Introduction: Homemade Borax Crystals

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Growing Borax crystals is a fun and cheep craft to do at home!!

In this instructable, I'll teach you how to grow borax crystals using pipe cleaners, flowers, pom poms or whatever you have around the house.

Supplies

The great thing about Borax crystals is you don't need too many supplies!

Materials:

  • Boiling water
  • Borax
  • Anything that you would like to grow crystals from. Some examples include, pipe cleaners, pom poms, fake flowers, feathers, and pinecones. Almost anything will work.
  • Invisible thread/fishing line

Tools

  • Spoons or dowels to hang your crystal from
  • Heat-safe glass canning jars
  • Scissors



Step 1: Prepare Your Objects and Boil Water

Fill the jar 3/4 of the way full with water. Pour it into a pot with a little extra to account for what will boil into steam. Boil the water until large bubbles frequently appear.

While the water is boiling, tie some string to the object that will be crystalized. Then tie the other end of the string to a spoon or dowel that will rest on top of the jar so when the object hangs it almost touches the bottom. Make sure there is no water in the jar when you do this step! When you are done measuring where the object will go, take it out of the jar.

Step 2: Mixing the Borax and Setting Up Your Object

Fill the jar 3/4 of the way with water. Immediately mix one spoonful of Borax at a time into the water until no more will dissolve. My jars took about five large spoons of Borax. Then put the object tied to the spoon into place! Move your jar to a dry, undisturbed place. Leave it there for about a day and crystals will start. In about 2-3 days, you will have bigger crystals, they can be removed from the spoon and dried.

Step 3: Adding the Finishing Touches

When the crystals are fully dry, you can cut off the string if you wish. Or, you can leave the strings on and make them into ornaments, or decoration for anything. If your object has not grown too many crystals (like my flower) you can leave it in the jar for a few more days and it should grow more. The crystals are transparent so whatever color the object is the crystals will appear to be the same color.