There are many people who, after having made a craft with plasticine, want to preserve this creation. Here, we want you to know that you can carry out certain techniques that allow the plasticine to harden and be perfectly preserved. Through the air, an oven, the microwave, or simply with sealers, you can quickly and safely harden the plasticine. If you want more information about these tricks, do not miss the following article, as we will discover how to dry play doh through quick and easy methods.
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Believe it or not, you can tan the plasticine with only the use of air because, in this way, the humidity that it brings with it is reduced and it manages to harden and stop having elasticity. To carry out this trick, you just have to follow these steps:
- The first thing you should do is wrap the figure with wax paper for 4-5 hours.
- Then, remove the wax paper from the play doh and let it dry. If it is a very large piece, you can help yourself with spatulas.
- Lastly, put the clay on a clothesline or drying rack for an additional 24 hours. The next day you will see the results.
How to harden clay in the microwave
Putting clay in the microwave can help both soften and harden it. In case you want to do this last option, it will be necessary to leave the mixture in the appliance for about a minute. After this time, you will see how the craft begins to harden little by little.
It is important to note that the steam from the modeling clay gives off various harmful chemicals (such as sulfur) at high temperatures. This, plus the radiation produced inside the microwave, could be very harmful to health. We recommend maximum precaution or bet on less aggressive methods. Also, if none of these methods convince you, but you don’t want to buy new products, you can always learn how to make homemade clay.
How to harden clay in the oven
Another procedure that you can use to preserve the plasticine is to heat the play doh with the oven. This will help the play doh to stiffen and lose elasticity. Also, it is a very easy and fast process, because you will only have to carry out this step by step:
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Place the clay figures on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- After this time, turn off the oven with the figures inside, as you will only have to remove them when it cools.
- Put the pieces in another container and let them rest overnight. The next day you will discover the incredible results.
How to apply varnish to harden modeling clay
The last option that we propose if you wonder how to preserve clay figures is, of course, the use of specialized products. It may be a slightly more expensive option than the rest. However, the use of sealants for modeling clay is much more effective and safe than those mentioned above. To learn how to apply varnish to harden plasticine, do not miss this step by step:
- The white glue is easily transformed into varnish once it is dissolved with water. So to start with, mix these two ingredients (adding very little water to the mix).
- With a brush, spread the white glue now transformed into varnish all over the piece. It is important that you do it in several layers and that you avoid the formation of bubbles and excess glue.
- To learn how to preserve plasticine figures, wait for the play doh to dry and place a layer of liquid silicone with a wooden toothpick. Apply this product little by little and not in large quantities. Otherwise, it would not be uniform.
- When you’ve done this last step and the silicone has dried, reapply two more coats of white glue and let the figure rest.
- To make the job look better, add a little spray sealer, always making sure to spray the figure from about 8 inches away.
Although this next step is optional, we recommend that you also apply a thin layer of transparent acrylic glue, as this will allow the piece to harden completely and the figure will last much longer. When the figures are completely dry, you can use any paint type to decorate the hard plasticine pieces. Also, you must keep them away from humid places to prevent them from softening or deteriorating.