making your own bubble solution

Happy_Daddy

Hi, we're thinking of buying a bubble machine for our little one's bithrday and are bemused by several reviews on Amazon that say you need to buy the manufacturers solution as home made just doesn't work. Is this really the case or manufacturer hype? Does anyone have a homemade solution recipe?

Many thanks

Happy Daddy

BitterAndTwisted

Soap bubbles are just soap. It's possible they add something to the solution to make them less likely to pop immediately. I can't think of one good reason why you couldn't make a wand out of something lying around the house and use either washing-up liquid or the famous Stardrops. We used to use all sorts including the handle on a pair of scissors, for instance. Much more fun and very MSE. Perhaps you get your children on a house-hunt to find things to adapt. That should keep them usefully occupied while you enjoy a cuppa in the garden in peace for 20 minutes.

Ben84

My mum always used to make bubble solution out of water, some detergent like washing up liquid and a bit of glycerine (makes the bubbles stronger). You should be able to find glycerine at the supermarket, typically in the cooking section as it's a food additive.

Charliex

We have a bubble machine and always just use big bottles of Tesco bubble mixture. Its just as good! Bubbles are bubbles to kids

pretz_2

we have a bubble machine, they are great fun although i did try to use the "old" bubble making ways of washing up liquid and water well lets just say don't waste your washing up liquid lol it didn't work and I have no idea why however we just buy big bottles of bubble solution for sainsbugs and I think they are about £1 for a big bottle. If you do get one be prepared to take a mortgage out for batteries and bubble solution lol

Sublime_2

I've found the washing up liquid method is never so effective.

zippychick

as a bubble machine is more a families issue, and this has dropped down the board, i've moved it to the families board to see if anyone has experience over there

Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Zip

Plans_all_plans

Ben84 wrote: »

My mum always used to make bubble solution out of water, some detergent like washing up liquid and a bit of glycerine (makes the bubbles stronger). You should be able to find glycerine at the supermarket, typically in the cooking section as it's a food additive.

Same here: I second the glycerine.

building_with_lego

Or add sugar, apparantly, but it didn't work for me. I'll try it with Stardrops next though, then they can clean as they blow :rotfl: