Shrinky Dinks are a lot of fun for both kids and adults! However, we often hear that we shouldn’t heat plastic at high temperatures because it can release toxic fumes. Of course, Shrinky Dinks consist of plastic, so many people wonder why they’re safe to bake in the oven.
Are Shrinky Dinks toxic? No, Shrinky Dinks are not toxic. Even though these crafts are plastic, you shouldn’t turn the oven up to extremely high temperatures when baking them. At low heat settings, the plastic doesn’t release toxins. You’d need to have your oven at 700 degrees F or higher for it to be dangerous!
You must think about the art materials you use at home since some can contain harmful chemicals. While plastic is toxic, Shrinky Dinks are very safe to use in your home kitchen! If you’re ready to learn more, let’s continue reading.
What Are Shrinky Dinks?
Shrinky Dinks are a lot of fun for people of all ages! They consist of a kit containing sheets of polystyrene. You draw on the sheets, decorate them, and then cut out your designs with scissors. Next, you bake the plastic in your oven and watch the designs shrink!
Shrinky Dinks are often used to make small charms. Many artists enjoy making their designs, then stringing them on keychains after they shrink. Although, there are many uses for Shrinky Dinks!
You can put anything you want on the sheets, opening up many possibilities! You can also find DIY Shrinky Dink kits that come with fun designs on the plastic for you to color in.
Overall, Shrinky Dinks are a neat little craft you can make at home. Many people remember making them during their childhood, but you’ll enjoy making them for the first time as an adult too!
Is Shrinking Plastic Toxic?
Shrinking plastic, such as Shrinky Dinks, are not toxic. The polystyrene sheets don’t contain dangerous chemicals. They can’t release any into the air under normal conditions- making them very safe to use in your kitchen.
The Shrinky Dink company ensures its customers that their products are entirely safe. The plastic also won’t release any fumes harmful to the environment! In other words, you can use them without worrying about breathing in any toxins.
So, even though we hear that you shouldn’t burn plastic or put it in the oven, polystyrene is still safe. As long as you don’t crank up the heat on your oven, there shouldn’t be any problems!
Is It Safe To Bake Shrinky Dinks?
It’s very safe to bake Shrinky Dinks! These polystyrene craft kits are not harmful to your health in any way. You can prepare them in the oven like usual, without needing any additional ventilation in your kitchen.
Depending on the Shrinky Dink kit, you’ll only need to heat them to 325 degrees F (about 163 degrees C). This temperature is much lower than 700 degrees F when plastic becomes dangerous to breathe in.
As long as you do your best to follow the instructions for your Shrinky Dink kit, you’re sure not to have any issues. The company makes very safe products without any toxins, so you can have fun watching your designs shrink!
Overall, Shrinky Dinks are safe to bake. Kids and adults can work on this craft kit without worrying about breathing in pollutants. After they finish baking, you can use the oven for cooking food again without issue.
What Kind of Plastic Is Used for Shrinky Dinks?
What makes Shrinky Dinks so unique is the plastic they’re on! Shrinky Dinks use polystyrene since it’s thin and flexible. You can draw and color on the sheets, then quickly cut out your designs with any scissors that you have already.
From there, the thin polystyrene shrinks in the oven. This reaction occurs because polystyrene isn’t a good heat conductor. The heat changes the structure of the plastic and causes it to shrink.
Shrinky Dinks also become thicker when they scale down, making any designs you create more durable. Polystyrene is the perfect choice for these crafts, so make sure you consider it first! You can find it in Shrinky Dink kits or even separately at many arts and crafts stores.
Are Shrinky Dinks Flammable?
Shrinky Dinks aren’t flammable- you won’t need to worry about them catching fire in your oven! As long as you use the given temperatures, they shouldn’t combust.
However, you’ll still need to be careful of what you put on the Shrinky Dink sheets. If you use flammable paint, the paint could still catch fire in your oven! It’s best to only use heat-safe materials on polystyrene that you want to bake.
Check out my complete guide for painting, baking and sealing Shrinky Dinks. It’s definitely a must read!
Overall, the Shrinky Dinks plastic sheets aren’t flammable. However, some materials (such as oil paints) are! You’ll want only to use non-flammable art materials on your polystyrene projects.
Are Shrinks Dinks Safe?
Shrinky Dinks are very safe! They won’t release toxins and don’t require any dangerous tools to make them. Many parents make Shrinky Dinks with their kids. If you want to do this, you’ll need to supervise young children using the scissors and the oven.
These kits allow you to make mini creations- they can be as elaborate or as simple as you want- without any dangers. The sheets are non-toxic and non-flammable, making them safe to use in most locations!
In short, Shrinky Dinks are safe when you use them correctly. Always follow the baking instructions that come with your craft kit! Turning the oven up past the recommended temperature won’t benefit your final project and may damage it.
Can You Recycle Shrinky Dinks?
Whether or not you can recycle Shrinky Dinks depends on your location. Some areas accept polystyrene in curbside recycling pick up; others require you to bring the plastic sheets to another specific location for recycling.
Since Shrinky Dinks consist of polystyrene, they’re a recyclable plastic! However, if you have extra polystyrene sheets at home, you won’t want to throw them out. There are many different uses for plastic. If you love making art and DIY projects, you’ll find a use for all of your scraps!
You can even make Shrinky Dinks from the #6 types of plastic that you have already. Plus, you can find options for recycled polystyrene sheets. The recycled sheets make excellent Shrinky Dinks, so you’ll want to consider using this type of polystyrene to help the environment.
In short, Shrinky Dinks come from another kind of plastic. That means you can recycle them! You’ll want to reach out to your local recycling center for more details. Many can accept plastic scraps, but the rules can vary when there’s ink or marker on the plastic. If you have doubts, it’s always better to ask about what they can accept.
Final Thoughts
To summarize, Shrinky Dinks are a fun plastic craft that you can use to create custom charms. Many people love them, and you can design anything you want on them! You won’t have to worry about them being toxic either, even though they’re plastic.
Shrinky Dinks are perfectly safe to use in your oven at home, as long as you follow the instructions that come with them. The plastic can’t release toxic fumes unless heated to very extreme temperatures. It’s very unlikely you’d do that with a standard kitchen oven!
Make sure to follow all my tips and recommended products to ensure your Shrinky Dink project turns out great! Also, don’t forget to check out my other articles for all your painting Q&A’s. Happy painting!
