Learn how to make bubbles that don't pop with this strong bubble recipe! This solution for unbreakable bubbles is easy to make, and the results will surprise and delight kids and adults!
About these strong bubbles
Learning how to make super strong bubbles has been on our list of summer things to do for way too long!
I love this post showing how to make bubbles and this one for giant bubbles. We've even made bubble snakes!
We've done all sorts of things while taking advantage of Minnesota's warm summers, but somehow we've missed this activity that combines science with fun!
You might be asking: What's the point? What Can we do with them? I have answers for you!
That's right. This is an ideal STEM activity, especially in warm weather.
Even better, it's just fun! The point of this particular recipe is to make longer-lasting bubbles that are more resistant to popping.
Make it and you'll have long lasting, bouncing bubbles that just might be unbreakable!
How to Play with these bubbles
Unbreakable bubbles are especially fun because you can do more with them than you can with atraditional solution.
Like it says in the recipe below, you should wear gloves if you want to touch them!
- Hold them in your hand.
- Bounce one or more touchable bubbles to another person, then have them bounce it back.
- See how many times two people can play catch back and forth with one or more unbreakable bubbles.
- Blow your super bubbles onto various surfaces (grass, rocks, patio furniture) and see where they last the longest.
- Juggle
- Check how unpoppable they are by testing how hard you can squeeze them.
- See how many you can hold at one time.
- Use a straw to blow a bubble. Stick the straw inside it and blow another one inside a the first one!
- Compare them to another store bought or homemade solution. How much longer do they last? Do they float higher? Do they sink faster? Do long lasting bubbles really hold their form?
How to make super strong bubbles
Scroll down for a printable recipe with instructions to guide you. It includes pictures to see how to make bubbles that don't pop.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup distilled water
- 2 tablespoons dish soap. Dawn dish soap truly works the best.
- 1 tablespoon glycerin (shop now or see where to buy glycerin below)
- 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
Directions:
- Mix the water, dish soap, glycerin and corn syrup in a bowl or an empty bottle.
- Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
- Use wands, straws, bent pipe cleaners or a variety of other materials to start playing.
Where to buy glycerin for this super bubbles recipe?
Glycerin can be found in the cake decorating area of most craft stores.
If you're near a Michaels or JoAnn, you can find it with the cake and candy-making supplies or with soap-making products.
If you want to order glycerine online you can find several options on Amazon:
- Essential Depot Kosher Vegetable Glycerin: This is Amazon's bestselling glycerin. Reviews show that it's the best for this kind of recipe!
- Wilton glycerin
- Now Solutions 100% pure vegetable glycerine
These are the varieties of glycerin you should look at for your own homemade recipe:
Vegetable Kosher Glycerin, 1 Quart
NOW Solutions Vegetable Glycerine, 16-OunceYaley Soapsations Liquid Glycerine, 8-OunceWilton Glycerin, 2 Ounces
Strong bubble recipe FAQ
Below is a list of some frequently asked questions about how to make bubbles that don't pop. Feel free to leave a comment if you have a question that isn't answered here.
How should I store this bubble solution?
The bubble solution will get moldy if it's left at room temperature, so you should refrigerate it between uses.
How long will it last?
Your bubble mixture will last 5-7 days in the refrigerator. It might not last as long if you use it frequently within that time frame.
What kind of gloves should be worn when playing with bubbles?
First, you don't need to buy special bubble gloves or mitts to play with your unbreakable, bouncing bubbles.
The best gloves for bubbles are thin stretchy gloves (like these) (we call them magic gloves) or disposable nitrile medical gloves.
There are also a few alternatives you can try if you don't have access to stretchy or medical gloves.
Try clean cotton socks, winter mittens, fleece gloves, latex gloves or cotton gardening gloves.
Testing the different materials to see which ones work best is also a fun experiment!
Why should I wear gloves while playing with these bubbles?
Surface tension is what keeps bubbles whole. When the surface tension is broken, the bubble pops. Oils, dust and dirt on our hands will very quickly break surface tension, and gloves protect bubbles from making contact with the dirt and oils.
Be sure to pin this recipe on Pinterest to remember it and share it with your friends!
Strong super bubble recipe
How to Make Super Strong Bubbles
This super strong bubbles recipe shows how to make super bubbles to bounce, hold or juggle. A perfect activity for babies and kids, this amazing formula makes an almost unbreakable bubble that lasts a long time!
Materials
- 1 cup distilled water
- 2 tablespoons dish soap. Dawn dish soap works the best!
- 1 tablespoon glycerin (see where to buy glycerin below)
- 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
Tools
- 1 empty bottle or jar with lid
Instructions
Pour the water, dish soap, glycerin and corn syrup in your jar.- Stir until well combined
Cover the mixture with the lid.- Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
- Play with your super strong bubbles!
Pour the water, dish soap, glycerin and corn syrup in your jar.
Stir until well combined
Cover the mixture with the lid.
Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
Play with your super strong bubbles!
Penny says
This worked so well!
Katie says
I made these today – they were amazing!
Kelli says
Love this idea! A bent wire or pipe cleaner, a drinking straw, or a piece of cotton twine tied in a loop all make great bubble blowing tools.
Tina says
Hi Kelli,
I am planning to try this experiment today, will this the bubbles work if I use a string bubble wand? Best of luck on your future bubble endeavours!
Sharon Shapira says
Will this work if I use regular water?
Kelly says
You can distill your tap water by boiling it for 10 minutes then take it off of the heat and let it cool down. I learned that several years agi. Good luck!
Marybeth Hamilton says
Boiling water kills bacteria and purifies it, but it doesn’t distill it. Distilled water is water with the minerals removed.
Tina says
Hi Marybeth,
After reading your comments, I must say, I’m quite confused in your logic. On one hand you’ve told dear Sharon here that you can’t use tap water because boiling the water will not purify it. Yet alternatively, you’ve said that you yourself use tap water in your bubble solution. In order to prevent further confusion about this important subject, I suggest you make up your damn mind about the water you may use. Best of luck on your future bubble endeavours!
Sincerely, Tina Truman
Rebecca McConnell says
Simply boiling water does not distill it. If you boil water the dissolved salts and ions remain in the water. To distill water you would need to boil the water, have a way to capture the steam which does not contain any dissolved ions, then condense it. The water that results from distilling is simply water (H2O), whereas tap water or even bottled drinking water, contain certain amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, chlorine, fluorine, carbonate etc. Tap water will differ from place to place, so someone’s water that does not contain many of these ions may work to make bubbles and distilled is not necessary. If you have “hard water” your water contains a lot of ions and may alter the ability to make bubbles properly. If that is the case, a local grocery store likely sells gallon jugs of distilled water. Just make sure it says “distilled.”
Sande says
Tina, she is sharing her recipe. You are being rude over a bubble solution?
dee says
RUDE, RUDE, RUDE. Is that really necessary, TINA TRUMAN. What the world needs is kindness, such as sharing a free recipe.
Marybeth Hamilton says
I always use tap water. Distilled water is just more purified if the minerals in your tap water don’t “agree” with the bubbles. So you can definitely try tap water first.
Tina says
Hi Sharon,
I’ve tried making these bubble with regular water but it didn’t work. Best of luck on your future bubble adventures!
Tina says
Hi Sharon,
I’ve just realized that I wished you best of luck on your future bubble adventures rather than on your bubble endeavours. I am extremely sorry about this and hope you will forgive me. Best of luck on your bubble ENDEAVOURS
Sincerely, Tina Truman
Heather says
Hi Marybeth,
I see that in your recipe for strong bubbles it says refrigerate for 24 hours. If all of the solution is not used within 1 setting do you need to keep them refrigerated?
Sincerely
Heather
Rebecca says
Chill miss tina truman, it’s bubbles for goodness sakes
j says
Where is the printable?
Vicious says
People should not be so critical,. Unless they are perfect. And I’m quite sure not a ONE, and I say again,NOT A ONE , is perfect. At least you are woman enough to own it. Not everything works for everyone. Kudos to you.
Lisa Velez says
MaryBeth, Thank you for taking the time to post recipes and ideas. Don’t let a few rotten lemons mess with the lemonade. There are more of us that appreciate your efforts than don’t. So keep doing what you are doing the way you are doing it! Thank you once again! The kids and I will try this recipe.
Have you tried a large batch with this recipe? I’m looking to make a large batch so I don’t have to make it everyday. My little guy spills bubble solution all the time.
Sally says
Why should you wear gloves with the super syringe bubbles?
Autumn says
Also very curious about this. All the ingredients are edible (if you have used food safe glycerin) except for basic dish soap!
Marybeth says
Super strong bubbles? Wet gloves help keep the surface tension of the bubble intact. That means they’re less likely to pop when touched.
k. backhus says
why are there no replies on this site? I keep looking, trying to find out two things, how long will this solution last sitting on a shelf, or does it have to be refrigerated? if so then does it have to warm to room temp before using it? also, do the kids have to use plastic gloves? I don’t have any little gloves? I am 80 yrs. old. in a wheelchair, can not walk. but want to play with some newly acquired little friends. that is coming over on Monday, memorial day. which is two days away. so please asap the answeres if possible if not answer anyway and I’ll do this another day. thank you soo very much for your kindness.
Barbara says
Being a great grandmother of a two year old, we had a bad experience when he rubbed his eyes with the bubble mixtureI made the bubble mixture with tear free wash and shampoo. It worked great!
Patti Carrick says
lol my grandsons have nerf gun wars that require them to wear safety goggles.which so happens to fit our 2yr grandaughter perfectly,they stay on great they are about $ 1 per pair.&last forever
Robin says
I was interested in this wonderful recipe for the grandkids when it hit me. Grandkids? Why not our group of retired group of grandmothers. A few few bubbles and a few glasses of wine and we have ourselves a party! Yippee!!!
Marybeth says
This is amazing!
Mandy says
I actually came looking for a good solution because I do home healthcare. Bubbles sparks eyes, especially with advanced dementia.
Yasmin Assad says
Can I use this for bubble machines ?
mari carini says
does it need to be refrigerated for 24 hours. what happens if I can’t refrigerate it for that long.
Marybeth says
To be honest, I don’t know what will happen if you don’t refrigerate it as long.
cuzinaddie says
The refrigeration is to allow the bubble solution to become more cohesive…. making the bubbles work better. You can use it without the refrigeration process, but it works better letting it sit. As for how long it will last without refrigeration, in the article it says it will mold in a few days. I think if you want to use it cold, you should be OK. As for the string bubble wand, give it a shot. It will probably work just fine. I hope this helps you all….