If you have children around you, or if you are passionate about craftsmanship and art, you know that clay hardens when not used for a while. However, there are many ways to smooth it again so that you can continue creating.
Among the components of clay, flour, salt and water stand out the most, and the latter will help a lot when softening clay. If you want simple steps on how to soften clay, don’t miss the following article.
How to soften plasticine with water
There are several ways to soften plasticine with water, however, it is always important not to abuse this liquid because the quality may lose color. Follow the steps we suggest below:
1. Put the clay in a medium-sized cup and add a few drops of water, as you should avoid soaking it. To do this, you have to pour water drop by drop, so that you can wet the dough on the surface, but do not fill it with water. If the plasticine in question is large, you can do it with a spoon.
2. Knead the plasticine little by little so that water enters it.
3. Finally form a ball, stretch it and join again. If the clay ball is still hard, you should add a few more drops of water and try again.
In the same way, you can also wrap the clay in a damp towel and let the dough sit in an airtight container overnight so that the water in the towel does not evaporate. When you take it out, you’ll see that the clay isn’t wet, but it does have a softer touch.
If for some reason neither program works, you can do the following:
- Divide the plasticine into several pieces and store them in a waterproof plastic bag (make sure to seal tightly).
- Add a few drops of water, then close the bag and start kneading the dough. If it doesn’t soften, you can put a little more water.
- Let it sit overnight so that it absorbs moisture almost completely. The bag must be kept closed so that steam does not escape.
How to soften plasticine in the microwave
If you are wondering how to soften clay, you should know that there is a very simple option, you only need one device: the microwave.
1. Place a piece of clay in a glass or plastic container.
2. Place it in the microwave for 20 seconds. This time you have to respect, because if the dough overheats, it releases sulfur vapor (very harmful to health).
3. Remove the plate from the microwave and let the clay sit at room temperature before use.
If you don’t have a microwave, you can soften the plasticine in the sun for 1-2 hours or in the oven. If you use the last option, follow these steps step by step:
1. Place the plasticine on the cookie paper.
2.Preheat the oven to 150 degrees and put in the clay for no more than 10 minutes.
3. Remove the dough with the necessary protection so as not to burn yourself.
4. Let it cool for 2 to 3 minutes, especially when it’s steaming.
Remember that you choose the process of your choice, you should always add a few drops of water to the dough, otherwise it will dry out and lose its properties.
How to soften plasticine with steam
Our final recommendation is to soften the clay with steam. To do this, follow these simple steps step by step:
1. Flatten all the plasticine along the sides of the steamer, but make sure it doesn’t cover the entire space
2. Put a little water in the pot in question and turn on the heat and let the steam act on the plasticine. 5 or 10 minutes is enough.
3. Do not remove the clay completely from the pan when kneading it, because if it is still hard, you can repeat the process again.
Softening plasticine is a process that requires a little patience, because sometimes plasticine dries for a long time and no amount of effort can soften it. If this happens, it is better to discard it and buy a new one.