No snow where you live? No problem! I want to show you how you can make beautiful borax snowflakes at home. Do you have boring old white snow lying around everywhere? You can make snowflakes in bright and bold colors to liven your mood. This post contains affiliate links.
What you’ll need:
- –Borax laundry detergent booster
–Water - –String
–Scissors
–Measuring cup
–Empty container
–Food coloring (optional)
–Popsicle stick or pencil
–Pipe cleaners (I love this pack because it has such a variety of colors and even has metallic ones!)
Directions:
Step 1. Shape your pipe cleaners into snowflakes. You can be as creative as you want here but simple is lovely too. Keep in mind here to not make your snowflake wider than your container.
Step 2. Use the string to tie your snowflakes and stick/pencil together. Make the string long enough to fully submerge your snowflake in the Borax.
Step 3. Mix your Borax with boiling water. 1/3 cup of Borax to 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until the Borax has dissolved. To add color to the crystals you can add 15-25 drops of food coloring here. I’ve always wanted to try adding glitter to the mix but I haven’t yet. If you give it a try come back and let me know how it goes!
Step 4. Submerge your snowflake in the Borax solution, resting the stick across the top of the container. Adjust string if needed to keep snowflake in the center of the container and not touching any side.
Step 5. Place in a location where it won’t be disturbed and carry on with your day.
Step 6. The next morning come back and you will have beeeaaaautiful borax snowflakes! Hang them on your tree, tie them to gifts, or hang them from the ceiling. Whatever you do with them, enjoy!
Oh, I almost forgot! To grow a second snowflake from the same solution, and trust me, you’ll want to, simply reheat the solution directly in the container in the microwave until all of the borax has redissolved {around 4-6 minutes}. Then, repeat the steps above.
Look nice petty
Thank you!
If I don’t use food coloring do they come out the color of the pipe cleaner??
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Yes, they will!
Hi I added sparkles but they sank to the bottom of my mason jar!
Hi what would the UK equivalent be to Borax laundry detergent booster be , please?
Thanks
Jacki
Great question, Jacki!! From what I’ve read Almat Laundry Gel and Persil Gel both work well. If you give them a try let me know so I can be sure and then I’ll update the post. 🙂
Borax is Boric Acid. You can buy it from Amazon chemistry store if you cant find anything comparable. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=boric%20acid%20powder&linkCode=ur2&sprefix=Boric%20Acid%2Caps%2C730&tag=embracing-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=7PRMZW3JBGVMJZER
Why are these not printer friendly?I need to print these directions out to use them.
Here’s a printable version for you! https://docs.google.com/document/d/15UbJhzsZMo4fF0yo9tGUXtgVSIAVwFaSz71CRQU5wW4/edit?usp=sharing
Do the just dry as they hang?
Yes, after you’ve removed them from the solution they dry rather quickly (as I recall).
These look adorable. This might be a silly question but will they dissolve or melt after awhile or are they good for years to come and store away? Are they safe to touch after? (I would like to do this with kids)
They should hold up well for a few years at least! That’s not a silly question! 🙂
I made some when I was in Elementary school, I have now graduated college. So they definitely last! Just wrap them up in a paper towel when storing to avoid breaks
Oh, I love that! How fun! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Do they store well, for next year? Or would I have to make some new ones next year?
My daughter’s has lasted for several years. We just put hers from 4 years ago on the tree.
What is the purpose of the food coloring if the pipe cleaners are aleady the color you choose?
I’m sorry, I should have clarified. The food coloring is if you’re using white pipe cleaners or if you want the crystals to have color themselves. The ones pictured didn’t have food coloring added.
do you put the food coloring in the water?
How durable are these?
I haven’t really tested them but I know they’re tough enough to hang on the tree and store away for next year’s decorations without breaking.
I absolutely love this but i gotta assume these r not pet friendly….???? Not often but sometimes my dogs find the ornaments irresistible!!!
They might be, I know that Borax is all natural and can be used as a pet odor remover in carpets. As well as a flea deterrent. It probably wouldn’t be great for them in larger quantities but if they ate a stem they might be okay.
it’s just soap Kristilee, it might give them the runs.. make sure they drink plenty of water. If you are still concern, google it or call a vet for your peace of mind . I use it on my carpets for fleas it is better for them than the perfume carpet powder stuff.
I’m not sure about pets… but I do use it in ant bait…. so you might wanna check with your vet (I realize ants are a lot smaller than a pet! 🙂
Try with sugar…then you just end up with rock candy. https://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/recipe-rockcandy.html
I would think the pipe cleaners would naturally have the same effect as this recipe’s extra preparation step; they intend to create nucleation sites for further crystal growth but the fuzzy texture of the pipe cleaner might provide that without the wait.
Though you probably wouldn’t get to keep them for next year.
Actually Borax is safe for pets. It is a home remedy for fleas to sprinkle it on the animals.
Can you put some sort of scent in there so they smell nice? Does Borax leave a scent?
Ooh, that’s a good question! I don’t really remember if Borax has a scent. I bet adding a gingerbread or cinnamon scent would be nice!
Borax has no scent. But you can add essential oils to it for fragrance.
I’m confused about how they get the color. Is it from the pipe cleaner? Or the food coloring? I don’t understand where the food coloring comes in. Seems like the liquid in the jars would be colored too.
The food coloring is optional, I didn’t use it in the pictures above. If you use it, it will make the liquid in the jars colored and it will tint the crystals on your snowflakes.
DON’T USE FOOD COLORING….They don’t get much coloring from it, if you use white pipe cleaners. Also, the jar is too tinted from the food coloring to see the crystals grow – no fun! Use colored pipe cleaners and no food coloring for best results!
My 4 year old daughter has to make a homemade ornament over the weekend to hang on her classroom tree. We will definitely be trying the snowflakes! 🙂 Thanks for the idea!!
You’re welcome! Perfect timing! 🙂
How do you put the pipe cleaners together do you cut them or bend?
Good question! I cut them and bent them both. You could do either or both. 🙂
I would like to do this with my church youth. What would happen if it was left in the solution for a week?
Hmm, that’s a good question and I hate that I don’t have an answer for you. The most I’ve ever left them is three days.
If you leave them in the solution longer will they get bigger?
I believe they will only grow to a certain size. When I took mine out they weren’t over grown and the extra solution was crystalized at the bottom of the jar.
I have used sparkles on them about every two to three ours I gently take a popsicle stick and gently stir the bottom so they rise up and adhere to the pipe cleaners and The Burrax and it does seem to hold on very nicely. I’ve also tried waiting a few hours after I have started and waited for some build up and added the sparkles and that has worked just as well
Could you use a few drops of DoTerra oil for adding scents or maybe Febreeze scents?
My kids and I did this a few weeks ago and we used food coloring. I’m so glad my friend tagged me on this link, because I had no clue on how to reheat the dang thing. LOL! I used the Ball jar, but had no idea on what to do with doing some more. I’m glad you mentioned that I can microwave it. More crystals to make 🙂
Ours didn’t work when we reheated and tried to make a second one. The first group turned out great though! We made candy canes.
I made them with glitter. They sparkle a lot more. I would show a photo, but not sure how on here.
How many snowflakes does your directions make at a time? Im trying to make for 30 kids.
I used glitter and they turned out great!
I bought borax at Walmart in the laundry isle.
My boyfriends 5 year old daughter and I made these it’s only been a hr but we tried a fine glitter an the glitter sits at the bottom an top of the solution but we will see how it turns out tomorrow
Michelle how did your glittered ones turn out?
I just made the icicle ones they r beautiful I poured the water out but the next batch I’ll be heating it back up thanks
Karyn Verbryck, how did you apply the sparkles?
You can buy borax at most grocery stores in the laundry isle. It’s usually on the top shelf or hiding on a lower shelf. It is NOT safe for dogs to eat. Only safe for dogs externally. Yes it is soap, but it’s pretty strong soap. My vet said if worried about pets or children ingesting, do the rock candy version! Love this!! Used to run a daycare. One of the children’s fav crafts!!!
I used metallic gold pipe cleaners as that was all I had and they are beautiful
I made the snowflakes with my granddaughter, we used glitter but it just sank to the bottom of the jar, otherwise they turned out great, thanks.
Does the solution need to be hot for these to work? More importantly, how long can it sit before the borax begins to precipitate? I planned on using plastic cups.
You could make hearts for Valentine’s Day. Might be fun too!
Oh yes, brilliant idea!!
Do the jars with solution need to stay still to work? Like I’m thinking of doing this for my daughters birthday party but we wouldn’t have the time to wait overnight. Could the guests take them home or would all the movement disrupt the process?
While I haven’t tried that, I don’t think it would be a problem at all!
Great!! Thank you!!
If I am doing this is a classroom, would heating the water in a microwave work?
and what would be the best way to do this experiment with a class size of 20?
Can I make the solution ahead of time and send my co-op kids home with all the components? I don’t want to have them deal with open jars, but if they have the snowflake made and the solution in a jar, would it work to submerge the snowflake at home?
All of the borax snowflakes my daughter made now have a white film on a lot of the crystals. Did anyone else experience this? Any ideas to make it go away? I assume it’s the borax but it doesn’t rub off and it doesn’t look as pretty as when we first finished them:/
Try spraying them with clear spray paint…the kind you use to seal things and add some shine to them…will probably increase their life expectancy at the same time
…
Be careful reheating the solution in the microwave if they are in Mason canning jars. The last time I tried, the bottom of the jar snapped off. Was a mess.
Does this have to be done in a glass jar or will metal or plastic work?
I don’t think plastic would hold up well to the boiling water being poured but if it’s a thick plastic I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
Quick question, does the container have to be a glass jar? Also is the mixture for all containers that you plan to use? Thinking about making these with a class of 20 students.
No it doesn’t have to be a glass jar. The amount given will make just over two cups so you would have to increase that if doing it for a large group. Thanks!
Does the water need to be boiling when you put the pipe cleaners in? Will it still work if water cools Dow?
It should be very very warm and was just boiling. I wouldn’t let it cool down too much.
I haven’t made these yet but, I’m wondering can you mod podge them after they dry?
That’s a great question! I love mod podge but I haven’t tried them on these before. I’ll have to try them, especially with the sparkly mod podge! If you try it first let me know how it goes.
my granddaughter and I wrapped out pipe cleaners around small cookie cutters ( Christmas trees, star, etc ) and made these shapes also. Worked pretty good
Oh, that’s a wonderful idea! Thank you for sharing!
Can you leave them out of water after they are a snow flake. Or do they have to stay in the water.
They become a snowflake and you can remove them from the water to dry and they’ll stay that way for years and years. 🙂
Thank you so much!
i tried this a few days back but my snowflake didn’t stay that way. infact all theborax crystals kept falling off 🙁
used hot water, borax, kept it over night.. untouched but still didn’t work for me
could you tell me what I did wrong.
Thank you so much!
i tried this a few days back but my snowflake didn’t stay that way. infact all the borax crystals kept falling off 🙁
used hot water, borax, kept it over night.. untouched but still didn’t work for me
could you tell me what I did wrong.
Hmm, I really don’t know. I’ve made them dozens of times and have never experienced that. I’m sorry!
What size mason jars did you use?
I think any that you have will do as long as the pipe cleaner fits inside easily. Enjoy!
How many snowflakes does the mixture make? I would like to do this craft with my 21 third graders. Thanks
It depends largely on the size of your containers. Figure out how much water will be needed to fill the cups you want and then make sure you keep the Borax to water ratio the same. It’s 1/3 cup of Borax to 2 cups of boiling water.