making plastic out of milk experiment

Make Plastic From Milk

Make plastic from milk? It seems like some sort of lactose intolerant horror story, but it’s actually a really cool science process. Create your own toys, beads, jewelry, and more, with ingredients you have right now in your kitchen. It’s so easy and super cool!

Turn Milk Into Plastic Toys!

What you will discover in this article!

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Also known as casein plastic, this process has been used for over 100 years and is the way they used to make plastics before 1945 when synthetic plastics were introduced. Even royalty wore jewelry made from milk plastic many years ago. How cool is that?

With this simple process you can make toys, beads, jewelry, decorative pieces and more. This is a great, budget friendly experiment, with spectacular results that will have your students pumped with excitement for science!

A stove top or microwave to warm the milk Milk (we used 2%, lower fat content is better) White Vinegar or Lemon Juice Bowl Spoon Strainer (or can create your own using cheese cloth or similar) Paper towel Molds (we loved using our Lego minifigures and Dinosaur molds) or other tools for shaping.

Time: 30 to 90 minutes for the experiment, then 2 days for drying. Add in a little extra time for painting once dry!

Directions for Making Milk Plastic

Measure out 1 cup of milk (you can also use chocolate milk and the end result smells amazing! ), this makes about 4 minifigures or 4 dinosaurs. Heat on the stove top in a pot or in the microwave in a heat resistant bowl. You want it to just start steaming. Remove from the heat. Add 4 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice and stir gently.

The amount of vinegar is not exact. We used 4 tbsp by accident and it was fine, just made for a more intense vinegar smell!

You will notice that it immediately begins to curdle. You’re making curds and whey!

Stir gently for approximately one minute for the full reaction to finish and all the curds to form. Don’t stir aggressively. Be gentle.

Strain off the whey using a strainer or you can use cheese cloth (or similar). Let drip for a few minutes until most of the liquid has drained off. Gently smoosh the curds around in the strainer if needed.

Now remove the curds and place them on a few layers of paper towel. Carefully pat and squish to remove more liquid. You may need to replace the paper towel and repeat a few times. The goal is to remove as much liquid as possible.

You will notice it is kind of crumbly and squishy, but you can smoosh and shape it.

Now you can put it in your molds at this point but we discovered that if you put the curds in a jar or bowl, soaking in vinegar for an hour, you will get a much smoother final product. Plus they are more white if you do this extra step. If you do the extra vinegar soak, once the hour is up, repeat the straining, and paper towel drying  process again. This time you will notice it is smoother in texture and no longer crumbly.

How to Colour Milk Plastic

During the vinegar soak you can add some food colouring if you want. Just put a few drops in with the vinegar while it is soaking and it will colour the curds. Or make yours glow in the dark with our favourite trick !

Creating Milk Plastic Toys

Now squish it into your molds. We used silicone molds to make Lego minifigs and dinosaurs.

You can also shape it by hand. Roll it to create beads, then use a skewer to put a hole through it before setting it aside to dry. Or flatten it and use some cookie cutters.

The drying process takes time, approximately 2 days depending on your natural humidity levels and how much moisture you removed with the paper towels. But you can remove it from the silicone molds after 24 hours and this will help speed up the drying time.

Once dry, clean up the edges a bit if necessary, just like you would with any other casting. You can do this with just your fingers, a piece of sand paper or other tools. It will be hard plastic now, so it might take a little extra work!

You can paint the final products with either acrylic paints or markers. I used acrylic paints and a sharpie for the faces on mine. Spray them with a clear coat to give them a nice shine once you are finished.

VOILA! Who knew it was so easy, and so much fun, to make plastic from milk!

How Long will Milk Plastic Last?

Our oldest Milk Plastic Toys are over 2 years old now and show no signs of degrading. But we have to be very careful to keep them dry. Why? Because although they are very durable under the right conditions, they are also full compostable!

Breaking Down Milk Plastic

When you are done with your creations, turn it into a science experiment to discover the best method for breaking down milk plastic. Simply set out a bowl of water, a bowl of vinegar, and a bowl of saline solution (salt water). Set some of the pieces in each bowl and compare how they break down to find the best way.

Milk plastic will also break down in a regular compost system within 30 days.

Milk Plastic Chemistry – The Science of How Milk Becomes Plastic

This is a chemistry experiment working with polymers.

Polymers are molecules that have formed a regular chain structure. Milk contains molecules of a protein called Casein. During this reaction between warm milk and acid the casein molecules unfold and form long chains called a polymer. The polymer can be molded and shaped which makes it a plastic. In this case it’s called casein plastic or milk plastic because of the type of molecules that created the plastic.

Learn more in our dedicated resource: What is a Polymer?

Make Milk Plastic Christmas Ornaments

Make Glow In The Dark Milk Plastic

MILK ISN’T THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE PLASTIC

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September 13, 2012

Sculpted Science: Turn Milk into Plastic!

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By Science Buddies

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Key concepts Plastic Polymers Milk Casein Introduction Have you ever heard that plastic can be made out of milk? If this sounds far-fetched, you may be surprised to learn that from the early 1900s until about 1945, milk was commonly used to make many different plastic ornaments. This included buttons, decorative buckles, beads and other jewelry, fountain pens, the backings for hand-held mirrors, and fancy comb and brush sets. Milk plastic (usually called casein plastic) was even used to make jewelry for Queen Mary of England! In this activity, you will make your own casein plastic out of hot milk and vinegar. Background Plastics are a group of materials that may look or feel different, but can all be molded into varied shapes. The similarities and differences between different plastic products come down to the molecules that comprise them. All plastics are composed of molecules that repeat themselves in a chain, called a polymer. Polymers can be chains of either one type of molecule or different ones, which are linked together in a regular pattern. Also, in a polymer, a single repeat of the pattern of molecules is called a monomer, which can consist of just one type of molecule or include several different kinds. Milk contains many molecules of a protein called casein. Each casein molecule is a monomer and a chain of casein monomers is a polymer. The polymer can be scooped up and molded, which is why plastic made from milk is called casein plastic. Materials •     Measuring cup •     Milk •     Stove-top oven and pan or a microwave and microwaveable container •     Mug or other heat-resistant cup •     Measuring spoons •     White vinegar •     Paper towels •     A clean, hard surface that is will not be damaged by dampness •     Spoon •     Cookie-cutters, glitter, food coloring, markers (all optional) •     Adult help and supervision with heating and handling hot liquids Preparation •     Heat one cup of milk in a pan or on a stove top until it is steaming hot. Alternatively, you can microwave the milk in a microwaveable container by warming it at 50 percent power for five minutes. It should be about the same temperature as milk you would use to make hot cocoa; heat longer if needed. Procedure •     Add four teaspoons (tsp.) of white vinegar to a mug or other heat-resistant cup. •     Add the cup of hot milk to the mug. You should see the milk form white clumps that are called curds. Why do you think the milk forms curds when it is added to the vinegar? What do you think they are made of? •     Mix the mug slowly with a spoon for a few seconds. What happens when the milk and vinegar are mixed together? Why do you think this is? •     Stack four layers of paper towels on a hard surface that will not be damaged if it gets damp. •     Once the milk and vinegar mixture has cooled a bit, use a spoon to scoop out the curds. You can do this by tilting the spoon against the inside of the mug to let excess liquid drain out while retaining the curds in the spoon. Collect as many curds as you can in this way and put them on top of the paper towel stack. •     Fold the edges of the paper towel stack over the curds and press down on them to absorb excess liquid. Use extra paper towels if needed to soak up the remaining moisture. •     Knead all of the curds together into a ball, as if it were dough. What you have in your hands is casein plastic. How do the kneaded curds feel and look different from the original ones? •     If you want to use the casein plastic to make something, you can color, shape or mold it now (within an hour of making the plastic dough) and leave it to dry on paper towels for at least 48 hours. Once it has dried, the casein plastic will be hard. •     Tip: To shape the plastic, the dough must be thoroughly kneaded. Molds and cookie-cutters work well or, with more patience, the dough can be hand sculpted. Food coloring, glitter or other decorative bits can be added to the wet casein plastic dough, and dried casein plastic can be painted or colored with markers. •     Extra: How does the amount of vinegar used affect the yield of casein plastic? To find out, you can repeat this activity—but in addition to testing four tsp. of white vinegar with one cup of hot milk, try also testing one tsp., two tsp. or eight tsp. of the vinegar, each with one cup of hot milk. To collect the most curds and get a better idea of their casein plastic yield, instead of scooping the curds with a spoon, you can pour the vinegar and milk mixture through a piece of cotton cloth (such as an old T-shirt) secured with rubber bands on top of a cup. •     Extra : In addition to vinegar, there are a lot of other acids that we encounter in the kitchen all the time, such as lemon juice, orange juice, soda pop and tomato juice. Do some of these common acids work better than others for making casein plastic? •     Extra : You used hot milk in this activity that was not at a specific temperature, but using hotter or colder milk might affect the casein plastic reaction. Design an experiment to investigate this. How does the temperature of the milk affect how much casein plastic you can produce? Observations and results Were you able to see the curds when the hot milk and vinegar were mixed together, and could you scoop out the curds to make casein plastic? After you add the hot milk to the vinegar, small, white chunks—or curds—should become visible in the mixture. This is because adding an acid (such as vinegar) to the milk changes the latter's pH (acidity) and makes the casein molecules unfold and reorganize into a long chain, thereby curdling the milk. You should be able to use a spoon to separate the curds from most of the liquid. Additional drying of the curds with the paper towels should make the curds ready to knead into a ball and use as casein plastic, which can be molded and decorated. More to explore Polymer Basics from Polymer Science Learning Center, Department of Polymer Science, the University of Southern Mississippi Casein from Plastics Historical Society Welcome to the Caseino: A virtual museum devoted to casein plastics from John Morgan Turn Milk into Plastic! from Science Buddies

This activity brought to you in partnership with Science Buddies

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How to Make "Plastic" out of Milk

Last Updated: December 19, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Meredith Juncker, PhD . Meredith Juncker is a PhD candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Her studies are focused on proteins and neurodegenerative diseases. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 239,677 times.

Do you want to show your students or kids a fun experiment that is safe, easy to clean up after, and yields really drastic results? Well, with a little bit of milk and vinegar, you can create a material similar to plastic in minutes. The experiment is completely safe and you can make whatever you would like out of the plastic once it’s made.

Making the “Plastic”

• Whole milk or heavy cream will work better than 1% or 2% milk.
• An old T-shirt will work fine as the cotton cloth.
• You will be working with hot liquid so adult supervision is recommended.

• If you have a candy thermometer, make sure the temperature is at least 120 °F (49 °C). [3] X Trustworthy Source Science Buddies Expert-sourced database of science projects, explanations, and educational material Go to source
• Stir the milk continuously if heating on the stove.
• Have an adult help you with this step.
• To microwave milk, put your microwave on 50% power for about 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, microwave in 30 second increments until the milk is hot.

• The milk curdles due to a change in its pH. The vinegar contains acetic acid, which makes the milk more acidic and causes the protein, called casein, to unfold and reorganize into a long chain. [5] X Research source

• As the milk drains through the strainer, you will see the clumps remaining on top of the strainer.

• Squeeze the curds on the paper towel to get out any extra moisture.

Molding and Decorating the “Plastic”

• If you want to get really into it, you can use sculpting tools.
• Paint and markers can also be used once the plastic is completely dry.

• Wait until the curds have cooled completely before handling them.

• You can add food coloring if you’d like all your shapes to be the same color and you don’t want to wait for them to dry and paint them later. Put on gloves, add some food coloring to the dough, and work it until the color is even throughout the dough. Gel food coloring works better than liquid.

• Set the beads aside to dry. Check on them in a few days to make sure they are completely dry.

• Once it’s dry, you can paint it or decorate it however you would like.

• Once the paint is dry, you can make jewelry or play with your sculpted creations!

Expert Q&A

• Items will be hot. Ask a parent to help you with the items if you are a kid. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experiments/turn-milk-into-plastic-kitchen-science-experiment/
• ↑ https://sciencebob.com/make-plastic-milk/
• ↑ http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Chem_p101.shtml#procedure
• ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-milk-plastic/
• ↑ https://sites.tufts.edu/middleschoolcheme/2020/06/18/turn-milk-into-plastic/

About This Article

To make “plastic” out of milk, first heat 1 cup of milk in the microwave or on the stove until it’s just under boiling. Whole milk or heavy cream makes the best plastic! Add 4 tablespoons of vinegar to the milk and stir it for about a minute. If you don’t see small clumps forming at this point, start over and make the milk hotter before adding the vinegar. When your mixture is clumpy, pour it through a strainer. Use a paper towel to squeeze any extra water from the clumps, which form your plastic! For more tips from our reviewer, including how to mold your plastic into the shapes you'd like, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Turn Milk Into Plastic   Recently updated !

Turning milk into plastic is a fascinating exploration of the intersection of chemistry and everyday materials. This project not only provides a hands-on learning experience, but also opens the door to further experimentation and discovery. While most modern plastics come from petrochemicals, milk contains the protein casein , which forms a natural polymer. The project is easy and fun and only requires familiar everyday materials.

Background Information

History of Casein Plastic

People have been using the milk protein casein for making plastic for over a century. Casein plastic, known as Galalith, was first produced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Galalith was popular for making buttons, jewelry, fountain pens, and even knitting needles. Its production peaked before the widespread use of synthetic plastics derived from petroleum.

Commercial Casein Plastic vs. Homemade Casein Plastic

Commercial casein plastic production involves a more controlled and precise process, often incorporating formaldehyde or other toxic additives to enhance the material’s properties, such as durability and flexibility. In contrast, the homemade method is simpler and non-toxic, produces a less refined product. Homemade plastic from milk is ideal for educational purposes and small craft projects.

Materials Needed

The only ingredients you need are milk and vinegar. For best results, use a measuring cup and measuring spoons.

• 1 cup of milk (any type, though whole milk works best)
• 4 teaspoons of white vinegar (other types work, but impart color)
• A stove, hot plate, or microwave oven
• A small saucepan (for the stove or hot plate) or a bowl (for the microwave)
• A measuring cup and measuring spoons
• Paper towels or a cheesecloth or old piece of t-shirt
• Molds or cookie cutters (optional for shaping)
• Food coloring, glitter, or acrylic paints (optional for decorating)
• Heat the Milk : Pour the milk into the saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it is hot but not boiling. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on the surface. Alternatively, heat the milk in a bowl in the microwave so that it is hot, but not boiling. The time depends on the appliance power, but it’s around 90 seconds.
• Add Vinegar : Remove the milk from the heat and add the vinegar to the hot milk. Stir the mixture for a few minutes. If you like, add glitter or food coloring. Notice the milk beginning to curdle as the casein proteins separate from the liquid.
• Strain the Curds : Pour the mixture through a paper towel or cloth to separate the solid curds from the liquid whey. Press out as much liquid as possible from the curds.
• Shape the Plastic : While the curds are still pliable, mold them into the desired shapes using your hands, candy molds, or cookie cutters. Kneading the curds before molding or cutting them yields the smoothest finish.
• Drying : Place the shaped plastic on a paper towel and let it dry for at least 48 hours. The plastic hardens as it dries.
• Decorate : Once the plastic is completely dry, decorate it with acrylic paints or other craft materials. For a shiny finish, sand any rough edges and coat the plastic with craft sealant.

Safety Information

• Heat Safety : Be cautious when heating the milk. Use a stove or hot plate with adult supervision if necessary.
• Handling : The curds may be slightly acidic due to the vinegar, so wash your hands after handling them.
• Ventilation : Ensure the area is well-ventilated or else the odor of vinegar and curdled milk will linger.
• Disposal: Don’t discard unused casein down the drain, as it clogs pipes. Instead, throw away any leftover material.

The Chemistry Behind the Process

Milk contains a protein called casein, which coagulates when exposed to an acidic substance like vinegar (diluted acetic acid). The low pH disrupts the micelles in milk that consist of calcium phosphate and casein, making the protein accessible. In the presence of heat , the casein molecules unfold and reorganize into long chains, forming a polymer . This polymer network traps the liquid whey, which you separate out, leaving behind a solid mass of casein plastic. The process of adding vinegar essential curdles the milk. This is a form of denaturation and precipitation , common in many biochemical processes.

You can use pretty much any mammal milk (cow, sheep, goat, camel, etc.) for this project. However, human milk only contains low levels of casein, so it is not a great choice.

Turning the Project Into an Experiment

To transform this project into an experiment , consider the following variables :

• Type of Milk : Test different types of milk (whole, skim, soy, almond) and see how they affect the quantity and quality of the plastic produced.
• Amount of Vinegar : Vary the amount of vinegar added to the milk and observe the effects on the curdling process and the final product.
• Other Acids: Test the effectiveness of other common safe household acids, such as lemon juice, carbonated soda, or citric acid.
• Heating Temperature : Experiment with different temperatures for heating the milk to see how it impacts the separation of curds and whey.
• Drying Time : Compare the properties of the plastic with different drying times (24, 48, 72 hours).

Record your observations for each variable, noting changes in texture, strength, flexibility, and appearance of the plastic. This systematic approach aids in understand the factors influencing the production and properties of casein plastic.

How to Turn Plant-Based Milk Into Plastic

While it is a spoiler alert if you’re testing types of milk for an experiment, here is what you need to know if you’re using a plant-based milk for this project. Plant-based milks contain proteins, but these proteins differ significantly from the casein found in animal milk. The chance of getting plastic from plant milks depends on the type and structure of these proteins.

Soy milk contains proteins, such as glycinin and beta-conglycinin. These proteins denature and form a gel-like substance following exposure to heat and acidic conditions, similar to the process with casein in cow’s milk. However, the resulting material has different properties from casein plastic. Basically, the procedure produces tofu. Of all the plant-based milks, soy milk has the best chance of forming a plastic.

Almond Milk

Almond milk contains fewer proteins compared to soy milk and cow’s milk. The primary protein in almond milk is amandin. Although it coagulates, the amount of protein is generally too low to form a substantial polymer network similar to casein plastic. If you want plastic from almond milk, you’ll need a lot more milk than just one cup of it.

Other Plant-Based Milks

Other plant-based milks, such as oat, rice, and coconut milk, have varying protein contents and structures. Generally, these milks have lower protein concentrations than animal milk. As with almond milk, you need a lot more milk to get a decent amount of plastic. But, the basic process remains the same. Heat the milk, add vinegar, and strain the solids.

• Panouillé, M.; Durand, D.; et al. (2005). “Aggregation and gelation of micellar casein particles”. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science . 287 (1): 85–93. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2005.02.008
• Robinson, R. (2012). Robinson: Modern Dairy Technology: Volume 1 Advances in Milk Processing . Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781461520573.
• Trimborn, Christel (August 2004). “ Jewelry Stone Make of Milk “. GZ Art+Design.

Turn Milk into Plastic!

October 4, 2023 by Sarah 204 Comments

Did you know you could turn milk into plastic? I didn’t. I had no idea!

I did know that you can turn cream into butter, which is just what I was planning on doing with one of my Kindergarten classes back when I taught in the classroom. We love easy science experiments!

There I was, armed with gallons of cream (which, as it turns out, was waaaay more cream than needed), when one of my lovely colleagues said, “Oh! Are you making plastic?”

I looked at her as if she were insane and said, “No… this is cream .”

She then smiled and said, “Oh, I thought it was milk,” and started to walk away.

As if you could walk away after a sentence like that! I quickly chased after her and got all the details on how to turn milk into plastic. Turns out—she’s not insane! You really can! And best of all, you only need to add vinegar.

Before we get into it, you’ll also want to grab your FREE Printable Instructions! Little ones will love being able to follow along, helping with each step as they take part in this experiment:

Good news, friends, I have worked out all the kinks, done this science experiment more than a few times (it’s that awesome), and have all the details just for you. This is such a great STEM activity for kids!

How to Turn Milk into “Plastic”

You can turn milk into “plastic” in literally minutes with only milk and vinegar and a few kitchen supplies—and it is awesome.

• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 tbsp vinegar
• microwavable bowl or a saucepan
• mixing bowl
• paper towel
• cookie cutters
• food coloring, optional

Step 1: Heat the Milk

First, take 1 cup of milk and warm it in the microwave for about 1.5 minutes, or slowly heat it in a pot on the stove (you want the milk hot but not boiling).

Step 2: Add Vinegar and Stir

Next, stir in 4 tablespoons of vinegar. The milk will start to clump as the acid in the vinegar breaks down the protein in the milk. Stir for about 1 minute.

Step 3: Strain the Liquid

Strain the milk through a strainer. All the clumps will stay in the strainer—really push on them to get all the liquid out.

Step 4: Shape and Color

Finally, transfer it to some paper towels and continue to press all the liquid out of the plastic milk. You can add a few drops of food coloring if you’d like, or leave it white—we’ve done both! Then shape the “plastic” by pressing it into a cookie cutter.

I flipped our cookie cutters over so you could get a better look at how it compresses in the photo below (we opted to keep these little stars white).

Step 5: Let Dry and Display!

Set them aside to dry for a good long while—it could take a couple of nights, or you can pop them in the fridge to help them harden a bit faster—then they’re ready! Once they’re hardened, they are ready to be hung up in a window, on a door, or used to decorate a Christmas tree!

My kids just loved this science experiment; I hope yours will, too!

So this is the takeaway lesson here, friends: If someone says something that doesn’t make sense, chase them down the school hallway and ask questions! You might just discover the coolest science experiment of all time.

*** Goodness gracious! I had no idea this post would elicit quite so much discussion. I can certainly say I have learned a ton reading through the comments below. If you are looking for more information about the science behind this process or about the making of paneer, please read the comments on this post.***

If your children enjoy learning and experimenting in the kitchen, they’ll love my Edible Science Family Unit Study! It is full of delicious, hands-on activities—from learning about states of matter while making popsicles, to discovering how harvested cacao pods become chocolate while making some delicious chocolate-dipped cookies.

Check out Edible Science!

https://shop.howweelearn.com/collections/family-unit-studies/products/family-unit-study-edible-science

Thank you so much for reading, my friend!

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March 11, 2016 at 1:02 pm

vamos a hacerlo con mi hija. GRacias por compartir!!!!!! saludos desde Argentina

March 12, 2016 at 10:20 pm

Most welcome! Thank you for taking the time to comment … and all the way from Argentina! Wow!

June 7, 2016 at 9:41 am

Love it….wow can you imagine all the stuff that goes on in our bodies…plastic out of milk. makes me Think..What else is chemically going on causing serious upsets inside???

June 23, 2016 at 4:26 pm

Hey….this is not plastic this is called paneer…means cottage cheese. It is very popular in India. This is eatable and very very healthy thing to eat .

July 21, 2016 at 9:27 am

Is that how you make paneer? I love paneer. I’ll definitely try it.

August 3, 2017 at 7:33 am

Yes, and we make it a lot using either vinegar or lime juice or citric acid granules. It is delicious and healthy and one can make innumerable things from it!! Also, the water can be used for household plants. It nourishes them!

September 13, 2017 at 4:10 pm

I was going to also comment that this was a simple cheese. I make it at home. The vinegar causes the curds to form and separate from the whey.

July 11, 2018 at 12:54 pm

This is not plastic…it is the process for making homemade cottage cheese- this makes for a good home science project for the kids though…Thanks for sharing

July 18, 2018 at 8:08 pm

Thank you Rekha!

November 26, 2018 at 1:52 pm

Thank you, this helps explain my baby’s extreme allergy to milk years ago. I presume stomach acid could cause a reaction much the same. It looks very much like curdled stomach milk. That was just a beginning.

January 15, 2020 at 12:13 pm

Really it doesn’t look like cottage cheese!!!!!!

February 6, 2020 at 1:04 pm

I was just wondering if you cold eat it? What do you use it for and how do you eat it?

May 9, 2017 at 5:43 pm

I was just thinking that myself.. This is very interesting indeed.. I think my daughter would be interested in trying this experiment though..

January 25, 2019 at 10:01 am

I wonder about the pregnant women and what happens to their fetus who crave pickles and ice cream? Pickle juice is made with vinegar and ice cream is made with milk.

February 7, 2020 at 6:45 am

Honey. The fetus is not in the stomachs with all the stomach acid. It’s in a separate place, the uterus, in which blood flood with all the nutrients broken down by moms body nourish the body since the fetus cannot yet break down foods-like pickles and icecream or anything else- on its own. She is just developing while inside and needs protection and extra support at that stage to focus on growing toes and organs.

July 21, 2019 at 11:43 am

THAT’S what you got out of this cool thing! Seriously?!

December 6, 2019 at 10:13 pm

?? I think it’s a wonderful way to think…. out of the box. If we didn’t have people who can think out of the ordi ary, we’d be in a sad place.

February 20, 2017 at 9:06 am

I tried twice to make the recipe but it did not work. I heated the milk on the stove to just before boiling then added the white vinegar. Also, I used 2% milk. Does that make a difference?

July 17, 2017 at 10:38 pm

Hmmm – it sounds like you did it all correct. Does anyone have any suggestions for Kathleen please?

July 25, 2017 at 9:36 am

The same with me just now. However, I used a bit old apple vinegar and lactose free and skimmed milk. It showed a bit but more like freckled. I made paneer long time ago with lemon and it worked well. Now the kids enjoy their mess when I added salt and flour. Let´s see that result 😀

October 26, 2017 at 4:38 am

Regular milk best for panner and do not add too much vinegar slowly slowly

November 8, 2017 at 11:14 am

Depends on the fat content of the milk and the amount of vinegar you add. For half litre(3%fat) milk, i would add 20 ml of vinegar to make panner. Hope this will help.

November 13, 2018 at 5:05 pm

I found this description and thought it did a great job explaining why the lower fat milks don’t produce as well. Seems the casein molecule needs fat to start forming. Logic says less fat, less “seeds” to start the process. “How do different amounts of acid (vinegar) affect milk and why?

Milk is already slightly acidic, but the quality of milk as an emulsion enables a characteristic curdling reaction when the pH drops further. Usually fat and water don’t mix, but the casein protein chain binds them together. The protein has both water loving and fat loving particles; presented with both water and fat in milk it grabs the fat and clusters together forming globules with fat on the inside and the water loving particles on the outside. Each globule has a negative charge, repelling each other and distributing each other throughout the water content, forming the emulsion. When these globules are broken, curdling takes place.

Lowering the pH level of milk by adding vinegar or lemon juice causes the casein protein to unwind. These proteins are able to interact and, over time, clump together creating the characteristic lumps of curdled milk”

January 22, 2019 at 9:21 pm

Interesting – thank you for all of this information!

December 6, 2019 at 10:15 pm

Maybe use ful cream milk?

February 8, 2020 at 7:28 pm

Yes, it mattered that she used 2%. The vinegar is causing a chemical reaction with the fat proteins in the milk. Whole milk should have sufficient fat content to see the separating into curds & whey. Side note – This is what Little Miss Muffet was eating.”

February 29, 2020 at 12:48 pm

Just maybe 2% is not high enough in fat to solidify it. Just a thought. Thanks for educating me and for such a cool project. I knew that buttermilk can be substituted with milk and vinegar, but never considered adding enough vinegar for a project on how to make “plastic”.

May 14, 2021 at 9:30 pm

Use whole milk. I use it to make cheese for many Indian dishes. After separating the curds from the liquid in a strainer, rinse them and wrap them tightly in cheesecloth, wringing out as much moisture as possible. Then I tie the cheesecloth into a bag and hang it over my sink from the faucet and let it drain for about an hour. Now form the cheese into a flat circle about 4-6″ in diameter. Put it on plate and place another plate on top with a can of something heavy like a large can of tomatoes or a bag of sugar on top to weight it down for an hour. Now unwrap the cheese, slice it into pieces about 1″ thick and dry them in oil or clarified butter. It took me longer to describe this than to make the cheese!!!

October 26, 2017 at 6:39 pm

You canNOT use ultra pasteurized milk. It has to be milk that you buy in the refrigerated section of the store.

September 15, 2018 at 9:26 am

You need to use whole milk. The vinegar denatures the enzymes in the milk and separates the solid from the liquid. The milk fat is the solids. So, 2% will not get you very much solids.

September 13, 2020 at 11:05 pm

What vinegar is best? White?

September 21, 2020 at 7:48 pm

Interesting question. I have only ever used white vinegar myself.

January 29, 2019 at 4:45 pm

It needs to be whole milk.

April 20, 2018 at 10:04 pm

Yeah, good for you! ??

January 9, 2019 at 12:50 pm

Have you tried pressing this in molds and let it dry? If so how did it turn out?

January 22, 2019 at 8:39 pm

Hi there, we pressed it into cookie cutters and removed before it dried. It turned out great!

February 16, 2019 at 5:43 pm

Does the plastic have an unpleasant odor? I just think of how bad sour milk smells!

March 22, 2019 at 9:42 pm

I had wondered that as well, but no odor at all! Great question.

December 15, 2019 at 8:24 am

Ok I got a question. As it’s some form of cheese, doesn’t it begin to get moldy and smelly at some point? I would love to try this with my Kindergarten class, but the thought of sending moldy, smelly cheese home just doesn’t work for me…lol Imagine the reaction the parents would have!!! I’m dying inside thinking about it!

January 10, 2020 at 10:30 pm

LOL! It honestly does not smell. I do not know the chemistry behind why this is … and perhaps over a very, very long period of time it would go bad, but we had ours for 6 months with nothing!

July 31, 2016 at 4:24 pm

Le añades sal y ha es queso blanco. Rico

April 16, 2017 at 9:37 am

this is so cool it kinda works but it was a messy project oh well messes are also fun

February 5, 2019 at 4:24 am

Will this work with soured milk?

May 4, 2019 at 1:05 pm

why not try it and let us all know

February 4, 2020 at 1:23 pm

I was just wondering the same thing! I don’t have any on hand right now but I will try it next time the milk left out overnight!

March 12, 2016 at 10:12 pm

Awesome! Can’t wait to try it with the kiddos.

March 12, 2016 at 10:19 pm

Yay! Have fun – it is really neat!

March 31, 2016 at 6:25 pm

Does it start to smell?

April 5, 2016 at 7:59 pm

Not yet – and ours is more than a month old!

February 4, 2017 at 4:14 pm

How long can you keep it till it starts to go bad?

February 14, 2017 at 8:05 pm

I’m sure someone will have a better answer – but mine is, I don’t believe it goes bad? At least ours hasn’t yet

June 19, 2017 at 4:01 am

Hey It is not plastic but paneer used in India. And it is not good for health to keep it for so long. It is like if u keep mozzarella or any eatable cheese outside.

June 11, 2020 at 7:00 am

I realize it isn’t Cottage cheese, but as that’s all I know, I’ll speak as if it was…I think they have to be similar. Cottage cheese will keep a long time in the fridge, but if it begins to form a pink mold, throw it out.

February 1, 2019 at 4:33 am

Before plastic people used this method to make buttons that are possibly still around today! My grandma had the mould presses for all sorts of different shapes!

March 22, 2019 at 9:47 pm

April 9, 2019 at 2:44 pm

Best reply ive seen yet on here.

May 8, 2019 at 12:12 am

I can’t believe an animal product such as this will not degrade (get rotten) or attract bugs over time. Is it the vinegar that protects it from fails and keeps it as hard as a button? I am totally amazed, and that it is edible as well. . Live and learn!

December 6, 2019 at 10:18 pm

WOW!! That’s awesome…. thank you.

June 5, 2016 at 4:40 am

Bio degradable??

April 4, 2016 at 9:03 pm

Interesting that’s the same way you make farm cheese. I wounder what the sciance behind it is. Thanks for the post.

April 7, 2016 at 8:19 am

You’re making curd, acid is a coagulator used in some kinds of cheese (the other being rennet). You’ve separated the protein from the whey, or the plastic from the liquid. If you look up a recipe for the Indian cheese called Paneer, you may be surprised at how remarkably similar the processes are. Fun project!

June 2, 2016 at 6:20 pm

Yep! Taking out the part of the milk in allergic to! Lol I’m not surprised it gets hard like plastic. I swear that’s what milk does in my stomach shortly after my face goes red and itchy lol

April 8, 2016 at 1:11 pm

It is really cool! How long the ” plastic” will last and will it become stinky?i will do it with my boy.

April 11, 2016 at 6:44 pm

Hi Jing, I think it is very cool too! The plastic lasts and lasts and hasn’t gotten stinky at all for us yet. I hope you have fun with your son!

May 9, 2016 at 11:40 am

Does it matter what type of vinegar you use?

May 10, 2016 at 9:46 am

Hmmm… I used white vinegar – I’m afraid I’m not sure if it matters! Perhaps other readers will have an answer for you.

July 20, 2017 at 9:04 pm

You can use any food grsde acid… citric acid, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice…

August 14, 2016 at 8:32 am

It is not plastic ……. This is how you make cheese , processing milk by adding vinegar is turning to cheese, please don’t call plastic. Yes you can play with that , but will never turn to PLASTIC.

October 20, 2016 at 10:07 am

Thank you Mrs. Perfect. The kids think it’s plastic and the science is good. fun sucker.

February 3, 2017 at 5:08 pm

Tim, most plastic is made from petroleum. Plastic also does not readily biodegrade (a plastic bottle can take 450 to 1000 years to biodegrade). Some plastics are known to leach chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones. I am not sure you are doing your kids any favours in getting them to believe that milk and vinegar make ‘plastic’.

Telling your kids that this process is related to cheese making or calling it something else is not going to spoil the fun!!

April 10, 2016 at 9:01 am

I was going to say that it sounds like you are actually just making a really hard cheese.

August 14, 2016 at 8:36 am

I agree, I make cheese that way and use for cooking, is much better then store cottage cheese, is fresh and I make when I needed and don’t have chemical in home made cheese!!!!!!!!!

June 7, 2019 at 4:14 pm

Do you use a smaller ratio of vinegar to milk when you’re making”farm cheese”?

April 12, 2016 at 7:25 pm

Is there a difference in using 2% versus whole milk?

April 12, 2016 at 9:28 pm

Hmmm … I am not sure – but if you do use whole milk please let me know!

July 24, 2017 at 10:18 pm

Sorry but this is a recipy to make kind of cheese very pepulare .. im surprized that many of you dont know that! Thats not a plastic! You can use instead of vinegare lemon joice it will work and very tasty!

August 14, 2016 at 8:41 am

Yes it is ,2% milk make smaller amount off cheese .The fat in the milk is turning to the cheese after adding the vinegar!

April 13, 2016 at 12:55 am

Hi from Victoria Australia. This is awesome cant wait to try it but i will make it into an art activity.

April 14, 2016 at 1:26 pm

Oh neat idea – come on back to share what you did please! I’d love to see.

April 17, 2016 at 11:23 pm

That’s basically how you make buttermilk. I might try it with my grandkids. Thanks for sharing.

April 18, 2016 at 10:37 pm

Thanks Ann – I hope you give it a go – it’s really neat!

November 4, 2018 at 11:40 am

That’s how I make buttermilk for our pancakes, in the mornings. I also use this buttermilk, while baking, in place of milk, buttermilk, and even water. This homemade buttermilk works very well everything I’ve used it for. I’m going to try it with my grandchildren, for Christmas Decorations. Sounds like fun.

May 15, 2019 at 9:37 am

Yes, with one or two tablespoons of vinegar per cup of milk or milk alternative (e.g. almond milk) it can substitute for buttermilk in pancake or biscuit recipes. Makes them fluffier than plain milk.

October 18, 2019 at 2:06 am

Thanks for the butter milk idea.

April 18, 2016 at 4:26 pm

Would it work using Almond milk?

April 18, 2016 at 10:36 pm

I truly have no idea. My gut instinct would be that it would not, as the reaction occurs because of the proteins and fat in the milk — though I suppose both of those things are present in Almond milk as well … Hmmm … If you give it a try, please let me know!

December 24, 2017 at 10:47 pm

Sorry this is a bit late, (a whole year late!) but using almond milk unfortunately does not work… I just tried it with my little one and we were very disappointed, but we still had fun trying!

April 22, 2016 at 12:29 pm

What kind of milk do you use? 1%, 2% or whole?

April 26, 2016 at 9:59 pm

We use 2% because it is what’s in our fridge. I would definitely be interested to know if others have had success with different varieties though

August 22, 2016 at 1:45 pm

What is the ratio of mixture.

August 14, 2016 at 8:50 am

From 1 and 2 % milk you will have smaller amount of cheese!

April 25, 2016 at 5:22 pm

My thoughts are is it more environmentally safe since it originated from milk and vinegar.

May 2, 2016 at 1:58 pm

My teacher is making us to science fair projects and this was perfect! It was super simple and easy.

May 2, 2016 at 7:16 pm

So glad it worked out for you Mac – thanks for letting me know!

May 5, 2016 at 10:52 pm

My daughter and I are trying this right now with 1%. It definitely is not separating like it’s showing in your picture. We are using white vinegar also. We have been stirring for about 5 minutes. May have to get some 2% for this.

May 5, 2016 at 11:00 pm

So with 1%, we added an extra tbsp of vinegar and stirred for about 8 minutes. It works and was a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing this.

May 6, 2016 at 7:27 pm

Thank you for this Laura – glad it worked and you had fun!

May 11, 2016 at 2:47 am

Thanks so much for sharing. I’m going to try this with some of my students. What kind of vinegar is best to use? White distilled cleaning vinegar?

May 20, 2016 at 10:44 pm

I hope you have fun Cleo – I’m sure your students will love it! We just used basic white vinegar. Thanks for writing!

May 4, 2019 at 1:13 pm

why not try seversl combinations using fifferent milk and different vinegars. Let us know the results. Science can be fun, for girls as well as boys.

May 20, 2016 at 11:33 pm

This looks cool. I’m going to use this with my 6 year olds. We are in New Zealand, so could I ask what percentage of fat do your milks have? We have full fat, trim or low fat.

May 30, 2016 at 10:02 pm

Hmmm – I would assume “trim” would be equal to our 2% … I hope your 6 year olds love it!

May 27, 2016 at 3:24 pm

This is great – I’ve been looking for some science / art projects to try with my kiddo.

Sorry to be pedantic but a few times you say you’re turning plastic into milk – I saw it on Pinterest and couldn’t work out how on earth that was possible. now I see, you’re not turning plastic into milk, but milk into plastic!

May 30, 2016 at 9:52 pm

Really?! I will have to read through more carefully – thank you very much for pointing that out, I don’t want anyone trying to drink plastic!!! I hope you and your little ones love it

June 1, 2016 at 2:56 pm

Hi I love this idea and cannot wait to try with my son! I was wondering at what point you mixed in the food coloring. Do you think it would blend better if added right to the milk in the beginning? Thanks! 🙂

June 12, 2016 at 8:44 pm

We coloured ours at the end, and it did not work so well. I bet adding the colour right at the beginning would give a much smoother appearance – but with science experiments, who knows?! If you try it please pop back with an update. Thank you!!

June 17, 2016 at 2:05 pm

mine came out kind of dry-ish and grainy like grated parmaesan cheese

June 23, 2016 at 8:59 pm

Hmmm – Maybe more vinegar?

June 21, 2016 at 1:04 pm

This looks like a great experiment thank you, but I have a question does it develop an order? Thank you

June 23, 2016 at 8:57 pm

No odor at all! It’s fascinating!

June 25, 2016 at 1:03 am

Thank you for post this. I really like the idea and going to have a try with my preschoolers. I read all the comments as well. If there turned into kind of cheese, can we try it by mouth to see how it taste like?

July 7, 2016 at 8:16 pm

This is beyond the scope of what I know I’m afraid Jackie. I can not say one way or the other as far as tasting it, but the experiment is really neat all the same!

July 7, 2016 at 10:28 pm

I made it with my kids at daycare and we are waiting for them to dry

July 11, 2016 at 9:07 pm

Great! How did they turn out?

June 25, 2016 at 11:35 am

You can paint these after they are hard right?

July 7, 2016 at 8:14 pm

Yes you can. That is what we did.

August 19, 2016 at 3:17 pm

You’ve made plexiglass. Dates from pre WW2 and its what air-plane windshields and windows used to be made with. I remember using our soured milk to do this about 75 years ago!!

September 29, 2016 at 3:28 pm

This is great info! I read milk jewelry was a big deal during the Renaissance. This is our afternoon project today. Thank you so much for sharing this!

May 30, 2017 at 3:28 am

Cool I have some sour milk and a science minded and crafty grand kid. Coming over.tomorrow.

February 1, 2019 at 5:00 am

How did they get it to go clear making windshields for planes?

April 20, 2019 at 11:30 am

How did they get it clear so you could see thru it?

November 18, 2019 at 2:25 pm

I like to know the answer too. It is so intriguing.

August 29, 2016 at 5:14 pm

Ours was very crumbly is this right? or did we do something wrong? It was really hard to mould as not pliable.

September 4, 2016 at 9:40 pm

Hmm … ours isn’t crumbly at all – very wet and pliable. Did you warm the milk?

October 15, 2016 at 12:46 pm

You should squeeze and take out all the whey water out of the milk. Then it becomes easy to mould. It’s extremely soft and smooth like a cookie dough!

September 1, 2016 at 7:22 pm

Before I micro wave it I put a few drops of red food coloring, so It was a solid pink in color.

September 27, 2016 at 1:26 am

That’s called paneer in India! We make a lot of dishes using it and it’s delicious.

October 15, 2016 at 12:42 pm

You could squeeze in lime or lemon to curdle milk instead of vinegar! You’ll get the same result. And it’s edible when it’s fresh.

October 16, 2016 at 7:35 pm

Actually you are taking the casein out of the milk. If you take the curd and add a small amount of baking soda to neutralize the acid in the vinegar and then add a little water, it makes GLUE!!!! My 8th graders have to glue construction paper into A tube with the glue they made.

October 19, 2016 at 8:25 pm

WHAT?! Well, I certainly know what we are trying tomorrow – very cool! Thank you for sharing!

January 9, 2019 at 12:48 pm

You sound like and awesome teacher . I wish my grand daughter had someone like you as theirs….

January 22, 2019 at 8:40 pm

What a wonderful compliment Roberta! Thank you so much for spreading your love and kindness – you made my day!

October 26, 2016 at 6:53 am

hi thanks for sharing your experience.. i tried it and all went good except last part where i wasnt able to shape it..it was small small pieces and can not be formed in a shape

November 6, 2016 at 5:52 am

Seriously people? This is NOT plastic. This is how cultures that actually have a food culture like India and Italy make cheese! This is how mozzarella is made too! Please don’t call it plastic and tell your kids that – it’s factually incorrect. You’re actually making cheese – please read the science behind this. This is edible when fresh. It may have plastic like properties when dry but it’s not a synthetic plastic.

November 28, 2016 at 5:14 pm

http://reekoscience.com/science-experiments/chemical-reactions/making-homemade-plastic

This is another site that explains it a little more in depth.

March 30, 2017 at 10:02 am

Ok, listen people, we all know it’s not plastic. When you work with children, you have to speak in a context they understand. They also know it’s not ‘real plastic’. I can’t wait to try this at school with my kids and I WILL call the experiment ‘Turning milk into Plastic’, but I will not have explain that real plastic is manufactured in a factory because most people (preschoolers, as well) already know that!! These are just simple and interesting experiments that enable us to teach children about chemical reactions with simple household ingredients!

May 15, 2019 at 10:10 am

It IS plastic according to my Webster’s New World Dictionary. The Latin and Greek words from which “plastic” is derived mean “to form”. Then the definitions go on to mention molding, shaping, forming, sculpting, etc. American manufacturers hijacked a word already in the dictionary for their product.

July 7, 2019 at 12:37 pm

SERIOUSLY ALICE? HAVE YOU NOT READ ANY OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE PAST 2 YEARS?????? SHEESH

November 26, 2016 at 9:13 pm

I have read some comments where people were saying this is cheese and it is made from two editable substances, so I guess cheese on if that’s what ya do. However, being a curious minded person, I researched this and found a school website that did this project as a chemistry experiment and found that this is in fact a natural plastic and can be used as such. The link is to the school experiment with complete details of what is going on scientifically speaking. Interesting stuff. Thank you for posting this on your blog. I will defiatetly try this for a preschool science project. http://www.csun.edu/scied/4-discrpeant-event/milk_magic/index.html

January 4, 2017 at 2:31 pm

does it matter what kind of milk and vinegar ?

January 4, 2017 at 9:49 pm

I used white vinegar with 2% milk

January 9, 2017 at 8:59 pm

Can you put the food coloring in the milk before you put the vinegar in?

January 22, 2017 at 7:35 am

I haven’t tried it this way Judy, but I fully expect it would work.

January 30, 2017 at 2:21 am

Are you able to correct your own post? You said you made Milk out of Plastic and that will confuse a lot of people. I just read what you have so far and there are a lot just confused with the milk and vinegar. Imagine if they think they can make milk out of plastic? HA! I saw that you knew about this error back in May 30, 2016 but you haven’t corrected it yet. Are you able to do this? Please do. Thanks!

You said. “You can turn plastic into milk in literally minutes with only milk and vinegar – and it is awesome.” This was in the first part of this page.

February 14, 2017 at 8:19 pm

Just did Sue – thank you!

May 5, 2019 at 9:51 pm

Well Susan Johnson if you read your comment you should see that you stated not plastic more than once, and like playdough, this recipe for a plastic like dough, dries hard, just like plastic. Duhhhh. Thank you Sarah for the recipe. Oh yeah, I read all the comments and didn’t see that you said it backwards. But if I had, I would know what you meant. And I’m going to make this tomorrow for myself just to have something to try and make ornaments for the 4th of July. If it works I will use it again for the other holidays.

January 25, 2017 at 5:33 pm

I used apple cider vinegar and whole organic milk. We couldn’t mold it. It came out exactly like ricotta cheese!

March 8, 2017 at 9:41 pm

this worked great ! it was amazing and my kids LOVED it

March 20, 2017 at 1:07 pm

That is wonderful Ann! Thank you for taking the time to pop back and tell us!

March 13, 2017 at 3:31 pm

This is amazing! Thank you for sharing, we are going to make Mother’s Day hearts and flowers with our Nursery children.

March 20, 2017 at 1:05 pm

Oh what a great idea! Please pop back to let me know how it went – or share a photo on my Facebook Page Thank you so much!

March 23, 2017 at 6:11 pm

This is also way to make cheese:)add salt and try it taste

March 26, 2017 at 9:49 am

Do people just search for opportunities to call others out? For crying out loud, it’s a fun activity to do with your kids! (Or with your 30 year-old fiancé because you’re both intrigued.) I don’t care if it’s plastic, cheese or a cheeseburger for that matter. It gets little brains going…and 30 year-old brains. Thanks for sharing! You’re great! ❤Lauren

April 28, 2017 at 11:23 am

<3 thanks Lauren!

January 9, 2019 at 12:57 pm

Im over 50 and can’t wait to try it! Lol I do wonder if you can use milk that is a day or two older than the expiration date?

November 23, 2019 at 11:26 pm

Best response yet!❤

March 30, 2017 at 8:40 pm

We tried this tonight and couldn’t get it to work, must have been because we were using 2% milk. I’ll pick up some homogenized on the weekend and give it another try.

April 28, 2017 at 11:22 am

Oh shucks Pam! Sorry to hear. We used 2% and it worked for us — Did you warm the milk?

April 24, 2017 at 5:35 am

Too bad our school only uses fat free milk they throw out gallons a day, I’d love to be able to make something out of it.

May 7, 2017 at 10:45 am

AFter reading the comments I can’t decide if I want to make paneer or ‘plastic’. Both such cool ideas for my preschool class. (Hey…think I’ll do both.) Thanks so much for sharing this.

July 17, 2017 at 10:31 pm

What a fab idea 🙂

November 8, 2018 at 12:24 pm

Charlene, Thank you! Some of these people got all bent out of shape over calling it plastic. I agree with you, when working with children it’s best to put it in kid terms.

Sarah, thank you for sharing this “Milk into Plastic “ experiment. I’d never heard of this. Deborah Roll, thanks for the information for turning this into glue! William McCarty…LOVE the history of using this for airplane windshields!

Happy Holidays to all & lighten up people!

November 8, 2018 at 12:30 pm

Julie, that’s funny, I was thinking the same. Have you tried either yet?

May 10, 2017 at 9:12 am

Brilliant brilliant brilliant!! 4 and 3 year old loved making ‘plastic’ now waiting for them to dry to decorate! THANK YOU for our rainy day activity!!

July 17, 2017 at 10:29 pm

YAY!! So glad you had fun Krystena! Thank you for taking the time to let me know!

June 6, 2017 at 1:55 pm

What sort of vinegar did you use for this recipe? Malt vinegar or distilled clear vinegar?

Thank you 🙂

July 17, 2017 at 10:25 pm

Hi Sammie – we used white vinegar. Good luck!

June 17, 2017 at 2:59 am

We make cheese this way. We also make many desserts using this method. Ex:- rasmalai. Its delicious, does not taste like plastic 🙂

June 17, 2017 at 3:00 am

If you would like to make a dessert or cheese using this method then use whole milk instead of 2%.

June 17, 2017 at 3:07 am

Hey, one more thing.. if you want the cheese to be soft then add some ice cubes as soon as the milk starts curdling, this will make the cheese(panner) softer.. also, the whole process has to be done is slow flame and contact stirring is required 🙂

November 8, 2018 at 12:38 pm

Hi Isha! I would LOVE to hear more about the edible ideas for this “recipe” if you are able to share. Thanks for your previous comments! ?

July 9, 2017 at 9:46 am

I’d like to try this this week with my preschool “camp” kids. How much milk will I need for about 5 kids to make something and bring it home? I’m going to tie it to the book It Looked Like Spilt Milk.

July 17, 2017 at 10:15 pm

Oh I love this idea Marcy!!! I am always a fan of a book extension – and this one is fabulous. I would say double the recipe for 5 little ones 🙂

July 17, 2017 at 11:38 am

Very cool! I can’t wait to try this!

July 20, 2017 at 5:33 pm

Very nice experiment… teaches kids how to make traditional cottage cheese. You can experiment with different temperatures of the milk and different quantities of vinegar. You will obtain a harder crumblier cheese (use it for poutine) or soft creamy cheese to mix with fresh fruit, honey and whipped cream… easy satisfying, healthy cooking with kids… Better tasting and flavour you can achieve by adding 1 tbs of sourcream to 1 gallon of room temperate milk, let it sit coveted on the kitchen counter overnight. Warm gently on low heat in the morning and the cheese will separate from whey. Tasty!

July 21, 2017 at 11:28 am

This is similar to Paneer(Indian cheese recipe, lemon juice use instead of vinegar), please google to know more interesting recipes .

July 24, 2017 at 12:02 pm

Awesome idea and inexpensive as well! Will be trying this at home with my bored 8 year old twins! Thank you!

December 28, 2021 at 6:50 pm

Thanks for sharing! Since some commented that it is actually cheese, I would like to know whether the things which you made from this become moldy and smelly after a prolong period of time? Hope to hear from soon, thank-you.

December 30, 2021 at 1:01 pm

They really did not become moldy or smelly at all! We kept ours about 6 months.

August 18, 2017 at 1:55 pm

I have just made some with my grandson. We dried it really well but it was very crumbly. We couldn’t get it to stick together. I used semi-skimmed milk but will try with full-fat. I think that might be the answer.

I am sure I have heard that people used milk as a glue for broken china when proper glues were not yet available.

October 19, 2017 at 10:44 am

Fascinating!

February 5, 2018 at 12:05 pm

I used 2 % milk and Distilled vinegar….did not work. Got a few curds but not many. 8-(

February 12, 2018 at 3:13 pm

Looking forward to making this with my class – how many shapes can you create with this recipe? Is it enough for just one child?

February 24, 2018 at 8:03 pm

Hi Rebekah, this batch was enough for two shapes with a bit extra – so I would say enough for two. I hope you have fun!

February 20, 2018 at 6:07 pm

Wow, that’s really interesting. I’ll do it with my class. Seems like a lot of fun too. Thanks for sharing!

February 24, 2018 at 8:01 pm

I hope you and your students have fun!

September 17, 2018 at 5:35 pm

Wow, it seems that most people call it cheese making , with variations, but one other to this says it’s actually scientifically the same as plastic. I have not tried this for either purpose, but read all the comments, and think I will give it a try both for the cheese and the artistic medium! Great debate, really enjoyed the read!

October 5, 2018 at 8:11 pm

A great debate indeed, though not what was intended! It is a wonderful project no matter the purpose! Have fun 🙂

September 19, 2018 at 9:17 am

Lol! This the way my mom makes ricotta cheese!!

October 8, 2018 at 10:51 am

Hi I’d like to try this, how did you get the hole in the middle after it was done?

October 14, 2018 at 8:58 pm

Hi Sandra, I used a straw to poke the hole when the mixture was still wet. Have fun!!

January 6, 2019 at 12:24 pm

Pseudo plastic made from natural ingredients! Seems to me you have solved the drinking straw dilemma! Straws that biodegrade.

February 2, 2019 at 2:04 pm

*If this has already been asked, please forgive me, I must’ve missed it while reading thru.

Could you put the food coloring in the milk before adding the vinegar, instead of after straining? If you are wanting a solid color?

Thank you. ☺️

March 22, 2019 at 9:46 pm

You absolutely can Felicia!

April 30, 2019 at 1:10 pm

You could also add essential oils And just hang them around

November 5, 2019 at 9:36 am

This is the protein polymer, Casein, in dairy products-not remotely related to plastic. You basically used vinegar (a mild acid) to separate “curds and whey”. This is an chemistry lab activity I use to get the casein and then we make a natural glue they use for an art activity.

November 18, 2019 at 3:02 pm

It was discussed that the experiment is biodegradable and I was wondering about the time limits of it’s life in the use of windshields and outdoor use like a end cap or pipe joiner for PvC pipes? I will have to Google that I guess. It would be an interesting experiment to set up a test for it’s durability in harsh sun ☀️ and harsh rain ☔️ i.e. extreme weather, then to test it’s hardiness and flexibility in compression, stretching, swaying and impact forces. It might be interesting to compare it’s Results with PVC and other materials. I had some limited education in physics and engineering and I became intrigued with what might be the possibilities and if the material could endure weather like PVC and other materials. The thought that it was used for windshields suggests that the material was durable and has a long life of usefulness. The possibilities can be useful for the domestic scrounger that hunts for cheaper alternatives when big businesses demands high prices for their products (their prices may well be reasonable but I am commenting in respect to looking for cheaper alternatives and possibilities of cutting costs). I have not been interested in science but this post has been inspiring. Thank you everyone for your contributions.

February 4, 2020 at 6:17 pm

Did a similar experiment but added baking soda to the curds…then used it as make-shift glue.

February 12, 2020 at 5:29 pm

I may have a dumb question, but do you leave the cookie cutter around it until it completely dries?

March 19, 2020 at 10:29 pm

Not a dumb question at all! Once it is pressed into place the cookie cutter can be removed and the shape will hold. Have fun!

June 4, 2020 at 3:48 pm

I just did this with my daycare children. We are waiting for them to dry. The older one was very interested in how it all worked. They are excited to see what it feels like when they come back tomorrow. Thanks for all of the wonderful experiments.

June 9, 2020 at 10:10 pm

I am so glad your little ones enjoyed this activity! It is such a fun one. Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know Kathy!

July 27, 2021 at 9:59 pm

Plastic/paneer from milk! Yes, it will be, at the least, replacing all food packaging in our markets by 2024. Biodegradable, edible, sustainable.

March 23, 2022 at 3:05 pm

i found that the pieces stuck together much better when they were cooler rather than warm.

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Summer School with Live Science: Turn milk into plastic

This Friday (July 9), we will explore the chemistry of milk plastic, (or casein plastic) in our new kids video series: Summer School with Live Science.

In this week's installment, Live Science producer, Diana Whitcroft, will demonstrate how to make biodegradable plastic, called casein plastic, with milk and vinegar. She will make jewelry in this tutorial, but families are urged to make anything they’d like, be it ornaments, keepsakes, decorations ... anything!

Every Friday at 3 p.m. EDT (12 p.m. PDT), Diana will host Summer School With Live Science, which you can find live on Live Science's Facebook , YouTube and Twitter pages. Every week, the series will explore a different field of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through simple hands-on experiments that you and your child can follow along with at home. 

Disclaimer: It is strongly advised that all science experiments, recipes and methods be attempted only under adult supervision. Adults are required to handle or assist with any potentially harmful utensils and ingredients. Always wash hands thoroughly after trying any experiment. Avoid touching your face and eyes when performing any experiments, and if possible, wear glasses or safety goggles. Do not ingest any of the ingredients during or after performing this experiment.

Milk plastic: Materials

Age Range: 4-10 years

• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 Tbsp. white vinegar
• Small saucepan
• 1 large mug
• 3-4 paper towels
• Food coloring, beads, glitter (optional)
• Cookie cutter (optional)

Step One: Choose Your Design

In Diana’s tutorial, she will show you how to make a ring out of casein. But you and your kids are encouraged to make any decorative item you desire, such as ornaments or keepsakes. Feel free to double the recipe and make larger objects. Embellish with beads or glitter, too!

Step Two: Make Casein Plastic

Warm up the milk in a small saucepan. Do not bring to a boil. While you're waiting for your milk to heat, add the vinegar to your large mug. If doubling the recipe, think about upgrading from a mug to a mixing bowl. Once the milk is only just starting to bubble, remove it from the heat and add it to your mug of vinegar. Right away, you'll notice curdling, but allow your mug to cool for 3-5 minutes before handling.

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Step Three: Mold Your Object

With a spoon, do your best to separate the milk solids from the liquid and transfer to a paper towel. Knead for about a minute before adding your color and decorations. Continue to knead, gently pressing what is now a dough against your paper towel so as to let out as much liquid as possible. When your dough is dry enough, it should resemble a play-dough type consistency. Shape it however you want. 

Document this experience and send images to us either on social media or to [email protected] . We'd love to see your results so that we can feature them in our photo gallery!

What's so important about casein plastic?

Milk contains the molecules of a protein called casein. When the milk is warmed, and acid added to it, (vinegar in this case), the casein molecules unfold and reorganize into a chain of monomers known as a polymer. If the process of cheesemaking comes to mind as you attempt this experiment, you’d be onto something, as the processes are very similar! In fact, the word casein is Latin for "cheese" and the wet substance you'll use to mold into jewelry looks a little bit like cottage cheese. This polymer will harden within 24 hours; and although it's not as durable as most industrial plastics, casein is biodegradable and quite versatile.

Casein plastic was first introduced in the early 1900s and is still used today to make things like buttons, buckles, jewelry, fountain pens, beauty accessories and so much more. To further reinforce the structural integrity of this plastic, many manufacturers have added the step of soaking it in formalin, which is a 5% solution of formaldehyde in water. Casein plastic was used to make jewelry for Queen Mary I of England, who ruled England from A.D. 1553-1558.

Originally published on Live Science .

Diana Whitcroft joined Live Science and Space.com in the fall of 2017. After receiving a B.F.A in Directing & Producing for Film and Television, she worked as a video editor at CNBC in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. During her time in broadcast television, she created a role for herself as a "Science Preditor" in which she produced and edited content specific to the business aspect of the private sector space industry. Searching for a deeper role within the science journalism sector, Diana came to  Space.com  and Live Science as a Social Media Producer, handling multimedia content for all social pages. She is a hardcore trekkie, comic nerd, environmentalist, video-gamer and all-around space geek.

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Science Fun

Turn Milk Into Plastic Kitchen Science Experiment

In this fun and easy kitchen science experiment for kids, we’re going to turn milk into a plastic like substance.

• Measuring cups
• Optional: cookie cutters
• Optional: food coloring

Instructions:

• Put 1 cup of milk in a microwavable bowl and heat it in the microwave for about one and a half minutes. You want the milk hot but not boiling.
• Mix in 4 tablespoons of vinegar.
• Stir for about one minute. The milk will begin to clump as the acid in the vinegar begins to break down the proteins in the milk.
• After that, strain the milk using a strainer. All of the clumps will remain in the strainer. You need to really push on the clumps to remove all of the liquid.
• Lastly, move it to some paper towels and attempt to squish all of the remaining fluid from the plastic milk. After that you can form and shape it and even color it if you wish.
• You can even use cookie cutters to cut your milk plastic into fun shapes!
• Allow your experiment to dry for two days until it is completely hardened.

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How it Works:

Milk contains molecules of a protein called casein. When vinegar is added to milk, the pH of the milk changes. The pH change causes the casein molecules to unfold and reorganize into long chains, curdling the milk. The curds can then be kneaded and molded into a material similar in look and feel to plastic.

Make This A Science Project:

Try other acids like lemon juice. Try milk with different fat contents. Try adding salt. 

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Milk and Vinegar Plastic Experiment

Earth-friendly and kid-friendly science, make milk plastic! This is the perfect simple science experiment for any time of the year! Kids will be amazed by the transformation of a couple of household ingredients into a moldable, durable piece of a plastic-like substance. This milk and vinegar plastic experiment is a terrific example of kitchen science, a chemical reaction between two substances to form a new substance.

Milk and Vinegar Experiment

💡 Find all of our Chemistry Experiments for kids here.

Watch the Video!

• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• Cookie cutters
• Paper towels

How to Make Plastic Milk: Plastic Milk Demonstration

STEP 1: Add 1 cup of milk to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 90 seconds.

STEP 2: Mix in 4 tablespoons of vinegar and stir for 60 seconds.

Stirring slowly, you’ll notice that solid chunks called curds start to form and separate from the liquid called whey.

STEP 3: Pour the mixture into a strainer and press out all the liquid leaving just the solid clumps or curds behind. This will resemble the consistency of ricotta cheese!

STEP 4: Press the paper towel into the strainer to soak up any of the leftover liquid or whey and remove it.

STEP 5: Lay out a piece of paper towel, place a cookie cutter onto the paper towel, and press your vinegar-milk mixture or plastic dough into the cookie cutter and let set for 48 hours.

STEP 6: Wait the 48 hours and color with a Sharpie if desired!

Making Plastic Milk in the Classroom

You should set aside a couple of days for this science experiment, as it needs to dry before it can be colored!

If you want to turn this into more of an experiment rather than an activity, consider testing different fat percentages of milk, such as fat-free and low-fat varieties. Additionally, you could test different ratios of vinegar to milk. Would another acid like lemon juice turn the milk into plastic?

What Happens When You Mix Milk and Vinegar

This milk and vinegar experiment does not produce real plastic. The new substance is called casein plastic. Plastics are a group of different materials that may look and feel different but can be easily molded into different shapes.

💡 If you want to explore real plastic polymers, try some homemade slime ! Click here to read all about making homemade slime for easy science .

This plastic-like substance forms from a chemical reaction between the milk and vinegar mixture. When the molecules of a protein in the milk, called casein, comes in contact with the vinegar, the casein and vinegar do not mix. When the milk is heated, the casein molecules, each a monomer, unfold themselves, move around, join forces, and create a long chain of polymers, creating the casein plastic!

The casein molecules become these plastic-like blobs you can strain and mold into shapes. This is one way of making simple cheese from milk.

TIP: Remember that the milk might smell strong while experimenting with it!

Chemistry Science Fair Projects

With this plastic milk science demonstration, you can find tips for changing the variables to create an experiment after the activity below.

Science projects are an excellent way for older kids to demonstrate their science knowledge. They can also be used in various environments, including classrooms, homeschools, and groups.

Kids can take everything they have learned about using the scientific method , stating a hypothesis, choosing variables , and analyzing and presenting data.

Want to turn one of these fun chemistry experiments into a science project? Then you will want to check out these helpful resources.

• Easy Science Fair Projects
• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas

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Here are a few resources to help you introduce science more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Best Science Practices (as it relates to the scientific method)
• Science Vocabulary
• 8 Science Books for Kids
• All About Scientists
• Science Supplies List
• Science Tools for Kids

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Plastic from Milk

Produced by Solar Spark, this activity allows students to make their own plastic from vinegar and milk. Milk contains casein in a form that is soluble in water. Making the milk acidic by adding vinegar makes the casein insoluble so the milk separates into a solid and a liquid known as curds and whey. Removing the water by filtering and drying in an oven leaves the casein as a brittle plastic. Although plastics are often made from polymers obtained from crude oil, polymers do exist naturally and could perhaps be adapted to work in new technologies such as solar cells. This activity can be used to illustrate: * chemical change * properties of materials

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Please be aware that resources have been published on the website in the form that they were originally supplied. This means that procedures reflect general practice and standards applicable at the time resources were produced and cannot be assumed to be acceptable today. Website users are fully responsible for ensuring that any activity, including practical work, which they carry out is in accordance with current regulations related to health and safety and that an appropriate risk assessment has been carried out.

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How to Make Plastic Milk

by Science Explorers | Jun 27, 2019 | Blog | 0 comments

Did you know that your kids can use household ingredients to make a bouncy ball? Or that you can turn milk and vinegar into a fun experiment that incorporates both art and science? It all starts with knowing how to make plastic milk.

Imagine the look on your child’s face when you tell them that they can turn milk into plastic…and that they can add all the food coloring and glitter they want to the final product. That proclamation is grounds for excitement and joy.

In case you’re interested in trying out this inexpensive, DIY plastic milk experiment, we’ve compiled a step by step guide for you to follow. Keep reading to learn more!

Setting up Your Plastic Milk Experiment

You will need the following materials to get your plastic milk experiment started:

• 1 cup of milk
• Four teaspoons of vinegar
• A deep saucepan and stove bu
• A spoon at the ready
• A heat resistant mug to hold hot liquid
• Paper towels
• Glitter, food coloring, cookie cutters

We recommend compiling all ingredients and tools in one place to ensure a smooth experimental process.

How to Make Plastic Milk: Seven Easy Steps

Making plastic milk is much easier than you might think. Just follow the seven simple steps below:

• Add the milk into your saucepan. Heat it on your stove until it starts to steam.
• Pour the milk from the saucepan into your heat resistant mug. Add the four teaspoons of vinegar.
• Stir this mixture with a spoon until it starts to clump up.
• Stack four layers of paper towels on top of each other. Scoop the milk and vinegar curds out of the mug and onto the paper towels.
• Place additional layers of paper towels on top of the forming plastic milk. Press down to extract excess water. Then, add your glitter/color!
• Once you’ve separated most of the moisture from the curd, start kneading the mixture, and vualá! You’ve now made plastic from milk.
• Now, you can get creative. Cut out plastic milk shapes/decorate your creations. When you’re done, leave them to dry for two days.

The Science Behind The Plastic Milk Experiment

This experiment will help your child understand the concepts of acids and bases.

Without getting too technical, you can explain what happens when an acid meets a base. Acids are compounds that want to share their hydrogen ions. Bases are compounds that willingly accept extra hydrogen ions. In this case, vinegar is the acid and milk is the base.

When the two compounds react, the molecules inside the milk begin to change shape as they latch onto the vinegar’s hydrogen ions. The liquid starts to curdle. Once you extract the water from the mixture, you’re left with solid plastic!

You can also explain to your children that milk curds are also essential to certain food products like cheese.

Now That You Know How to Make Plastic Milk, Get Started!

Making plastic milk is the perfect way to introduce your kids to the joy of science from inside the walls of your own home. Introducing your children to science through hands-on experiments that also tie in art is an excellent way to stimulate their minds. The earlier you expose them to new scientific ideas, the easier it will be for them to master basic chemistry concepts at school. By teaching them how to make plastic milk and explaining what’s happening, you’re giving them a head start!

If you think your child might be interested in pursuing more science-related projects and activities, we invite you to learn more about   our summer science camps  or our  our after-school science clubs  .

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