Play doh is a very fun and interactive toy that allows children to learn a lot more. You might be wondering if it is safe to bake play doh so that you can preserve their creations.
Before going ahead and doing so it is important that you are doing your proper research to avoid any bad circumstances.
Can you bake play doh?
You can always bake play doh. Doing so will actually ensure that your play doh last for a longer time, whatever shape it is in. However, there is always a risk of it getting cracked and ruined so if you are considering baking it then do so at a low temperature.
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There is no harm in baking play doh. You can create many memorable art pieces with your children or even have them make some at family gatherings. Preserving it is no big deal if you bake it for a while until it hardens.
This will ensure that your play doh does not start smelling, having a weird texture, or having mold growing out of it after a few days.
Baking your clay doh in the oven at a low temperature will allow your play doh to harden just enough so that you can preserve the art that your children have created.
Do keep in mind though that play doh is more sensitive as it is used for children to play with. It does not work like regular pottery clay.
Therefore, you should not treat it as one nor should you bake it like pottery clay. Pottery clay is harder and rougher in texture, there is less risk of it cracking.
When it comes to playing doh, they are more sensitive and when baking in the oven you will have to keep an eye on it and bake it at a very low temperature just enough for it to harden to avoid cracking it and as a result ruining it.
Does play doh harden when baked? What happens if you bake it in the microwave oven?
Yes, play doh will harden if you bake it in the oven. When you bake it in the oven, the heat present inside the oven will pull out all the moisture present in the play doh.
As a result, it will cause the play doh to become stiff and harder as well as last for a longer amount of it. When there is moisture present play doh cannot be preserved properly.
Even though it is advisable to not really heat your play doh inside the microwave as it can end up hurting the texture of your playdoh.
Baking it inside the oven is a better idea and also a better way to get your desired results. However, you can also consider heating it inside a microwave for other reasons.
If you want to soften your play doh so that it can be used properly, you can microwave it for around a minute to help soften it.
How long do you bake play doh in the oven?
When it comes to baking your play doh in the oven you must be very careful. The first thing you must do is ensure that you are preheating your oven at a low temperature.
After that, you can bake your play doh inside it for around five to ten minutes maximum just until all the moisture has been dragged out of your play doh and it has hardened.
This will allow you to preserve your play doh for a longer time as moisture can trigger the growth of mold and even ruin the texture of your play doh.
Ensure that you are keeping an eye out carefully for your play doh when it is in the oven because the slightest overheat in temperature can cause cracks as play doh is more sensitive than your regular clay.
What temperature to bake play doh?
You will always have to ensure to bake your play doh at a relatively lower temperature. If your oven is too heated then it will cause multiple cracks in your play doh and ruin it.
When it cools down, the cracked bits will start to fall off. Therefore, bake your play doh at the temperature of around two hundred degrees and keep an eye out on it in the oven so that no cracks are formed.
How do you bake play doh in the oven?
There are proper steps you must follow to bake your play doh in the oven without causing any cracks on the sculpture.
Setting the right temperature:
This is the most important step as a high temperature means that your sculpture will be more susceptible to cracks. You must preheat your oven to two hundred degrees for a few minutes.
Preparing the tray:
Take a baking tray and put a layer of foil for parchment paper on top of it. Doing so will prevent the play doh from ruining your pan by sticking to it.
Also, ensure to place your play doh sculpture on the center of the pan so that none of the sides end up getting burnt.
Put it in the oven:
Put your tray with play doh sculpture in the oven and keep it there for around five to ten minutes just until all the moisture gets sucked out and your play doh is hard.
Make sure to keep an eye out and check every five minutes so that it does not start to get overheated and crack.
Leave it out:
Use a toothpick to check the inside of your play doh sculpture to ensure that the entirety has hardened.
If it is soft pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes, but ensure that it does not start burning. Once you are done, leave it out for it to cool down.
How to harden play-doh quickly without an oven?
If you feel uncertain about using an oven to harden your play doh then you can follow some other alternative tips.
Using a varnish:
Baking your play doh is the easiest way to suck all the moisture out of it and harden it. However, you can also consider using varnish if you want to skip the drying in the oven process.
All you have to do is take some varnish and drip off any excess. Cover your entire play doh sculpture with a layer of varnish. Ensure to do this in a room that is properly ventilated to avoid any complications and wear gloves when doing so.
Air dry it after varnishing it:
After you are done covering your play doh sculpture with a coat of varnish, dry it normally until it hardens. In this way not only will your play doh be free of cracks but you will also be able to preserve it for a long time.
Sunlight:
If you have enough sunlight in your region then you can also consider keeping your play doh out on a try and on your rooftop for a few hours. This can also help your play doh to dry properly.
How long does it take for play doh to air dry?
It depends on the way you are drying it. If you are using varnish then you help dry it quicker. In that case, it will take around two hours.
If you leave it out in the sunlight and on your rooftop to try then it will take a longer amount of time. It can take anywhere between six hours to even right hours depending on the amount of sunlight it receives.
Does play doh crack when it dries? How to prevent it from cracking?
It depends on the brand of play doh you are using and also the temperature that you are drying it in. if your play doh is from a cheaper brand than there are high chances for it to crack when drying.
Drying it in very high temperatures will also cause your play doh to crack and get ruined. There are some ways you can prevent it.
Use good quality play doh:
If you have any intention of drying and preserving your play doh then ensure that you are investing your money in and using one that is of good quality so that there are fewer chances of it cracking when drying.
Dry it at low temperatures:
Do not dry it in your oven at high temperatures because it will end up cracking your play doh. Burn it at a temperature of around two hundred degrees and check it every five minutes to prevent cracking.
Final Thoughts
Baking play doh is possible and a great way to preserve sculptures that your children are making. By baking them in the oven at a proper temperature for a suitable amount of time, it will ensure that you can use your sculptures as decorations in your children’s room for a good amount of time.