Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Knead water through the clay
• Method 3 of 3: Use water in a bag
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Dried out Play-Doh hardens, will flake and is difficult to mold into different shapes. Play-Doh has a simple composition and consists mainly of water, salt and flour. To make the material soft again, you will have to knead water through it. Read on for some well-tested methods you can use.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Knead water through the clay

1. Add water. Place the Play-Doh in a small cup or bowl and add a drop of water. Do not soak the clay. Work slowly and add a drop of water at a time so that you don't use too much water. Try to make the cracks disappear.
   • Feel free to add more water if you are dealing with a large amount of Play-Doh. Try adding a teaspoon of water to the clay.
2. Let the Play-Doh soak overnight. Wait about a day and then remove the clay from the airtight container. Pull off the paper towel. The paper should no longer be wet. Feel the Play-Doh. Squeeze and pull the material. See if the clay is soft enough.
   • If the clay has not yet softened, try adding more water and kneading it through the clay. Play-Doh is made up mostly of water, salt, and flour, so you may be able to restore the balance between the ingredients by adding enough water to the clay.
   • It may be time to discard the clay if the material does not soften after several tries. Consider buying new Play-Doh or making your own clay.

Method 3 of 3: Use water in a bag

1. Let the water and the Play-Doh sit in the bag overnight. Let the dry clay absorb the rest of the water. Make sure the pouch is closed so that the moisture cannot evaporate or run out. Within hours the material should be soft and supple again and look like new clay. Exactly how long this takes depends on how much clay and water you used.
   • Do not remove the Play-Doh from the bag until the clay appears to be reasonably dry. If the clay is still very wet, the color may transfer to your hands.

Tips

• Keep adding water if the Play-Doh is still hard.
• Discard the clay if the material does not soften. If your Play-Doh really isn't getting any softer, buy new Play-Doh or make new Play-Doh yourself.
• If the above methods don't work, simply submerge the Play-Doh ball in water for 15 minutes. The clay should absorb enough water during this time to soften again. Be aware that the color can transfer to your hands.
• Simply pour a little water on the clay and put the clay in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes. The clay will now soften than new clay.

Warnings

• The clay can become mushy if you add too much water. Keep kneading until the Play-Doh returns to normal texture.

Necessities

• Water
• Play-Doh
• Come or Play-Doh bucket
• Spoon to add water