Ick Can Stick! Make Milk Glue

Author: Alicia Danyali
Categories: 5th Grade, Science

What makes glue, paste or tape stick to things? Adhesives are used to stick things together. Wood, paper and many other materials have tiny cracks and holes in them. When we glue things together, sometimes the glue seeps into the tiny openings and hardens, making the materials stick together. Other times, the molecules on the surface of an object mix with the glue molecules, making the objects stick together.

Did you know you can make glue from milk? Try this experiment and the results will “stick” with you for a long time.

What You Need

A tall, clear glass
Non-fat or skim milk
White vinegar
Coffee filters or paper towels
2 pieces of paper

Step 1. In a glass, put seven tablespoons of non-fat or skim milk. Make sure to use low-fat milk because whole milk contains more fat, which can change the experiment results.

Step 2. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the milk; you should see solids begin to form that are suspended in the liquid. The solids will have a grainy appearance.

Step 3. In a about a minute, the mixture will separate and settle toward the bottom of the glass. Then drain the liquid off, using a coffee filter or paper towel.

Step 4. Now, pat the solids with a paper towel to absorb any excess liquid. You can use the resulting slimy substance as glue!

Step 5. Last, coat two pieces of paper with the milk slime, stick them together, and let it dry. How well does your homemade glue work compared to tape or other glues?

Alicia Danyali, BS Elementary Education, taught primary-level students for four years at the International School of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The last four years of her teaching career, she taught at the Washington International School in Washington, D.C. She recently completed writing a series of children's picture books and is a mother of one young son.

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