Here’s the complete tutorial on how to make giant bubbles!
This post includes giant bubbles kit, giant bubble recipe and free printable labels!
Watch the video on how-to make giant bubbles:
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Super giant bubbles are addicting to young and old.
Kids would love to receive this as a gift or even help make the kit.
I made the simple drawstring sack to hold the bubble kit supplies.
The bubble recipe is shown below and I share the **secret** ingredient to help make the giant bubbles last longer.
My teenage daughter enjoyed herself while making these super giant bubbles in our backyard.
Like I said, “fun for all ages”! The colors and shapes produced are mesmerizing!
This is what the bubble wand stick looks like when dipped in bubble solution and “opened up” to make bubbles.
Notice the washer at the bottom of the string this helps “weigh” down the string and doesn’t interfere with the bubbles.
Look closely and you’ll see the bubble solution inside the entire area of the “triangle” shaped string and another smaller bubble forming.
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Tutorial how-to make your own Super Giant Bubbles Kit:
Bubble Kit Supplies:
- 1 bowl – purchased at the dollar store
- 1 bottle of “Super Giant Bubble Solution” (recipe below). I used an empty bubble bottle and poured in my secret recipe and attached the label
- 1 Set of Bubble Wand Sticks
- Bubble Label (free printable below)
- Cloth sack to keep everything together
Bubble Wand Sticks:
Bubble Wand Sticks
- 2 wood dowels 3 feet in length
- 2 eye screws
- 1 washer (heavy enough to weigh down cord)
- 12 feet cotton piping cord (can be found in sewing stores) or you can purchase it online here.
cut into two lengths one 8 feet and one 4 feet - instead of using the dowels and screws you could purchase this inexpensive pole rod and use it instead.
Super Giant Bubble Recipe:
- 12 cups of water
- 1 cup Dawn dish washing soap
- 3 ounces of personal lubricant
- 1/2 cup – 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoon baking powder
optional:
J-Lube This is what vets use for obstetrics for pets.
I know it sounds weird but you can mix this with water and use this instead of the personal lubricant.
The bottle is under $20 and can be used to create hundreds of gallons of bubble solution (so it is quite a bit cheaper than personal lubricant).
Mix 1 teaspoon with 12 cups of water and use this in the bubbles recipe with no added personal lubricant.
Experiment with how much J-Lube powder to add to the water.
TO PURCHASE THE WAND & BUBBLE SOLUTION:
Bubble Wands & Bubble Solution
I found this item on Amazon that sells the wands already made and the bubble solution for giant bubbles.
No DIY or bubble making recipe. It’s already done!
The product has received excellent reviews. As of this post date it is under $20 with free shipping for prime members.
TIPS FOR MAKING BUBBLE SOLUTION:
I used Dawn (blue) dish washing soap.
The recipe is cloudy at first but gets clear after a day or so.
Stir occasionally to help dissolve the cornstarch.
You can try adding only 1/2 cup instead of 1 cup it’s worked for me in the past.
If you want your bubbles to have a little more staying power, here is the secret ingredient mix a tube (3 oz.) of personal lubricant (yes, that is correct) with 1 cup of very warm water – mix well.
After it cooled I added the water/lubricant to the above recipe.
The lubricant was purchased at the dollar store.
This recipe is the exact solution we used to make the giant bubbles including the personal lubricant.
The polymer in the personal lubricant is what is needed to create giant bubbles.
Regular bubble solution will not work for giant bubbles.
Water that is very hard or alkaline might not work well.
Another tip a reader suggested was to warm the 12 cups of water on the stove and add the cornstarch until dissolved.
I haven’t tried this yet but sounds like a good tip. Once the water has cooled then add the lubricant.
Tips on How to Make Giant Bubbles:
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- High humidity is the perfect time to create giant bubbles (75% humidity or better). Check weather.com to see the humidity in your area.
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- Extreme hot and freezing weather is NOT good for giant bubbles. Cool/cold temperatures such as 45-60 degrees works well.
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- Keep insects and dirt out of the bubble solution. This is the quickest way to RUIN your bubbles.
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- You might need to tweak the recipe a bit to fit your conditions. Try adding a touch more personal lubricant or more Dawn.
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- Experiment with closing and opening the wand. Try closing only one wand handle and see if this helps close your bubbles.
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- Turn your body and use the wind/inertia to help create bubbles.
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- My biggest bubbles were made in the early morning or evening.
There are lots of variables when trying to make giant bubbles. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!!
Print the “Super Giant Bubbles Kit” label, punch a hole in the corner, thread with heavy duty string and tie onto the cloth sack.
Instructions on how to use the Super Giant Bubbles solution.
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how in the world did you figure out that lube would make bubbles last longer? thank you for sharing this, because we have some that we've never used ha!
Jennifer,
That's funny! I was at an outdoor fair and there was a guy making giant bubbles. I asked him for his recipe but the only thing I remembered was the ky jelly. I thought he was pulling my leg! Sure enough after googling it – it's a great addition to the bubble solution. I experimented making the bubble solution with and without the personal lube and it really does make a difference!
WOW that is so fun! Thanks for a great recipe and a fun craft to put together.
I made the bubble solution according to the directions, but could never get the cornstarch to dissolve. Has anyone else had this problem or am I doing something wrong? Love this idea and hope I can get it to work for my grand daughters!
I am having the same problem as others with the cornstarch never dissolving ~ I did mix it in with the just the water first, really well and it seemed dissolved, and then adding the other ingredients. It’s been sitting on the counter for 6 hours and I have to keep stirring it but it just all comes back together in a sludge along the bottom.
**ALSO! My solution isn’t blowing any bubbles. It is very watery. Please help! I loved this idea & want to make it work!
Thank you!
When I stir the bubble solution the cornstarch is mixed in real well but shortly after it settles to the bottom. I still use the solution with the cornstarch at the bottom. I did reduce the amount to 1/2 of what the recipe calls for and it still works great.
Can you tell me what you might be doing different? What about the Dawn dish washing soap – are you using that? I just made another batch 2 days ago and it works great.
I’m happy to help you!
Yep, I followed the recipe exactly. For the second batch I did cut down on the cornstarch so there’s less sludge at the bottom, but still there. I gently stir it back in and when we go to make the giant bubbles, they pop before they can even leave the strings. And yes, I used Dawn, just like the recipe.
I am using this next weekend & I would really love to get this right.
Thank you!
I was told the more you play with it the silkier it gets making it work better & not pop so easily.
That could be. Just be careful about getting dirt in the solution. There are some tips I shared on the post – when the best time to create giant bubbles, etc.
Sue – use one of the 12 cups of water to dissolve the corn starch in before mixing it all together.
You can just make it with Dawn and glycerin. No embarrassing purchase needed.
Thank you, Family Circus, for the great advice! Does the corn starch dissolve completely? I'm excited to try it tomorrow! Thanks again!
Sue – The cornstarch dissolves after a day or two. Stir well! I used the bubble solution while there was still a little cornstarch settled at the bottom of the bowl -didn't seem to hurt the bubbles.
Anonymous – Glycerin can also be used instead of the *personal lube*. However, glycerin is much harder to find and it is very expensive – $8 for a bottle. The *personal lube* was purchased for $1 at the dollar store – much, much cheaper! : )
try korn syrup for glycerin
Sorry, but corn syrup doesn’t work. You can use personal lubricant or glycerin – it really helps with the lasting power of the bubble.
Toni
This looks like so much fun! I will try it out with my grandchildren, I know my granddaughter in particular will love it!
This looks like so much fun! I tried making the bubbles, and I think I'm having trouble. I halved the recipe, though I wouldn't think that would cause a problem. I stir it all up and it looks milky blue (I used blue Dawn), but after it sits for a bit the cornstarch settles to the bottom and is VERY thick (similar to taffy) leaving the bright blue liquid on top. Any ideas on what I can do to fix it? I've stirred and stirred and stirred and it keeps happening!
This worked perfect for me. It provided hours of fun for everyone. One of the bubbles stretched of 30 feet.
Very creative ! It's nice to know that you can do a lot amazing stuff just by purchasing on the right resources which won't always break your wallet.
Here another recipe for GIANT bubbles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ElKJjrXQLI
Mineral oil or water based personal lubricant? I'm assuming water based?
the liquid solution should be a milky opaque blue when stirred. the cornstarch seems to dissolve after a while – but some cornstarch settles at the bottom don't worry about it. mine did and it still worked great.
as far as the personal lubricant – i think it was water based. I picked it up at the dollar store.
Just to clarify, is the blue Dawn you used the "Concentrated", or the "original?"
Thanks for the tutorial, I've been looking for this bubble wand for YEARS!!!
To avoid embarrassment and being the talk of the town I took the bubble recipe in my local dollar Gen. With me lol! Lube bought with no funny looks
Oh my goodness, the secret ingredient is hilarious! Just today I made my first homemade bubbles for my boys, but they were pathetic and popped even quicker than the ones we normally buy at the dollar store. I will be doing this soon! Thank you! (Came to you via pinterest, btw!)
Normally, bubbles burst after a short time because its outside layer evaporates quickly. That is, until manufacturers came up with an innovative solution through the addition of glycerin. Glycerin, or glycerol, is a thick and colorless alcohol which is a byproduct of soap making process. Its ability to dissolve with water makes it ideal for bubble making.
Funny!!
Erica,
My girlfriend and I had a good giggle over the phone when telling her about the secret ingredient. Her hubby overheard part of the conversation with raised eyebrows! Who would have ever thought??
Tony – I'm pretty sure it was concentrated.
Sara,
I used the solution even with the cornstarch at the bottom. It still worked for me. I would occasionally stir it. It seemed to dissolve over time.
Curious if this recipe works for regular bubble blowing as well–has anyone tried it for smaller bubbles? Can you make a huge batch all at once? Will it last several months?
How long does the mixture last? Do you use lubricant instead of glycerin? I only got 1 big bubble out of about 10 trys…
I personally used the mixture a year later and it worked. I’ve used both the lubricant and glycerin not at the same time. There are many factors involved – did you get any dirt or tiny bugs in your solution? The weather, which way the wind is blowing. etc.. Keep trying and you’ll become an expert. I did this with a class of 8-10 year old girls and they loved it. Sometimes they got a bubble and sometimes they didn’t!
what is dish washing soap? is it soap flakes or is it washing up liquid? I'm British – please translate
its liquid, similar to hand soap. like what you hand-wash dishes with 🙂
Heather – thanks for helping out. I LOVE it when readers help answer. Have a great day!
Yes, Kate it is liquid soap. The brand I used is Dawn Dishwashing liquid soap.
Yes, we made smaller bubbles with this. You wouldn't need to add the secret ingredient if you are making smaller bubbles. I think the solution was fine after a long sit. Just make sure the bottle is well-capped.
BTW, best days to have success are high humidity, calm winds.. Exactly like today here in TN… This was on our summer bucket list… Today's the day!
Thank you so much for the recipe! My coupon group was wondering what to do with all the dish soap and K-Y we got for cheap or for $ makers (if we used a K-Y coupon it would take an extra $1 off our purchase).
Thanks for the great recipe! I think I made it backwards but it still came out great and was ready to use in 15 minutes.
We made these bubbles and had a blast! The powder settled at the bottom and so we kept stirring it and it worked great! You can also replace the 1 cup of Cornstarch with 1 cup of Corn syrup if you are worried about it settling. I love the cute bubble kit!! Thanks for the wonderful post!
I'm having the same trouble with the cornstarch settling! I saw it mentioned that it gets clear after a few days, but the instructions say to let sit for only an hour?
We made this and it worked great! But then the next day the bubbles popped immediately after forming. Whats the trick to making the solution last more than one day?
Thank you so much! We made this yesterday, and used it again today. What a hit! I shared on my blog with a link back to you. 🙂 LOVE your bubble kits!!!
If you use the secret ingredient, and make smaller bubbles – the bubbles will last quite a long time! We have made this twice now. The most recent time, I handed smaller bubble wands to my kiddos to use it and I saw a small bubble continuing to float for about 25 – 30 feet away! We could see them floating on and over the fence of the neighbors yard and continuing to float and float!
I have one complaint about the super bubbles. They don't seem able to come off the super bubble wand. We will create a bubble (a small breeze is very helpful!) but once it gets so big it will just pop! They never seem to float off on their own for a few seconds. It would be nice to know how to make them survive off the wand!
What is the difference between using corn syrup and cornstarch? I'm curious! My cornstarch never dissolves completely, no matter how many days I stir it!
I have made this twice now, and each time my cornstarch does not dissolve. Each time we want to pull it out I just stir it up until it's scrapped off the bottom and we play with it just fine. I've never had the cornstarch completely dissolve.
hi Kate, im from Glasgow i've heard fairy antibacterial is the closes match to Dawn 😀
Hi,
I foundation your recipe on pinterest, but the link was not working. I pinned it again form here and have about 3000 repins! Thanks for posting!
Could you please tell me where i can buy Dawn Dishwashing liquid in Sydney? i don't seem to be able to find it in any of my local supermarkets.
I am in Perth, and can't find dawn here either. I have heard that morning fresh original is the best, but I have used Palmolive detergent with success. Any thick concentrated detergent should work. Hope that helps.
So I love this idea! I’m in the process of making several of these as Christmas gifts. Is the corn starch supposed to dissolve?? In the batch I’ve made, it settles to the bottom after sitting for a while.
I made this today for my son, it was a bit hit, worked perfectly! Just a little tip to save some money…I went to JoAnns Fabric store and bought 4 yards (8 feet) of 100% cotton piping at $1.99 per yard ($8 total). Then, I had another errand to run at Walmart and came across a 100 foot roll of 100% cotton clothesline (looked just like the piping I bought) for just under $5. The clothesline was located with the screws, fasteners, and picture hangers.
Thanks, Grace! SO glad this was a hit!! Thanks for the tips on the piping.
Toni
I followed your wand design. But for some reason when making the bubbles I used a different recipe. I used a whole bottle of clear dawn, glycerin and 12 cups of water. The bubbles didn’t work, so I added the ingredients you used to it. No I get bubbles but they won’t come off the wand without bursting. Should I try adding more water to dilute the dawn? Also, I used distilled water. Can I add tap water?
Carrie,
I’m not sure what is happening to your bubbles. Make sure to follow the recipe exactly. Humid mornings and evenings are best for bubbles. The solution might need to sit for a bit. I wish I could help you more…
Anyone wanna help me problem solve? I can get the bubble started then it pops! More water? More lube? What do you think??
Samantha,
Check the weather for humidity. If there is a morning or evening that has higher humidity that will certainly help. Do not do this on aspahlt or cement the heat can evaporate the water quickly. Did you give the solution a little bit of time to set up? Little bugs and dirt can also affect the popping quickly. I would also guess that maybe a little more lubricant might help. Good luck
¡Thank you, we’ll try soon!
Patricia,
Enjoy making the bubbles!
Toni
Try using some of the water, boiling, to make a smooth paste with the cornflour. I think the high temp helps the cornflour to release its cellulose? The best UK equivalent to Dawn is Fairy Platinum. Make loads of bubbles by using netting… they go for ever.
Such a great gift idea! Thanks!