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SLIME In Time For Halloween

Halloween can be a time of excitement, homemade decorations, and mysterious concoctions!

My Quest For Slime

I wanted in on Slime Mania, hoping to create a spooky mass just in time for Halloween. Pinterest was my recipe headquarters for slime with a bonus addition of those googly eyes. Eyes in all shapes and sizes served to catch my interest and increased my determination to make a batch of this cultural rage.

I had no problem collecting the ingredients until a fellow shopper in the check-out line asked me if I knew my borax ingredient was toxic. I quipped back that any given day “they” find everything is toxic and everything is dangerous nowadays! That reply didn’t sit well with my fellow shopper and honestly after thinking about the question I thought maybe I should look deeper into the matter.

Is Borax A Safe Slime Ingredient?

You’ve heard of opening Pandora’s Box? Try searching “pros/cons of using borax” on Google! There are numerous accounts of health hazards, superior cleaning results, and, best of all, amazing slime recipes. I soon realized that I could easily slip away from my original quest: making a fun pot of slime. An article from the Missouri Poison Center finally brought an end to my chemical questions. After all, who better than an organization in the state known for “Show Me”?

On April 18, 2017, the Missouri Poison Center released this article explaining their findings regarding the recipes and ingredients in slime, which I encourage you to read for yourself. For the health and safety of eyes both young and old, I’d suggest picking a simple non-borax recipe. Never rub your eyes after handling and slime and always wash your hands after making or handling any form of slime.

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Personally, the toxic issue is not something I claim supreme knowledge over. I’ve always used borax for laundry and cleaning and I’m still winking and blinking my big brown eyes without any complications. I always remember to rinse off quickly to avoid irritation if any of the powder touches my skin.

Have Fun And Stay Safe This Halloween!

I hope you are now aware that while slime can be fun, it can also be irritating to eyes, throat, and skin. Also, be sure to add googly eyes to any batch of slime you make! Halloween is supposed to be mysterious without being dangerous, right?

If you have any questions about your child being exposed to slime, call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. The poison center is open all day for poisoning emergencies and questions.

Top image by Flickr user Elise VanCise used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.