How to Make Bubble Solution

Blowing bubbles is just plain fun. The best thing about bubbles is that you don't have to buy a solution to make them. It's easy to make your own mixture and you can make as much as you want, so you can blow as many bubbles as you'd like.

1. Assemble soap, bowl, water, spoon and sugar to make the bubbles bigger and optional thickening ingredients.
   
   
2. Pour dish washing liquid or baby shampoo into a bowl or cup and add water. The necessary ratio will vary depending on your choice of soaps, type of water you use, and even the atmospheric conditions where you live. Use trial and error to see which formulation works best for you. Some sample formulations are listed below.
   
   
3. Add an optional thickener such as glycerin, sugar, or corn syrup. Be careful though, as adding too much will make the suds too heavy for bubble formation.
   
   
4. Stir the solution gently until contents completely mix.
   
   
5. Take your bubble mix outside and blow as many bubbles as you'd like. Alternatively, be aware that storing the solution for one day can actually lead to better bubbles.
   
   

• Bubbles last longer on humid days. Dry air is death to (water-based) bubbles.
• Distilled water works better than average tap water which can contain minerals which slightly interfere with bubbles.
• If you haven't got a pan that is large enough to dip a large bubble wand loop, just take a suitably large cardboard box, cut it into a shallow tray shape that is large enough for your bubble-wand's loop. Slide this tray into a large plastic bag, such as a garbage bag. Push the plastic down into the tray and completely cover the cardboard. Dump in a supply of bubble mixture and start bubbling.
• Get a pipecleaner and make one end into a loop. Sucure the end so it does not come undone and there you have your very own bubble wand. Now all you need to do is make the bubble mix.
• Read the Top 11 Secrets to Blowing Big Bubbles here [1]. This article was written byExtreme Bubbles Inc. - they set the first Guinness World Record for largest free floating soap bubble in 2006!
• Try to find an alcohol-free detergent, as this provides the best results. If you can't find an alcohol-free detergent, pour some ordinary detergent into a bowl and let it stand overnight to let the alcohol evaporate.
• A wire coathanger can make a very large bubble wand. To make a bubble wand, just round the triangular loop out into a circle (not really necessary, but it looks better). Shape the hook of the hanger into a handle. Wrap with tape if desired. Use pipe cleaners to help maintain the bubble film in the loop. Wrap the pipe cleaners around the wire loop. You'll want roughly one wrap of pipe cleaner per inch (2.5 cm) of loop wire. At the end of the pipe cleaner, fold about a quarter of an inch (6 mm) of the cleaner sharply into a hook using needle-nose pliers. Do the same to the next pipe cleaner, hook the hooks together and crimp with the pliers. Keep wrapping until the entire loop with a helix of pipe cleaners. Secure all ends by crimping together as before. The pipe cleaners form a reservoir which supplies plenty of bubble juice to the growing bubble. With a little practice, big, quivery, impressive, ten-inch-or-so (25 cm) bubbles will form.
• If you don't have a ready-made "bubble wand", you can make a loop out a thin wire - just twist a round end on your wire to blow the bubbles through. You can even make it heart-shaped, square or use other shapes if you're clever enough to bend it well.
• Letting the bubble solution sit for a day before use can improve the bubbles it makes.
• To make a paper bubble cone, roll up a piece of paper into a cone shape and trim the larger end to be smooth. Dip into bubble solution (let it sit for 30 sec in the solution the first time) and then blow into the smaller end. Lots of bubble solution gets stored in the layers of paper, leading to really big bubbles!!!

• Drinking may cause harm
• Don't drink solution. It tastes awful! Use your common sense.

• Large stirring spoon (wooden, metal, plastic - all are good)
• Water
• Dish-washing liquid or baby shampoo
• Bowl
• Glycerin (optional)
• Sugar (optional)