Equipment And Materials

• 2 tablespoons borax
• Warm water
• 2 teaspoons white school glue
• Food coloring
• Two plastic containers or cups
• Spoon or stir stick
• Paper plate
• Small amounts of dirt, flour, glitter, or cocoa
• Ziploc bag

Instructions

1. Pour 2 cups of warm water into the first container.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of borax to the water.
3. Stir until the borax dissolves. Set this aside.
4. Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into the second container.
5. Add 2 teaspoons of glue to the water.
6. Stir until the glue mixes well.
7. Add a few drops of food coloring and stir again.
8. Add one or two teaspoons of the borax mixture to the glue mixture.
9. Stir slowly and watch it thicken into a sticky substance.
10. Place some of the mucus on a paper plate.
11. Sprinkle dirt, glitter, or cocoa onto the mucus and onto the bare plate.
12. Observe what sticks to the mucus and what does not.
13. Talk about how nose mucus traps germs the same way.
14. Place the mucus in a Ziploc bag to take home if desired.

Notes, Variations, And Safety

• Adult supervision is needed when using borax.
• Remind Scouts that the materials are not food.
• Use only a few drops of food coloring to avoid stains.
• One shared setup works well for a group.
• Try different materials like pepper or sand to test sticking.
• Label bags if Scouts take the mucus home.
• Throw the mucus away after a short time.

For more information, see https://scoutermom.com/34171/mucus-demonstration-for-germs-alive/