Homemade Recipes for Bubble Solution

The best bubbles I ever found for my kids were at Gymboree. So I looked at their ingredients and made my own or doctored the ones I found at Target, etc. It's corn syrup, Karo syrup... So to the recipes that others are offering, dish soap (Joy, Ivory, store label) plus some water to thin it down and then about a tablespoon of corn syrup. The bubbles are almost elastic, they stay round and they'll stack upon one another. They work well with little bubble blowers or wands. Spring has sprung and it's definitely bubble weather. Enjoy!!

I got this recipe when I used to sell Tupperware, it's easy and inexpesive.

Bubbles:
2 cups liquid dishwashing detergent (they recomend Joy)
6 cups water
3/4 cup white syrup or sugar

that's all there is to it.
I also have these recipes for kids fun

Play Dough:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cream of tartar

Mix and bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Divide into 4 parts and color with food coloring. Place into plastic containers.

Silly Putty:
combine equal parts of: Liquid Glue & Liquid Starch
Mix with hands - works best when kept warm.
Store it in a plastic container with a lid.

Soapsud Pictures:
1/2 cup dry detergent
or
1 capful liquid detergent
2 Tablespoons liquid starch

beat until mixture resembles marshmallow frosting. Pint with fingers and allow to dry.

<<'-)
C.
Elfie Creations at
http://www.themeshack.net/

I'm going to keep an eye on this one for other ideas.

What we do:

Mix laundry detergent and water or
Mix liquid hand washing dish soap and water or
Mix liquid hand soap and water or
Mix shampoo with water

Stir in different amounts of water and test with bubble wand.

In the RARE occasions I have glycerine on hand I add a drop to that also. The glycerine makes the bubbles more elastic (therefore larger), and last longer. Huh. Come to think of it, most hair conditioners have glycerine in them (pretty much only the "for permed or colored hair" don't). Well, that's something to try! Adding just a little bit of conditioner to the soap and water mix. Hmmm...I wonder if ANY lubricant (like KY?), would work. Now you've got me thinking. I'll keep reading!

Have fun!!!

1:1 Dawn dishsoap to water. Works great.

Aren't they fun???? --- the best website I've found lately is called ''''' Let's explore''' and offers free ''recipes'' for making TONS of stuff with and for children--- play-dough--- bubbles -- all kinds of fabulous ideas. The easiest, cheapest thing I've done for 40+ years is dishwashing soup- whatever you have on hand will work - but Joy liquid is the best --- or Dawn --- you can fill and refill and refill the bottles that the original stuff came in - and reuse those little wands forEVER -- also -you can use any large open circle to make bubbles --- put a pan outside - put some liquid in it- and give the toddler a piece of the plastic rings that come holding six-packs of pop together-- a '''two can''' piece ( like a figure 8) can be swished in the liquid- and then waved in the air to make GREAT BIG bubbles--- such fun and thank GOD the weather is making being outside more delightful.

Blesings,
J.

I'm a bubbleologist - I teach the science of bubbles to kids at birthday parties and school and library assemblies and such. Believe me, I know my bubbles! I use Dawn... about 1 cup per gallon of water. You do not need anything else. In my experience, Dawn is hands-down the best detergent to use.

The real trick is to make it ahead of time. Make up a bunch a day or two or three before you want to use it. It will continue to get better and better. And then it will go kaput. You will know.

If you need good bubbles right away, you can add some glycerin or corn syrup. But in my experience, that also makes the bubbles go bad faster. Another trick is to use just a tiny splash of the old gunky bubble mix when you mix up a new batch. But again, don't overdo that or your new batch will go bad faster.

If you can get your hands on a super sale - from Walmart or similar, by all means, get it. But bubble solution is seasonal and often goes bad. I always mix my own because I HAVE to have perfect bubbles so I can make cube shaped bubbles and put kids inside of bubbles, etc.

I don't have an answer. I have a related question. My grandkids mix liquid dish washing soap and water. sometimes it works like they expect and sometimes it doesn't I'll suggest that they try the other ingredients.

But.......Isn't it less expensive to buy the large jug of bubble solution than use household ingredients? I have a 100 oz jug that I bought for $3 at a store's Dollar Days event. I think it was Walmart. I've intended to figure out the cost using liquid dishwashing soap but haven't done it yet.

I have always used dish soap. It works great.

I've made my own with Dawn dish soap with a little bit of water added

I've always just used liquid dishwasher soap - it works great, I can't even tell the difference.