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Ingredients
1Mixing Easy Bubble Solution
2Blowing the Bubbles
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Things You'll Need
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Co-authored byJanice Tieperman
Last Updated: July 23, 2024Fact Checked
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Blowing bubbles is such an easy and classic way to have fun in the sun. What if you don’t have any storebought bubble solution on hand, though? You’re in luck—with just a few household ingredients, you can whip up your very own batch. We’ve included a couple of recipes for you to try, along with some simple, homemade bubble wands that you can make or find around your home. In just a few minutes, you’ll be ready to have plenty of homemade fun!
Ingredients
Homemade Bubble Solution (with Glycerin)
- 6c (1,400mL) of distilled or tap water
- 1c (240mL) of liquid dish soap
- 1UStbsp (15mL) of glycerin
- 1⁄4c (59mL) of corn syrup (optional)
Homemade Bubble Solution (Glycerin-Free)
- 1 tbsp (12.5 g) of extra-fine white sugar
- 2UStbsp (30mL) of liquid dish soap
- 1c (240mL) of tap water
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:
Mixing Easy Bubble Solution
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1
Combine distilled water, dish soap, and glycerin to make a simple bubble solution. Pour 6c (1,400mL) of distilled water into a really big container, along with 1c (240mL) of liquid dish soap. Thoroughly stir both of these ingredients together and add in 1UStbsp (15mL) of glycerin. Mix everything together until the solution is completely stirred up.[1]
- Glycerin makes your bubbles more sturdy and durable.[2] The distilled water also helps make higher-quality bubbles, but you can use tap water if you don’t have any on hand.
- If you don’t have any glycerin lying around, use 1⁄4c (59mL) of corn syrup instead.
- Check the label of your liquid dish soap as you mix all of your ingredients together. If it says “Ultra,” add in 2UStbsp (30mL) of glycerin (or 1⁄2c (120mL) of corn syrup).[3]
2
Let the glycerin mixture rest overnight to make your bubbles even more long-lasting. Secure a lid on top of your bubble solution and leave it be until the next day. You don’t have to do this if you’re in a rush, though—you can still blow lots of great bubbles without having to wait![4]
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3
Mix white sugar, dish soap, and water together to make a glycerin-free bubble solution. Pour 1c (240mL) of water into a bowl or container, along with 2UStbsp (30mL) of liquid dish soap. Then, add 1 tbsp (12.5 g) of extra-fine white sugar. Stir everything together until the sugar completely dissolves into the solution. Your bubble mixture is now ready to go![5]
- The sugar binds to the water and helps keep it from evaporating as quickly.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:
Blowing the Bubbles
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1
Create classic bubbles with a homemade pipe cleaner bubble wand. Bend and twist one end of a pipe cleaner so it resembles a circular bubble wand. If you’re feeling extra creative, twist your pipe cleaner into fun shapes, like stars, triangles, or squares. Simply dip the pipe cleaner into the bubble solution, blow through the opening, and watch the bubbles float away![6]
- For plenty of old-school fun, use some plastic bubble wands instead.
2
Blow lots of tiny bubbles with a drinking straw. Dunk one end of a plastic straw into your bubble solution. Then, lift up your straw and blow through it (almost like you’re making a spitball). The straw’s small opening will create lots of fun, tiny bubbles.[7]
3
Make big, chunky bubbles with a plastic funnel. Dip the large, rounded end of a plastic funnel into your homemade bubble solution. Then, blow through the thin end of the funnel to make a big bubble.[8]
- If you don’t have a funnel on hand, make your own by slicing off the tapered end of a soda bottle.
- You can also cut a hole in the bottle of a plastic cup and create bubbles by blowing through the opening.
4
Create huge bubbles with a bubble wand made of cotton string and straws. Measure and cut 2 plastic drinking straws so they’re each 6in (15cm) long. Then, loop and knot a 30in (76cm) section of cotton string through both of the straws, creating a large, rectangular shape. As a finishing touch, make “handles” by slipping 2 more straws into the ends of the existing straws.[9]
- To make giant bubbles, dip the big bubble wand into a large, shallow basin of bubble solution. Then, lift the wand out of the bubble mixture and slowly separate the handles so the string is stretched out. This gradual movement creates a really big bubble.
- A plastic-coated wire clothes hanger can also make super big bubbles.[10]
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Question
Other than bubble wands, what else can I use to blow bubbles?
Community Answer
Bend a small wire hanger into a circle or whatever shape works best for you to blow bubbles. This can be really fun if you want to make really large bubbles.
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Question
Why did my bubble solution go flat?
Community Answer
Maybe it is because you have left the solution in the open air for too long, or the ingredients are old and they would expire/spoil soon. If you are using store-bought solution, then maybe the solution is old, so you could throw it away. If you made it yourself, then maybe the reason would be the liquid soap is old.
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Tips
Dump any leftover bubble solution down your sink drain. If you’d like to make more bubbles in the future, simply whip up another batch of homemade solution.[11]
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Invent some fun and imaginative games to play with your bubbles! For example, you can have a contest to see who can blow the most bubbles, whose bubble is the biggest, who can pop the most bubbles, and whose bubbles last the longest.
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Warnings
Be careful whenever you pop your bubbles! The burst bubbles may irritate sensitive skin or the areas around your eyes.
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Things You’ll Need
- Plastic container
- Pipe cleaners (optional)
- Plastic funnel (optional)
- Drinking straws (optional)
- Cotton string (optional)
- Plastic cup (optional)
- Traditional bubble wands (optional)
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References
- ↑ https://www.homesciencetools.com/article/how-to-make-super-bubbles-science-project/
- ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/blow-the-biggest-bubbles/
- ↑ https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/91785/Bubbles-Ingredients?bidId=
- ↑ https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/91785/Bubbles-Ingredients?bidId=
- ↑ https://www.sugar.org/blog/homemade-bubbles/
- ↑ https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/91785/Bubbles-Ingredients?bidId=
- ↑ https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/91785/Bubbles-Ingredients?bidId=
- ↑ https://www.kidspot.com.au/parenting/things-to-do/make-your-own-bubble-wands/news-story/ed453ed74c9899588dacfd0a036574a4
- ↑ https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/experiment-with-really-big-bubbles
More References (2)
About This Article
Co-authored by:
Janice Tieperman
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Janice is a professional and creative writer who has worked at wikiHow since 2019. With both a B.A. and M.A. in English from East Stroudsburg University, she has a passion for writing a wide variety of content for anyone and everyone. In her free time, you can find her working on a new crochet pattern, listening to true crime podcasts, or tackling a new creative writing project. This article has been viewed 205,971 times.
7 votes - 89%
Co-authors: 44
Updated: July 23, 2024
Views:205,971
Categories: Featured Articles | Bubble and Water Projects
Article SummaryX
To make bubbles, start by buying a bubble solution from a toy store or make your own by mixing 1 part soap with 4 parts water in a jar or bowl. You can buy a bubble wand or make your own with a pipe cleaner, straw, or a slotted spoon. Next, find an open area where you can blow your bubbles. Then, dip the wand in the bubble solution, hold the wand up to your mouth, and gently blow. You can blow faster to make lots of tiny bubbles, or slower to make bigger bubbles! If you want to learn how to turn a wire hanger into a bubble wand to make huge bubbles, keep reading the article!
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