern than the glue. Don't people use that as ant poison sometimes?

[daresquid]

Yes, but boron is highly, highly toxic to insects compared to mammals. It disrupts their nervous system, it only takes trace amounts and the grooming or communicating they do with one another is enough to transfer those minute amounts. Works on cockroaches and silverfish too. For humans, a teaspoon full or two would be enough to cause sickness, those younger or weighing less would take less, though I doubt anyone could eat a teaspoon worth of borax due to the lousy taste.

[kve23]

Where can I get glow powder? Please respond!

[masaya999]

i like color red...

[mxthorjc]

How long does it stay good for? Do you store it in a closed container?

[admin]

(removed by author or community request)

[hairyconiption]

Howdy, I added a tonne of pics, re ordered the steps so they were easier to understand, and my wife says I spelled things right.... So ya, hope you enjoy my instructable.

[gloflyer]

I liked your instructable. Can you even give me a hint as to where glo powder can be obtained? What is it usually used for? Where did you get yours? I think t;hat it could be useful for all sorts of things.

[hairyconiption]

I bought my glow powder on e-bay, you can also get it at micheals the craft store usually.

[Phade]

Best Glow Powder I have found:
http://glowinc.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=3

[jack45208]

Which glow powder should I buy if I want the option to change the color of the goo for different projects? At glowinc.com it seems like the powder comes pre-colored. Is there a generic "base" powder I should use? Thx in advance.

[wobbler]

Maybe adding common household salt will stop mould growing? Just a guess.

[snakeob]

no.

[masaya999]

does any color do?

[genericanonymity]

I'm not absolutely certain, but warm colors probably don't glow as well as cold.

[gonzoman73]

i like this. :) it looks like fun

[paperairplanecreator]

ITS ALIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!!!!

[rredmon]

Nice! I'm going to make some this weekend.

[Una]

I have made goo with my kids, I did not realize you could make it glow in the dark. Think this is what I will do with my kids' classes for Halloween. Too much fun!!!

[michaelgohjs]

rated 5 stars!!
great.. simple and interesting

[slithien]

lol borax sounds like borat

[matstermind]

where did you get the glow powder?

[mg0930mg]

Without the coloring is it like what teachers make in school. We made flubber a while back, can't remember how though.

[astrong0]

most of the good stuff is polyvinyl alcohol (which is present in Elmer's glue) and borax.

[Wesley666]

Ya, we did this just the other day in Chem 30. We got to color it though! :D I made mine concrete grey...

[mg0930mg]

Yeah we redid this instructables in our lab bio last year.

[Talik]

i tried it and it turned out really liquidy. ideas? when i whisk it reall y really reall long, it turns solid briefly

[Wesley666]

More Borax...

[Stormed Wolf]

Try adding less water, or less food coloring

[ClayChip]

We had so much fun with this, it was part of our Spooktacular Halloween Party... My husband is the greatest for have found this for us, and your the greatest for posting it.

[killacam]

AWESOME stuff man, used it in my science class... it works great for science expo's!!!

[PKM]

Other recipes call for hard to aquire items like Poly Vinyl Alcohol and other things that are not simple for the average person (like myself) to get ahold of.

Polyvinyl alcohol = PVA, otherwise known as white glue- you can buy PVA glue in any craft shop and a lot of corner shops/supermarkets here. If you told the average person this recipe needs 330 cubic centimetres of dihydrogen monoxide they might not realise that means "a cup of water" :)

Final hint- keep this WELL away from carpets and upholstery: it sets into them a bit like chewing gum and is a nightmare to remove.

[PKTraceur]

Wouldnt it be BIhydrogen Monoxide? There is 2 hydrogen atoms.

[PKM]

Hence dihydrogen- "di" is the more common prefix in chemistry to mean two. Think carbon dioxide, or DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) if you don't believe me. "Bi" is for bicycles and bipeds, "di" is for chemistry (dioxide, diazo, dimer, etc.)

[PKTraceur]

Thanks for explaining.

[hairyconiption]

Although I appreciate the truth in your statement, it took me quite a while to realize I could get PVA from a bottle of Elmers glue.

[cave man smash!!]

from what I've heard elmers is a brand of PVA ergo thhere is no extraction process nessescary

[twighahn]

where do you get glow powder?