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How to Make Glue for a School Experiment

Glue for school use has to be nontoxic, washable and quick-drying. It should be adaptable enough for easy use by the youngest school children. White polyvinyl acetate glue, or PVA glue, is one of the most common school glues. It forms a flexible, adhesive film that bonds papers, cards, fabrics and light wood such as balsa. This glue washes off easily with soap and water.

Things You'll Need

Hot tap water
Powdered milk
Cup
Baking soda
Vinegar
Standard laboratory or coffee filter paper
Filter funnel
Deep dish
Stirrer
Spoon
Storage jars

Instructions

- 1
  Stir 2 tablespoons of powdered milk into a quarter cup of hot tap water until all the powder has dissolved. Stir one tablespoon of vinegar into the mixture. Milk curds will precipitate from the mixture. Continue stirring until all of the curds have separated.
- 2
  Set up the filter funnel and filter paper over the dish. Filter the curds until all of the water in the mixture seems to have seeped through. Squeeze the curds through the filter paper to remove excess liquid. Discard all of the liquid in the beaker. Place the curds in the dish and break them up into small pieces with a spoon.
- 3
  Mix one-quarter of a teaspoon of baking soda with 1 teaspoon of hot water. Add this mixture to the dry curds. The baking soda and vinegar in the curds react together to form carbon dioxide. This gas will make the mixture foam for a short while. Stir the mixture thoroughly. Add more water if the mixture is too thick, and add more baking soda if it is too lumpy.
- 4
  Place the glue in storage jars, cover and keep in a refrigerator for future use.

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