Booger Kit® FAQ

Everything You Need to Know!

Usage and Reusability

Each Booger Kit comes with two pre-poured Petri dishes, so you get two experiments per kit. For example, one child could swab both nostrils (using two dishes), or two children could each swab one nostril. Each Petri dish is intended for a single use to grow the sample from that swab, and the kit isn’t designed to be reused after the experiment. If you want to do more swabs or involve additional children beyond the two provided dishes, you can purchase a Booger Kit Upgrade Pack, which includes fresh swabs and Petri dishes for more experiments.

No – the kit’s Petri dishes are one-time-use for safety and best results. After the growth period, you should dispose of the used dishes as directed in the instructions. (Adult-sized nitrile gloves are included to help you handle and seal the dishes safely.) To run the experiment again later, simply use the included Upgrade Pack with new materials.

Kit Contents

  • The kit comes with everything you need to perform the experiment, including:
    • 2 sterile cotton swabs (for collecting samples)
    • 2 pre-poured Petri dishes with nutrient agar (for culturing the bacteria)
    • 2 resealable plastic bags (to hold each Petri dish during the experiment)
    • 6 sealing stickers (to securely seal each dish)
    • 2 label stickers (to name and date each colony)
    • 1 instruction insert (step-by-step directions, safety tips, and observation chart)
    • 1 pair of kid-size nitrile gloves (to keep little hands clean)
    • 1 pair of adult-size nitrile gloves (for the supervising adult)
    • Bonus: The shipping box doubles as a warm incubator for the dishes.

Age and Safety

Booger Kit is designed for young children around 4–10 years old. (The product notes it’s “designed for curious kids (Ages 5+)”, but many parents use it successfully with younger kids under close supervision.)

Yes. An adult should always be present to help with the setup and cleanup. The experiment involves handling live bacteria cultures and sealing Petri dishes, so having an adult assist is important for safety. In fact, the kit even includes an adult-size pair of nitrile gloves for the grown-up lab helper.

Experiment Timeframe

After you swab your child’s nose and seal the sample in a Petri dish, bacteria will begin to grow within a few days. You should see visible growth starting around day 2–3, and full colony development by about day 7. The instructions guide you to observe the dish daily for up to a week. By the end of that period you’ll clearly see what cultures have grown from your child’s nose!

Shipping and Support

Shipping is free in the contiguous United States (lower 48 states). (We also offer shipping to Canada and other locations – international customers can select their region at checkout.) Most orders ship promptly and arrive in about 5–7 days total from purchase.

We stand behind every Booger Kit. If any component is missing or damaged when you open the box, just let us know and we will send you the replacement parts at no charge. You do not need to return the whole kit for a missing item.

We offer a parent-friendly guarantee. If you’re not happy with your purchase (for example, if the kit isn’t working out for you), you may return an unused kit within 30 days for a full refund. (See our Returns & Refunds policy for details.) In short, we want you to feel confident – we’ll replace missing/broken pieces for free and honor refunds on kits that meet our return conditions.