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Make Strong Nontoxic Craft Glue With These Common Kitchen Ingredients

By Jessica Steinhoff
Woman crafting with glue and paper Westend61/Getty Images

A strong, multipurpose glue is a must-have for DIY home-decor projects and other crafts. Its cost can add up quickly, though. A 4-ounce bottle of Tacky Glue retails for about $8 on Amazon and might not last very long. Luckily, you can make your own craft glue with ingredients from your pantry. In addition to costing pennies on the dollar, this adhesive is an amalgam of edible substances, making it safe for use around kids and food.

The main ingredients you'll need are all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, vinegar or lemon juice, and water. When blended and heated, these ingredients tend to form a sturdy bond with paper, cardboard, fabric, and wood. You can also try incorporating antiseptic mouthwash, which helps the glue last longer, and baking soda, which causes a bubbly chemical reaction that might strengthen the bond and reduce the drying time of several glue types. 

To make a similar craft glue, you'll need a medium-size saucepan, a heat-safe stirring spoon or spatula, and access to a stovetop or hotplate. Also grab tools for measuring your ingredients, whose ratios can affect the glue's consistency and bonding power. A dish tub filled with soapy water will also come in handy. Soaking your saucepan and stirring tool right after cooking the glue can make them easier to clean later.

How to make glue from pantry staples

@ssense_arts

Non toxic, Low cost #homemadeglue ✨ Ingredients: 1) 1 cup All purpose flour 2) 1/3 cup Sugar 3)1 tsp vinegar/ lemon juice 4) 2 cups water Mix the first three ingredients and then add water gradually by mixing so that there are no lumps. Then cook it on low flame by stirring continuosly until it becomes thick and does not stick to the pan. If you want thinner consistency, you can add lil water at this stage. Your homemade glue is ready. Allow it to cool down and transfer it to an air tight container. You can store it in the refrigerator for more than 2 months. If you think it is thick while using, you can add lil warm water. This glue is strong and works well for all the basic needs. Do give it a try and let me know in the comments… Follow me for more budget friendly DIYs… #DIY #homemadeglue #homemade #glue #gluerecipe #nontoxic #nontoxicliving #ecofriendly #budgetfriendlydiy #fyp #recipesoftiktok #trending

♬ Summer - Croquet Club

First things first — decide how much glue you'd like to make. A simple recipe by TikTok user @ssense_arts calls for 1 cup of flour, ⅓ cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice, and 2 cups of water. Want a larger batch? YouTuber Craft with Creativity's recipe contains 1½ cups of flour, 4¼ cups of room-temperature water, 2 cups of sugar, 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Don't have vinegar or citrus juice? Try food-grade powdered citric acid. Kool-Aid, another source of citric acid crystals, can also be used to color your glue. 

Preparing the glue is similar to making pancake batter, except that you're combining your ingredients in a heated pan instead of a room-temperature bowl. Pour your dry ingredients into a saucepan on low heat, and then slowly mix in the wet ingredients. Stir constantly to eliminate lumps and prevent burning. The glue is done cooking when it looks thick. If it gets too thick at any point, thin it out with a splash of warm water. Once your glue has cooled, add a tablespoon of mouthwash if desired. 

Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to two months. When a DIY mood strikes, use your glue to make crafts such as a candle holder texturized with Epsom salt or a vase made from wooden tumbling blocks.

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