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Crystallized Icicle Ornaments – Making Ice Crystals with Borax and Pipe Cleaners

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Make shimmering, crystal icicles at home or in the classroom with this simple science experiment!
Have you ever made “ice crystals” with Borax and Pipecleaners?  It’s one of those classic science activities for kids, but believe it or not, until last week, we hadn’t done it before.  We decided to give it a try, and we made these Crystallized Icicle Ornaments, and I have to tell you, it I was really impressed!

I was fascinating to watch the icicles form.  We would check the progress every couple of hours, excited to see the crystals forming on our pipe cleaners.

You can make your own crystallized ornaments with just a couple of common house hold supplies.  The science experiment is easy to set up, and you’ll end up with some gorgeous, new ornaments for the kids to hang on the Christmas tree this year.

I think I was just as excited as the kids were by the results!  Believe it or not, I had never done the borax crystal experiment before.  Seriously!  What rock was I living under?

2-Ingredient Icicle Ornaments - Happy Hooligans

 

I loved this science experiment for so many reasons:

  • it’s very easy
  • kids of all ages will enjoy it
  • the results happen quickly
  • it’s inexpensive
  • supplies are kept to a bare minimum
  • the results are fascinating!

Let me show you how it’s done!

To make your crystallized icicle ornaments, you’ll need:

supplies for borax and pipe cleaner ornaments

Making your ornaments:

Begin by twirling your pipe cleaners around a pencil to form a spiral-shaped icicle.  Tie a piece of string or thin cord to the top of the ice icicle.  Make sure this piece of string is long enough that you can turn it into a hanging loop for your ornament when you’re finished.

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In a pot or a large spouted container, dissolve 9 tbsp of Borax in 3 cups of very hot water. We boiled our water in the kettle first so it would be hot enough to dissolve the Borax.  Stir your solution very well until the Borax has completely dissolved.  This can take a few minutes. When your solution is crystal clear, you’re good to go.

Next, pour your Borax and water solution into your glass jars.

Now you need to suspend your pipe cleaners freely in the solution.  You can do this one of two ways.

  • tie your ornaments to a spoon or craft stick and lay that across the top of your jar
  • tape the string to the side of the jar, ensuring the pipe cleaners aren’t touching each other or the sides of the jar (that’s what we did)

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Now, you just have to wait for a bit. Set your jar in a safe place where the solution can cool.   We left ours on the kitchen counter out of direct sunlight.

We went off and played for a while, and within a couple of hours, our crystals were starting to form.  They looked amazing!  Just like teeny-tiny ice cubes clinging to the metallic fibres of the pipe cleaners!

To max out the crystallization process, we left our pipe cleaners resting in the jar overnight. In the morning, they looked like this:

crystallized pipe cleaner ornaments

Aren’t they cool?

I know some people do this science experiment with white pipe cleaners and they add a bit of food colour to the borax/water, but I’ve heard that when you do it that way, the colour can fade.  I love the idea of using these coloured metallic pipe cleaners because that won’t happen.  Your icicles will always be whatever colour the pipe cleaners are.

Aren’t they beautiful when the crystals shimmer in the sunlight?

ice crystal pipe cleaner ornaments

Don’t be fooled!  Although they look delicate and fragile, these ornaments are tough!  After lots of little ones handling, and being dropped on the floor several times, our icicles are still perfectly intact!

They look so pretty hanging on our Christmas tree!

crystallized icicle ornaments

Looking for more easy, inexpensive Christmas crafts for your kids?

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Comments

  1. As cool as this is – Just remember borax is highly poisonous/toxic. I use to use it down south to kill off mammoth cockroaches but had to be careful to not put it where my cats could get at it.
    Make sure the kiddies don’t lick their fingers or they or the animals drink the solution or suck on the ornaments. Borax is toxic.

    Reply

    • You might be confusing it with Boric Acid, Alicia. Boric Acid is highly toxic, while Borax is a mild irritant. Some folks actually take a small dose of it as a daily dietary supplement.

      Reply

  2. I tried these last night, I don’t know what I did wrong but instead of little ice crystals up and down the pipe cleaners the whole pipe cleaner was crystallized. It’s pretty but not what I was expecting. What did I do wrong?

    Reply

    • Thank you for researching the topic, and commenting back after leaving your first comment, Kevin. Yes, Boric Acid is highly toxic. It is often confused with Borax, which is in fact a “mild irritant”. Some actually ingest a small amount daily as a dietary supplement. Strange, but true.

      Reply

  4. After a little more research, I think my previous comment was incorrect and overstates the dangers of borax. However, I still believe it is probably a bad idea to have it hanging where children or pets can get to it easily since there is no doubt that it is mildly toxic.

    Reply

    • You will have to buy it from the internet as they don’t stock it in hardware shops any more (just borax substitutes which doesn’t work as I found out!)

      Reply

  7. borax is not toxic it is an all purpose cleaner dishes is one thing it is used for i use it on my dishes !
    i have some in a jar now wish us luck!

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  8. So you leave the pipe cleaners in the solution and the crystals form? Then do you take them out and let them dry for a period of time before hanging them on your tree? Thanks

    Reply

  9. How long does the ornament last? weeks,months,years? I would be interested in making some of them. please e-mail me with your answer. thanks

    Reply

    • Well, this is the first time I’ve made them, so I can’t say for sure, Martha. I’m hoping they’ll last for years.

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    • Well, I’m not sure technically, Maria, but like I said in the post, crystals started forming within a few hours, and I left ours overnight to max the effect.

      Reply

    • No, you can totally use the chenille ones. I’m just not sure if you’ll get the same ice-cube effect. They’ll still have a lovely crystallized coating on them though. Go for it! You’ll love it!

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      • If anyone is still confused.. Read this article!! Thx for posting.. I was getting so sick of telling people that it is fine to use in projects with kids.. I’m not endangering my children!! Lol

  15. I just made mine but instead of crystallizing on the pipe cleaners,all the crystals formed on the bottom of the jar! Nothing clung onto the pipe cleaners! Any ideas why? I dissolved 9tbsp of borax in 3 cups of hot water and let it sit. Thanks!

    Reply

    • When you say you let it sit, so you mean you let it sit and cool before adding the pipe cleaners? Your pipe cleaners need to go into the piping hot liquid.

      Reply

  17. Oh sorry I didn’t make it clear, yes I set the pipe cleaners as soon as I am done stirring and dissolving the borax. Water is still very hot.

    Reply

    • The only reason I can think of is that the borax wasn’t dissolved enough. If there are still particles in the water, they’ll fall to the bottom of the jar. If they’re well dissolved, they’ll cling to the pipe cleaner because they’re suspended in the liquid. Did you stir it until it was absolutely crystal clear. It must be perfectly clear. No cloudiness at all.

      Reply

  22. Love how ours look! After they are taken out of the solution and dry will they stop crumbling when handled? how long do they take to dry? Hoping they are good when nappers awake!

    Reply

    • Mine didn’t crumble at all, Rose. I don’t know how long they took to dry. I just set the on the counter for a while, and when I came back they were good to go.

      Reply

  24. I’m the science lab instructor at a school and last year I made about 500 snowflakes with the kids. You have to make sure the borax and water solution is really really hot and let your ornament hang in the solution overnight. It will completely crystallize. Borax is found in your grocery store in the laundry detergent aisle. It’s a laundry booster. As with any experiment you have to make sure to supervise and help the little ones. These make adorable ornaments.

    Reply

  27. I made these when I was about 8 years old, 20 years later, my mom still puts them on her tree! They last for a long time, mine have never crumbled or fallen apart in any way. I’m getting ready to make them with my nieces now. Good luck everyone!

    Reply

  28. If you want to keep them looking like they do, I would suggest spraying them with some kind of clear coat. We made these last year, and now instead of looking like ice crystals, the borax looks more like snow, and we can no longer see the pipe cleaners. Still look interesting, but definitely not the same.

    Reply

  29. Hi i’m a secondary school science teacher and just wanted to let you know the use of borax is band within the uk in schools. This due to the risk of infertility in both boys and girls even in small quantities, not to mention the other possible health related issues outlined by CLEPPAS. I would definitely not risk exposure to myself and especially not my daughter no matter how pretty they look; the risk is exponentially worse.

    Reply

  30. We made our today and I see one tiny crystal on the top of the jar of each jar, we made 20. We boiled our water 3*3=9 cups and 9*27…and stirred (till I think clear) then poured over pipe cleaners and in jar. Leaving them overnight. But 2 touch bottom will this interfere?

    Reply

    • Was the pipe cleaner touching the side or bottom of the jar, Sheila? Was your borax completely dissolved and the solution absolutely clear? If the answer is “no” to either of those questions, that might be why it didn’t work for you. Did any crystals form anywhere? There should have been some on the side/bottom of the jar as well.

      Reply

  32. We have used pickling salt (different then regular table salt) with the same results. It forms the crystals and is hard as rock when it is dried.

    Reply

  33. My boys and I really want to make these. But I only have liquid starch on hand (used it to make gak). Do you know, does liquid starch work just as well as the brand name borax? Thanks!

    Reply

  34. Instead of a glass jar I used the big dish from my crock pot. The ornaments turned out so pretty but now I also have crystals stuck to my pot like cement rocks. Not sure how to remove. Perhaps reheat the whole thing to dissolve?

    Reply

    • Yes, just run very hot water over them. I cleaned my jars out in the sink this way. They lifted right off with a knife after soaking.

      Reply

  35. Does it have to be a glass jar? I didn’t read that at first and I have no large glass jars, bit I saved a really big plastic one to use for this!

    Reply

  36. My husband (the PhD chemist) and I (the educator) have used borax in making slime with children for years. If you are interested, I can give you his whole talk on polymers, also called slime or plastics depending on the ingredients used. At the start of each session we did, he told them, “Chemistry is like cooking – only you can’t lick the spoon.” Then he would show them a picture of the mad scientist’s helper, “Igor” who had licked the spoon to emphasize his point.

    Many natural substances, such as those found in shrubs and flowers, are toxic. Hemlock is a good example. Some, like foxglove, can be used in medicine to treat or misused to harm. All materials should be properly handled and children need to learn this. Chlorine is a good example of something that is toxic, but is put in pools, laundry, and our drinking water. Hope this helps. I’m just a Grandma educator now.

    Reply

  37. Any ideas on how I can do this with a class of 30 students all at once? I don’t have 30 large jars. Do you think I could dissolve the Borax in a metal bowl first, then transfer the solution to a plastic container? Or would the plastic not hold the heat that is needed?

    Reply

  38. Hi, I am wondering about using an alternative to glass jars as well. Would deep bowls work? I am guessing that it depends on the size of the object that you are making.

    Reply

  39. I used Red Solo cups. They work great. I didn’t want to bring jars to school so I tried a Red Solo Cup at home and they came out great. I made two to show my students what the final product will look like. They are so pretty. I also added some food coloring to give it a blueish crystallized look.

    Reply

    • Thank you for posting this. I was thinking of getting clear SOLO cups to use so my students could see the progression.

      Reply

      • You need a container that can stand high heat because your water has to be hot enough to dissolve the borax. We used freshly boiled kettle water to start our experiment.

  40. For wvwryone worried about the borax being toxic, from my research i got to find out that you can use sugar or salt instead and you get the same effect as you would get by using borax, but sugar and salt is more safe for kids (you’d only have to look out with the sugar so that they don’t eat lots of it lol).

    Reply

  41. I made something a similar craft like this last year with my daughter. We shaped ours into snowflakes and used a borax solution as well. So pretty. But I remember at the end of the season when we were putting ours away, they the crystals had for the most part turned white. And I think some were crumbling off.
    Have you had anything similar happen with yours from last year?

    Reply

  42. do all the pipe cleaners have to be done at once, or can you reheat the solution? or can you put the pipe cleaners in the cold solution? thanks.

    Reply

  44. Does this have to be done in a glass jar or would a plastic cup be ok. I’d like to do this in my first grade classroom.
    Thanks.

    Reply

  45. Hi, could you tell me if you know of an alternative to borax? I have tried to get it but it’s a banned substance in the U.K. now due to health risks.

    Reply

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