Homemade Glue – 5 recipes to replace store bought products

Making homemade glue can be a great project for the kids or you can use these home glue recipes when you’re out of traditional glue on the homestead!

You can make homemade glue with this simple recipe:

  1. Heat 3/4 c water in a pan on med heat.
  2. Add 1/4 c cornstarch, 2 T light corn syrup, 1 t white vinegar.
  3. Stir the mixt until thick.
  4. In a separate container, whisk 1/4 c cornstarch and 1/4 c water.
  5. Slowly add the mixture from the pan into the cornstarch/water mix.
  6. Cool to room temp.

It is an unfortunate part of life that there will come a time when you need glue, but you don’t have any glue on hand. If you are lucky, it might be a situation where you can wait until it’s convenient, then grab some glue from the grocery store.

However, there will be many times when you will not be as lucky. Instead, there will be times when you have to come up with your own alternatives and substitutes for glue. You will soon realize that there are a homemade glue recipe and alternatives to glue for just about every situation that you will encounter.

The Materials You Will Need

When you are making adhesives of any kind, including glue, there are some materials that you should keep on hand with you. First, you should keep some of the following in your cupboards:

  • Flour
  • Alum
  • Corn syrup
  • Salt
  • Glycerin
  • Gum Arabic
  • Clove oil
  • Gelatin

This covers just about all the ingredients you will need to make most of the glue alternatives. You will also need to make sure that you can store the glues you make in containers that are able to stay upright and airtight. This will ensure that the glue stays in good condition for as long as possible.

While we still have access to manufactured glue, it makes sense to keep using them. If you want some of the strongest glue out there, we recommend Gorilla Glue. It’s extremely strong and versatile.

You should also make sure that these containers can also function as squeeze bottles so that you can dispense the glue easily and precisely. There are some situations, such as fixing fragile china or gluing a cut together, where precision is important.

Alternatives to Glue

There are several alternatives to glue that you can look at, depending on your needs for the glue. If you are looking for a weak glue that will work for a child’s papercraft, then you might want to go for the flour and water option. As the name suggests, all you need to do for this glue is mix some flour and tap water until it reaches a cream-like consistency.

While it won’t be super strong, it will be good for most paper crafts that your child wants to do. And, even better, it is completely safe for consumption, although it probably won’t taste delicious.

Another example is lickable glue. This glue is going to be similar to the type of adhesive that you find on envelopes and stamps, where you lick it to make it stick to whatever you need. You can make your own version of glue for this.

All you need for this is about six tablespoons of white vinegar, two envelopes of unflavored gelatin, two teaspoons of sugar, and either mint or vanilla flavoring. From here, you just boil the vinegar in a pan and add the other ingredients into the mix. Once that’s done, you can simply brush the glue onto the items and let it dry. When you need to use it, you can just lick it to activate the glue, and you will be good to go.

Homemade Glue

Homemade Super Glue

There will also come a time when just typical glue mixtures won’t be enough. Here, you might find yourself needing one of the strongest bonds possible, and this homemade superglue mix can get the job done for you. For the ingredients, you will need the following:

  • Three tablespoons gum Arabic
  • One tablespoon glycerin
  • Half a teaspoon of water

Now that you have these ingredients, you will be able to make the glue easily. Simply mix them together, pour this mixture into an airtight container, and you will have some homemade super glue that you can use for the next year.

For the gluing process, you will simply need to apply the glue, clamp the two edges if needed, and wait around 24 hours for the full effect to work. Without any terrible odors or volatile organic compounds to worry about, there are many reasons to go with homemade super glue when you can.

What Are the Benefits of Glue That You Make?

There are many reasons why you should consider making your own glue, at least to keep it on hand for those situations when you need it. For one, you will know exactly what is in the glue. This is important especially if you have children or pets in your house.

You will know which glues are safe for consumption, even if they taste bad, and which glues should be kept on the top shelf at all times. This also means that you can rest assured knowing that your glues are as safe as possible since you know exactly what ingredients are in them.

Having these glue alternatives on hand can also help in a pinch where you are unable to get yourself some typical glue. Being able to reach into the closet, cupboard, or wherever you store the glue, and having the glue on hand makes life so much easier in a number of different situations.

No matter if you need a book-binding glue, a lickable glue, or simply a super glue alternative, you will surely be able to figure out the recipe for creating the glue you need. There are many recipes out there for flour and water glue, cornstarch glue, and just about every type of glue-up to super glue.

Before you know it, you will be thoroughly prepared for any homemade glue needs that come your way.

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