It’s crazy easy and only takes about 1-2 minutes to rehydrate Play Doh! If you have kids, this is a life hack you need to know!
As a kindergarten teacher and now toddler-mom, Play Doh has been a big part of my life for a long time. And usually, I’m pretty particular about getting all those little dough-bits back into the jar asap!
However, others in my life are not so picky… they like to play with the Play Doh, then run off and do something else without putting the first thing away. Ahem, adults and kids alike are the culprits!
Dry Play Doh means that it can’t be crafted, rolled, molded, and just generally enjoyed the way “fresh” Play Doh can be!
So, after the 10th time that I walked in to find Play Doh left out on the table (and consequently being super dried out), I decided I better do some experimenting to see exactly how to rehydrate Play Doh!
P.S. Yes I did change the color of the Play-Doh in the photo with photoshop, because it was brown and frankly looked too much like you-know-what for my liking! You’re welcome, lol!
How to Rehydrate Play Doh in Less Than 2 Minutes
Now, you may be thinking, “why not just buy new Play Doh?”.
That’s a valid question.
But for me, taking the 2 minutes (or less) to rehydrate old Play Doh is totally worth not having to drive to the store and spend more money!
So, how do you make dry Play Doh soft again? Easy!
Step One
Grab some dry Play Doh. It can be completely cracked and dry, or just a little on the “tough-to-work-with” side.
Step Two
Run dry Play Doh under the water, or dip it in a bowl of water. Either way is fine, just make sure that the entire outside of the Play Doh has been coated in water.
Step Three
Knead water into Play Doh until water is completely incorporated and your hands are no longer wet when handling the dough. This is a bit messy, so you might do it over the counter or the sink, just to be safe!
Step Four
Assess whether the Play Doh is still too dry; if so, repeat steps 1-3 until it’s the right consistency again!
How To Fix Dry Playdough Video
That’s it! Now you know how to easily rehydrate old Play Doh so you don’t always have to be buying new!
Or, if you like to make your own homemade playdough, this method works for homemade playdough too!
PIN THIS FOR LATER
Debbie says
Thank you for sharing!! My grandson has been going through a lot of play-doh lately doing exactly what you described…playing with it for a bit then running off to do something else. Now I’ll be able to salvage the play-doh without having to buy more every other week!! Thank you!
Victoria says
Yay! I’m so glad to hear this! I knew I wasn’t alone <3
Amanda | Spending to Save says
Thank you! I’ve been meaning to go through my kids Play-Doh supply and throw out the dried out ones. Now I know I don’t have to!
Victoria says
Yay for saving money, am I right?! I’m so happy you found this before throwing all that Play Doh away! <3
Evelyn Taylor says
Oh wow! I never knew this, I always thought once it dried out it was done for. Thanks for the help!
Momma'o 3 says
Exactly how I feel! Except I just add a bit of water once its all put back into the container(Just a bit! It can be too much pretty easily). And then by next time they ask for it, it’s ready to be played with again.
Marian Batchelor says
Thank you for this easy fix. Play doh is great for physical therapy for the hands and fingers. I bought several small containers and all have gone dry. Was about to order more when I thought to google it.
Victoria says
I’m so glad to hear that! Enjoy and Happy New Year!