If it dries, Play-Doh feels hard, cracked, and difficult to shape. The ingredients used are actually simple: water, salt, and flour. To make this material soft again, you need to add water to the dough. Read some of the tried-and-true methods below for you to use.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Adding Water to the Dough
Step 1. Add water
Put the Play-Doh in a small cup or bowl, then put a drop of water in it. Do not dip the dough. Do it slowly, drop by drop, so you don't add too much. Try to fill in the gaps.
If you're working with a large amount of Play-Doh, you can start with more than a drop of water. Try using a teaspoonful of water
Step 2. Knead the Play-Doh
Use your fingers to combine the water with the dough. Roll Play-Doh into a ball, flatten, pull, and fold. If the Play-Doh is still firm after 15-20 seconds of kneading, add another drop of water and continue kneading.
Step 3. Continue to knead until soft
Continue to add water and knead the Play-Doh until the dough is soft again. Don't worry if the dough is wet and slimy; keep kneading. Within a few minutes, the dough should start to soften and can be shaped like new.
Method 2 of 3: Wrapping in Wet Paper Tissue
Step 1. Wrap the dough using wet paper towels
You can also use toilet paper, tissue, rags, or other paper products that are soft and absorbent. Run water over it so the paper towels get wet. Then, wrap in paper towels.
- This is the second best method after trying to knead dough with water. The kneading trick is quicker and more direct, but it doesn't always work.
- Make sure the dough is relatively firm. Try rolling them into balls or clumps. This way, it will be easier for you to cover the paper towels.
Step 2. Put the dough in a container with a lid
Consider using the original Play-Doh container, if you have one, or just use a little Tupperware. Make sure the container is airtight so the moisture from the paper towels doesn't evaporate.
Step 3. Leave the Play-Doh covered in a wet tissue overnight
Wait a day or so before removing Play-Doh from an airtight container. Open the paper towel & the Play-Doh should no longer be wet. Experience Play-Doh: squeeze and tug. Assess whether the dough is soft enough.
- If the dough is still not soft, try adding water and kneading it straight away. Play-Doh mixes generally consist of water, salt, and flour, so you may be able to restore balance by adding enough water to the dough.
- If the dough doesn't get soft again after repeated tries, it may be time to throw it away. Consider buying a new Play-Doh or making your own.
Method 3 of 3: Using Water in a Bag
Step 1. Break the rough Play-Doh into small pieces
Break it into smaller pieces so that each piece absorbs water more quickly. This shouldn't be difficult to do once the dough has hardened. If the Play-Doh is very grainy, be careful not to get it scattered all over the place!
Step 2. Put these Play-Doh pieces in a plastic bag
Make sure the bag is sealable and watertight. Ziploc bags are ideal, but you can use regular plastic bags as long as you can seal them tightly.
Step 3. Mix water with Play-Doh
Close the bag, then knead the water and dough together. Start with just a few drops of water to be safe, and keep adding water as you squeeze. Don't add too much water so that the color fades and the bag becomes mushy. Take it slow and do it methodically. Keep kneading until the dough feels soft.
Step 4. Leave the water and Play-Doh in the bag overnight
Let the dry dough absorb the excess water. Make sure the bag is closed so the moisture doesn't evaporate! Within a few hours, Play-Doh should be soft, supple and like new! The exact time will depend on how much dough and water you used.
Do not remove the Play-Doh from the bag until it appears dry enough. If it's still very wet, the color may smudge your hands
Tips
- Keep adding water if the Play-Doh is still firm.
- Discard if not softened. If the Play-Doh doesn't soften, buy or build a new Play-Doh.
- If none of the methods above work, simply dip the Play-Doh in water for 15 minutes. The dough should absorb enough water during this time so that it will become soft again. Be careful that the color doesn't stick to your hands!
- Just sprinkle some water and put it in the pressure cooker for 5 minutes. The dough will be as soft as new.
