How To Soften Modeling Clay | EHow

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How to Soften Modeling Clay By Faith Chandler eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.

Things You'll Need

• Parchment paper

• Hairdryer

• Thin blade or knife

• Liquid clay softener

• Petroleum jelly

• Reclosable bag

Modeling clay holds textures and shapes. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Rather than tossing out stiff modeling clay, you can restore its plasticity with a few tricks. A heat-treatment method with the hair dryer is quite effective at softening polymer. Other options include working additives into the clay to restore moisture. You may want to start with the simplest option and move on to more complicated techniques.

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Using Heat to Soften Clay

Step 1

Tape a piece of parchment paper to your work surface. Place the hardened piece of clay on top of it.

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Step 2

Turn on the hair dryer. Set it to the high heat setting.

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Step 3

Apply heat to the hardened clay until it is visibly softened. Turn off dryer. Check that the clay has softened enough to work with. If it has not, keep using the dryer until the clay softens.

Using Additives to Soften Clay

Step 1

Chop the hardened clay up into small pieces with the knife blade.

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Step 2

Use a liquid clay softener to soften the clay pieces. Follow the instructions on the package of the liquid clay softener for best results. Otherwise, massage between two to five drops of the softener into the clay. If it is still too hard to work with, apply two more drops of clay softener. Place in reclosable plastic baggy and let sit while the clay softener is absorbed.

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Step 3

Use a small amount petroleum jelly -- less than half a teaspoon -- instead of the liquid clay softener. Work the jelly into the clay pieces until they soften up.

Tip

Consider mixing fresh translucent clay in with a difficult-to-work clay. By using translucent clay, which is usually much softer than opaque, you can still preserve the color.

Warning

Working additives into clay can alter its chemistry, potentially affecting how long it takes to bake.

The additive-worked clay may also leave a residue on your skin.

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references

• Youtube: Three Ways To Soften Your Polymer Clay
• The Blue Bottle Tree: Can I Soften Hard Polymer Clay?

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.

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