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We are planning to make some astronaut helmets for a children's parade this summer and wondered whether anyone knows whether the use of a wallpaper paste adhesive
(even when dried) would pose a health/safety risk - i.e. having the helmets on the kids' heads for perhaps an hour and a half or so.
We could use flour/water, but as we prefer to make everything well in advance we were concerned that this could develop mould.
Any advice would be welcome
Thanks!
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Wallpaper paste comes in three kinds: flour, cellulose and vinyl.
Avoid the vinyl. Some people are allergic to vinyl on their skin.
Flour will mold if it isn't sealed, or if it isn't perfectly dry before it is sealed.
Cellulose would be my choice. It doesn't mold. It is made from extremely refined and broken down plant fiber (usually wood). It also dries clear, and is far less likely to reabsorb moisture, either from the atmosphere or from perspiration. Somewhere on the container it should say 'cellulose' ('cellulose' in French, 'celulosa' in Spanish, 'zellulose' or 'zellstoff' in German). The flour one should say something about 'wheat' on the label.
I have a box of Metylan brand, made by Henkel (German), a very large worldwide company, and the labeling is very obvious.
Sue
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