Squishy toys — the popular animal, food, and character-shaped squeeze toys sold by the millions online — are more dangerous than most parents realize. In August 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a national consumer safety alert warning about fake and counterfeit squishy toys that do not comply with federal safety requirements, and reiterating a serious burn hazard warning connected to a viral social media trend encouraging children and teens to microwave squishy toys.
The Burn Hazard
A viral trend spreading across social media shows squishy toys expanding, changing texture, or bursting when heated in a microwave. CPSC warns that these demonstrations are dangerous and should never be attempted or imitated. Microwaving squishy toys can cause the toy to overheat, melt, or burst, releasing superheated materials that cause severe contact burns. This trend has directly injured children who replicated what they saw online.
The Counterfeit Problem
CPSC has identified 55 shipments of violative squishy toys at U.S. ports and worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to prevent more than 355,000 units from entering the country. Fake and counterfeit versions of popular squishy toys do not comply with federal safety requirements including limits on water beads, small parts, lead, phthalates, and other hazardous substances. When the outer covering of a squishy toy tears or bursts, children may be exposed to contents including water beads that can expand dangerously if swallowed, or unknown filling materials that may pose chemical exposure risks.
In a separate recall, Orb Funkee Squeeze Toys sold at Walmart and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet from February 2025 through April 2026 were recalled after CPSC found they contained asbestos.
What You Should Do
- Never allow children to microwave a squishy toy under any circumstances.
- Inspect any squishy toy your child owns for tears, holes, or leaking filling.
- Dispose of any squishy toy with an unknown filling, especially if it contains water beads or a gel-like substance.
- Be especially cautious with squishy toys purchased from TikTok Shop, Shein, or other online marketplaces that may not meet U.S. safety standards.
- Check SaferProducts.gov to verify whether any squishy toy you own has been recalled.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.
