3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (2024)

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Working Water Into the Dough Wrapping in a Wet Paper Towel Using Water in a Bag Community Q&A Video Tips Warnings Things You'll Need You Might Also Like References About This Article Reader Success Stories Did this article help you? FAQs
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methods

1Working Water Into the Dough

2Wrapping in a Wet Paper Towel

3Using Water in a Bag

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Things You'll Need

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Last Updated: October 1, 2023Tested

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When Play-Doh dries out, it gets hard, flaky, and difficult to play with. The putty is simple: it comprises mostly water, salt, and flour. In order to make this material soft again, you'll need to work water into the dough. Read on for several well-tested methods that you can use.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Working Water Into the Dough

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  1. 1

    Add water. Put the Play-Doh into a small cup or bowl, then squeeze a drop of water onto it. Do not douse the dough. Go slowly, one drop at a time, so that you don't use too much. Try to fill in the cracks.[1]

    • If you are working with a large amount of Play-Doh, feel free to start with more than one drop of water. Try using a teaspoon-full.

  2. 3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (5)

    2

    Knead the Play-Doh. Use your fingers to work the water deeply into the dough. Roll the Play-Doh into a ball, stretch it out, pull it apart, and fold it into itself. If the Play-Doh is still hard after 15-20 seconds of this, add another drop of water and keep kneading.

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  3. 3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (6)

    3

    Be persistent. Continue to add water and knead the Play-Doh until the putty is soft again. Don't worry if the dough is wet and slimy – just keep kneading.[2] Within a few minutes, the dough should be soft and pliable as new.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Wrapping in a Wet Paper Towel

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  1. 3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (8)

    1

    Wrap a wet paper towel around the dough. You can also use toilet paper, a tissue, a napkin, or any other soft, absorbent paper product. Run water over the paper towel so that it is thoroughly soaked. Then, wrap the wet paper around the dough.

    • This is a good second method once you've already tried kneading water into the dough. The kneading trick is quicker and more straightforward, but it doesn't always work.
    • Make sure that the dough is relatively compact. Try rolling it into a ball or a clump. This way, it will be easier to wrap the towel.

  2. 2

    Put the dough into a sealed container. Consider using original plastic Play-Doh container, if you have it, or just using a small Tupperware. Make sure that the container is airtight so that the moisture from the towel doesn't evaporate.

  3. 3

    Leave the Play-Doh to soak overnight. Wait a day or so before you remove the Play-Doh from the airtight container. Peel the paper towel away – it should no longer be wet. Feel the Play-Doh: squeeze and pull it. Gauge whether it is soft enough.

    • If the dough still isn't soft, try adding more water and kneading it in directly. The Play-Doh mixture is mostly water, salt, and flour, so you might be able to restore the balance by re-hydrating the putty with enough water.[3]
    • If the dough doesn't become soft again with repeated efforts, it might be time to throw it out. Consider buying or making new Play-Doh.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Water in a Bag

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  1. 3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (12)

    1

    Break the brittle Play-Doh into bits. Snap it down into shards so that each piece can absorb water more quickly. This should not be hard to do if the dough has stiffened. If your Play-Doh is very crumbly, be careful not to spill!

  2. 3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (13)

    2

    Put the Play-Doh pieces into a plastic bag. Make sure that the bag is seal-able and water-resistant. A Ziploc bag is ideal, but you can use a non-resealable bag as long as you tie it shut.

  3. 3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (14)

    3

    Mix water into the Play-Doh. Seal the bag, then knead the water and the dough together. Start with just a few drops of water, to be safe, and keep adding water as you squeeze. Do not add so much water that the color bleeds and the bag becomes soggy. Go slowly and methodically. Keep kneading until the dough feels soft.[4]

  4. 4

    Leave the water and Play-Doh in the bag overnight. Let the dry dough absorb the excess water. Make sure that the bag is sealed so that the moisture doesn't escape! Within a matter of hours, the Play-Doh should be soft, supple, and as good as new! The exact time will depend on how much dough and water you've used.

    • Don't take the Play-Doh out of the bag until it looks fairly dry. If the dough is still very wet, the color might bleed off onto your hands.

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Community Q&A

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  • Question

    How do I prevent playdough from getting dry?

    3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (16)

    Community Answer

    You can keep playdough from getting dry by keeping it in a small container, or you can put it in a zip lock bag.

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  • Question

    Could I use lotion and water or would that make it worse?

    3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (17)

    Community Answer

    Lotion could work, but I suggest you use it on a small piece to test it out first.

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  • Question

    How can I make the playdough less wet and sticky if I accidentally add too much water?

    3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (18)

    Community Answer

    See Also
    Super Soft Playdough Recipe

    You can add some plain flour to the mixture and knead it to the desired texture.

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    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

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      Tips

      • If none of the above methods work, try simply dunking a ball of Play-Doh in water for 15 minutes. The dough should absorb enough water in this time that it becomes soft again.[5] Be aware that the coloring might rub off on your hands!

        Thanks

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      • Just sprinkle some water and keep it in pressure cooker for 5mins. Dough will be softer as a new one.

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      • Keep adding water if the Play-Doh is still hard.

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      Tips from our Readers 3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (19)

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

      • If the playdough is still too wet after kneading, put it back into the container and leave it alone for a few hours to dry out.
      • Sometimes you will need to knead the playdough for a good three to five minutes after adding water.

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      Warnings

      • It's a craft medium and should be given to a child as such. Please keep them supervised by a responsible person.

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      • Be aware that mold and other bacteria may be housed and thriving in the dough. Inspect it for light or dark circles forming around the driest areas and smell it to make sure it's ok. It should not be slimy or rancid. Discard any strangely discolored globs, and connected bits. Then wash your hands before making or handling any more.

        Thanks

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      • Despite common misconceptions, while most Playdoughs are non-tix, they are not actually safe to eat. Ingesting even small amounts can induce tummy pain, queasiness, nausea, malaise, fever, bloating, constipation/diarrhea, vomiting (often violent/projectile) and internal blockage.

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      • If you add too much water, the dough may get mushy. Keep kneading it until the texture returns to normal.[6]

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      Things You'll Need

      • Water
      • Play-Doh
      • Bowl or Play-Doh container
      • Spoon to add water

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      About This Article

      Tested by:

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      wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 28 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 690,454 times.

      10 votes - 90%

      Co-authors: 28

      Updated: October 1, 2023

      Views:690,454

      Categories: Putty Dough and Slime

      Article SummaryX

      To make Play-Doh soft again after it has hardened, place the dough in a bowl and squirt one drop of water onto the Play-Doh. Then, work the water into the dough by kneading it with your hands for 15-20 seconds. If the Play-Doh is still stiff, add another drop or 2 and continue kneading until it softens. Alternatively, you can wrap the Play-Doh in a wet paper towel and put it in a sealed container. Place the container in the refrigerator overnight to moisten the Play-Doh, making it soft again! If you want to learn how to moisten Play-Doh in a plastic bag, keep reading the article!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • 3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (22)

        Carm Merola

        Jun 17, 2016

        "I had containers that had been sitting in a closet for a number of years, and when the kids came over, I thought I..." more

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      3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow (2024)

      FAQs

      3 Ways to Make Playdough Soft Again - wikiHow? ›

      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. This is a better solution for smaller projects.

      Learn More ›
      What do you add to playdough to make it soft? ›

      How to Rehydrate Play Doh in Less Than 2 Minutes
      1. Grab some dry Play Doh. ...
      2. Run dry Play Doh under the water, or dip it in a bowl of water. ...
      3. Knead water into Play Doh until water is completely incorporated and your hands are no longer wet when handling the dough.

      Tell Me More ›
      How to harden Play-Doh quickly? ›

      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. This is a better solution for smaller projects.

      Read More ›
      How do you make playdough less gooey? ›

      If your playdough is too sticky during the mixing process, simply add more flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until it becomes less sticky. It's important to note that as the playdough sits and cools after mixing, it'll absorb any remaining water, so when in doubt, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before adding more flour.

      Continue Reading ›
      Can you moisten play dough? ›

      Simply knead the water into the dough until it returns to its normal state. If that doesn't work, try wrapping the dough in a wet paper towel and setting it aside for a few hours. This should allow the moisture to seep into the dough. It might require kneading afterward to absorb any extra water.

      Keep Reading ›
      How to make homemade playdough soft and stretchy? ›

      Cream of tartar– gives the dough it's body and texture. A little makes the dough soft and stretchy, add a bit more, and the Makes the dough soft and stretchy as opposed to soft and crumbly. Vegetable oil- Keep the dough moisturized, so it doesn't dry out as quickly.

      Read The Full Story ›
      Can you microwave playdough? ›

      Don't want to cook your playdough on the stove? Use a microwave! Most playdough recipes, such as cooked playdough recipe, uses the stove, but the microwave can be a good alternative.

      Show Me More ›
      Can you cook playdough to make it hard? ›

      Bake the dough at 200°F until hard. The amount of time depends on size and thickness. Thin pieces might take 45-60 minutes, thicker pieces might take 2-3 hours. Check on your pieces in the oven every 1/2 hour or so until they are hard.

      Keep Reading ›
      Why does play dough get hard? ›

      When Play-Doh dries out, it gets hard, flaky, and difficult to play with. The putty is simple: it comprises mostly water, salt, and flour. In order to make this material soft again, you'll need to work water into the dough. Read on for several well-tested methods that you can use.

      Show Me More ›
      How do I make my Play-Doh soft again? ›

      The simplest way to soften playdough is by adding water. This method works best for playdough that is only slightly dry. Start Small: Add a few drops of water to the playdough and begin kneading it in. It's important to add the water gradually to avoid making the playdough too sticky.

      See More ›

      How do you fix gooey dough? ›

      After the first rise, you would normally knead the dough again. However, if you find your dough is too sticky at this point, do not knead it again. Instead, gently press and deflate the dough. You can also use a light coating of flour on your hands and working surface to press and stretch the dough.

      Find Out More ›
      How to make soft playdough without cream of tartar? ›

      How to Make Playdough Without Cream of Tartar
      1. 1 cup of flour.
      2. 1/4 cup of salt.
      3. 3/4 cup of water.
      4. 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
      5. 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
      6. Food coloring.
      7. Any seasonings or scents you would like.

      Discover More Details ›
      How do you fix melted playdough? ›

      Method 1: Adding Water
      1. Start Small: Add a few drops of water to the playdough and begin kneading it in. ...
      2. Knead Thoroughly: Continue kneading the dough to distribute the moisture evenly. ...
      3. Adjust Consistency: If the playdough becomes too sticky, you can add a little flour to achieve the desired consistency.

      Read More ›
      How do you make playdough more stretchy? ›

      This recipe calls for 1 cup of hair conditioner. Next I simply needed to open the kitchen pantry and find cornflour/cornstarch. This is what gives it the dough consistency and by adding 2 cups of it to the conditioner after a good knead it becomes lovely and soft, silky and stretchy.

      See Details ›
      How do you make playdough stiffer? ›

      Stir constantly over medium-low heat. At first it will be very soupy, but soon it will begin to thicken (and give your arm quite a workout)! Once it forms a fairly stiff ball, place the playdough onto a safe surface. (We usually place it on wax paper or a cutting board.)

      Continue Reading ›
      Does lotion make playdough soft? ›

      If the dough seems to be a little too dry, you can work in a small amount of lotion. If it's too sticky, add in a little more cornstarch. Now the play dough is ready to be molded, squished and played with for hours of fun! Just for fun, you can also add in glitter to create a sparkly play dough!

      Discover More Details ›
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