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Easy Unbreakable Bubble Recipe
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:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/468838277-56a12fff5f9b58b7d0bce386.jpg "2 Recipes for Giant Bubbles That Don't Pop (1)")
By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
- Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
- B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on February 11, 2020
If you're tired of bubbles that pop as soon as you blow them, try this recipe for unbreakable bubbles! Now, it's still possible to break these bubbles, but they are much stronger than regular soap bubbles. Examples of bubbles that truly won't pop include plastic bubbles, which are essentially small balloons. This recipe makes bubbles using a sugar polymer to accomplish much the same result.
Unbreakable Bubble Recipe
- 3 cups of water
- 1 cup liquid dishwashing detergent (Joy is a good choice)
- 1/2 cup white corn syrup
Simply stir the ingredients together to make the bubble solution. You can use dark corn syrup just as easily as white corn syrup, but the solution will be colored. Also, you can add food coloring or glow paint to color the bubbles. You can also substitute another type of sticky syrup, just expect changes in color and odor.
Here's another easy bubble recipe:
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup dishwashing liquid
- 1/2 cup glycerin
Getting the Biggest, Strongest Bubbles
If you blow bubbles and they don't seem strong enough, you can add more glycerin and/or corn syrup. The best amount of glycerin or corn syrup depends on the dish soap you use, so the recipe is a starting point. Feel free to adjust the ingredient measurements. If you use "ultra" dishwashing liquid, you'll probably need to add more syrup or glycerin. If you are having trouble getting big bubbles, you might want to use distilled water rather than tap water. Also, bubble recipes benefit from sitting for several hours or overnight before use.
Glowing Bubbles
If you break open a yellow highlighter and allow the ink to soak into the water, the resulting bubble solution and bubbles will glow under a black light. Another option is to use tonic water in place of regular water. The tonic water bubbles will glow pale blue under a black light. For brighter glowing bubbles, you can add glow pigment to the bubble mixture. However, the pigment becomes suspended in the solution rather than dissolves, so the bubbles won't last as long or get as large.
Coloring Bubbles
Bubbles consist of a thin liquid film over a gas (air). Because the liquid layer is so thin, it's hard to color bubbles. You can add food coloring or dye, but don't expect the color to be really noticeable. Also, the pigment molecules are large and will weaken the bubbles so they won't be as big or last as long. It's possible to color bubbles, but you may not like the results. Your best bet is to substitute a water-based dye in place of water in the bubble recipe. Blow colored bubbles outdoors because they will stain surfaces and clothing.
Bubble Clean Up
As you might guess, bubbles made using corn syrupare sticky. They will clean up with warm water, but it's best to blow bubbles outdoors or in a bathroom or kitchen so you won't have to un-stick your carpet or upholstery. The bubbles wash out of clothing.
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Your Citation
Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How to Make Bubbles That Don't Pop." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/bubbles-that-dont-pop-recipe-603922.Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). How to Make Bubbles That Don't Pop. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/bubbles-that-dont-pop-recipe-603922Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How to Make Bubbles That Don't Pop." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/bubbles-that-dont-pop-recipe-603922 (accessed March 23, 2024).
