How to preserve play dough?

Always secure the lid on your Play-Doh once you're done playing with it. This will keep it fresh for weeks to come! To be extra safe, bake your Play-Doh first to harden it and then seal it .

How to save homemade playdough?

Long Lasting – Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and it should stay soft for at 2-3 months! This is the playdough recipe my kids preschool uses, because it lasts so long! Affordable – Using just normal pantry ingredients, you can make any color of playdough for a fraction of the price!

How to make a playdough that lasts long?

Here's how to make long-lasting playdough: step by step instructions 1 cup white flour (130g) 1 tbsp vegetable oil. 2 tsp cream of tartar. 1/2 cup salt (65g) 1 cup water (240ml) Food colouring (optional)

How to harden Play-Doh quickly?

To make your dough harden faster, bake at 350°F , but keep an eye on it because it might turn brown. To completely seal and protect your dough art, apply a clear or paint varnish.

What makes playdough last longer?

Without salt your playdough will become a bubbly, pungent sourdough starter – a lovely thing in itself, but a project for another day. Adding salt makes your dough keep. As long as you store it in an airtight container it will last for days or even weeks.

Can you freeze playdough to make it hard?

So this is a playdough activity with a frozen twist! Because of the salt content, your dough won't freeze but it will become a lot firmer than usual . But what's the point in that? If you roll your dough flat before you pop it into the freezer, it is then perfect for practising those cutting skills!

How to keep homemade playdough from molding?

Stir in the flour with a spoon, then wait for it to cool a bit before kneading with your hands to get it smooth. Store the play dough in a Ziploc bag or other airtight container . It does not need to be refrigerated.

How to make super soft playdough?

how to make the world's best homemade play-doh. You'll need 3 cups of white all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of table salt, 3-4 tablespoons of any cooking oil (start with 3 and add more if necessary), 3 cups HOT water, and food coloring.

Can playdough be baked?

Bake playdough sculptures in a 250°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the exterior is dry and hard. Baking time varies depending on the thickness of the sculpture. Playdough will not bake all the way through. Once the exterior is baked and sealed, the interior will dry and harden over time.

How do you thicken homemade playdough?

No worries, just add a bit more flour a tiny bit at a time . Too much flour will give you soft, yet crumbly playdough, boooo. Sometimes just leaving the playdough uncovered for a few minutes will do the trick and dry up that extra water that's making it sticky.

How long does uncooked playdough last?

How to make no-cook playdough: Mix all ingredients together in the bowl. The mixture cools quickly for little ones to join in but please check the temperature. If the playdough is kept in a plastic bag or an airtight container, it will last for approximately six weeks .

How long should you keep homemade playdough?

Once the playdough has fully cooled, store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. The playdough will last for months this way! If playdough is left out, it will dry.

How do you store flour play dough?

Stir in the flour with a spoon, then wait for it to cool a bit before kneading with your hands to get it smooth. Store the play dough in a Ziploc bag or other airtight container . It does not need to be refrigerated.

Easy Ways to Preserve Play Dough: 9 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

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1Baking

2Sealing

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Co-authored byJanice Tieperman

Last Updated: September 10, 2023Tested

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If you’ve just created a Play-Doh masterpiece, you’ll want to admire it for days and weeks to come. Unfortunately, Hasbro doesn’t advise using Play-Doh for permanent creations, as the compound tends to crack over time.^[1] While it’s not officially recommended by the company, there are a few at-home methods you can use to preserve your Play-Doh creation for a longer amount of time.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Baking

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1
Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). You don’t need to toss your Play-Doh into a kiln for it to dry. Some Play-Doh hobbyists recommend using a low oven temperature to preserve your creations.^[2]
- This method works best with small, thin keepsakes, like holiday ornaments.
2
Bake your Play-Doh for 5-10 minutes. Set your Play-Doh creation on an oven-safe tray, and set a timer for at least 5 minutes. Then, check on the baked clay to see if it’s hardened. If the clay is firm and hard to the touch, you can display your Play-Doh masterpiece around your home!^[3]
- If your Play-Doh isn’t quite hardened, you might have more luck sealing it.
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See Also
3 Ingredient Play Dough — Munchkin Fun At Home Homemade Playdough | Stove Top & Thermomix Methods Play Dough Recipe Without Cream of Tartar - The OT Toolbox How to Make Playdough (Play-doh)
3
Check the Play-Doh with a toothpick and let it cool. Gently press a toothpick against the clay to check the hardness. If the Play-Doh feels soft, leave it in the oven for a couple more minutes. If your Play-Doh creation is hardened, pull it out of the oven so it can cool off.^[4]
- If your Play-Doh sculpture is pretty thick, it might need a little more time in the oven.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Sealing

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1
Air-dry the Play-Doh for 1-3 days before sealing it. Play-Doh is meant to be reused, so the compound is naturally moist and flexible. Before sealing your creation, place it in an open area for at least 1 day so it can air-dry. You might see a white crust forming on the dough—this is totally normal, and is just the salt in the Play-Doh rising to the top. Don’t worry about fixing this, since it isn’t very noticeable.^[5]
- You’ll only be air-drying your Play-Doh for a short amount of time, so it shouldn’t start cracking.
2
Seal your Play-Doh creation in sections to prevent sticking. Apply your sealant of choice to the top and sides of your creation first. Then, let the sealant try completely.^[6] At this point, coat the other side of your Play-Doh creation with sealant.
- Some people only seal the parts of their creation that will be visible to the naked eye.^[7]
3
Coat the Play-Doh with school glue as an easy, non-toxic solution. Pour ¹⁄₂tsp (2.5mL) or so of water into a small cup. Then, mix 2 drops of school glue into the water. Dip a small, clean paintbrush into the glue mixture and spread it all over your Play-Doh creation. Let the first layer of glue dry completely, and then add a second layer for good measure.^[8]
- If the glaze seems too runny, add another drop or 2 of glue into the mixture.
- This glue takes about an hour to set, and a full day to cure.
4
Spread a layer of Mod Podge on your creation so it looks glossy. Coat a small paintbrush with extra glossy Mod Podge, and paint it over the surface of your Play-Doh. Wait 3 days for your Play-Doh to dry, and then add 2 more coats, giving each layer another 3 days to air-dry.^[9]
5
Cover the Play-Doh with clear nail polish for a fast-drying option. Grab a bottle of clear nail polish and spread a thin layer over your clay creation. Check the side of the bottle for the recommended drying time.^[10]
- This is a better solution for smaller projects.
- If your finished project doesn’t look very glossy, you might want to add a second coat of nail polish.^[11]
See Also
Pizza Dough
6
Paint on 1 coat of polyester resin to make your Play-Doh extra shiny. Dip a small paintbrush into a jar of clear resin. Spread a thin coat of the product all over your Play-Doh, so it’s protected with a nice, hard coating. Scan over the resin bottle to see what the recommended drying time is.^[12]
- Resins are made with a lot of strong chemicals. Always work in a well-ventilated area, and consider wearing a respirator.^[13]

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Tips

Hasbro recommends using oven curable clay for your long-lasting creations instead of Play-Doh.^[14]
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Always secure the lid on your Play-Doh once you’re done playing with it. This will keep it fresh for weeks to come!^[15]
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To be extra safe, bake your Play-Doh first to harden it and then seal it.^[16]
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Warnings

Don’t use a clear, protective paint to seal your Play-Doh, like a special effects paint. This won’t stick very well to your creation.^[18]
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Things You’ll Need

Baking

Oven-safe tray
Toothpick

Sealing

School glue
Water
Cup
Clear nail polish
Mod Podge
Polyester resin
Paintbrush

About This Article

Co-authored by:

Janice Tieperman

wikiHow Staff Writer

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Janice is a professional and creative writer who has worked at wikiHow since 2019. With both a B.A. and M.A. in English from East Stroudsburg University, she has a passion for writing a wide variety of content for anyone and everyone. In her free time, you can find her working on a new crochet pattern, listening to true crime podcasts, or tackling a new creative writing project. This article has been viewed 80,800 times.

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Co-authors: 6

Updated: September 10, 2023

Categories: Featured Articles | Putty Dough and Slime

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Easy Ways to Preserve Play Dough: 9 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

Baking

Sealing

Video

Tips

Warnings

Things You’ll Need

Baking

Sealing

About This Article

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