How to make bubble mixture

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Bubble mixture

Makes 350ml
Prep 5 minutes

50ml washing-up liquid (one part)
300ml water (six parts)

1. Measure the washing-up liquid into a container, such as a jam jar or glass bottle.

2. Slowly add in the water, being careful not to create too many bubbles at this stage. Gently stir the mixture together to combine – a chopstick is perfect for this.

3. If you can, let the bubble mixture rest before using it, as it will make your bubbles even better.

4. When you’re ready, dip your bubble wand into the mixture and start blowing bubbles!

Homemade bubble wands

If you don’t have a wand from a store-bought pot of bubbles, don’t despair! You can have fun by looking for different items around the house that can be used to make bubbles. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Paperclips – bend them into wands or use as they are
Straws
Biscuit cutters
Pipe cleaners
Fly swatters

Top tips

Glycerine can be found in the baking section of most major supermarkets and can be added to the bubble mixture to make it more stable. We found that adding 1 tbsp glycerine to the recipe above made our bubbles last much longer.

Letting it rest overnight, or as long as you can bear to wait, does allow the mixture to settle and combine, which will improve your bubbles.

Think big – if you want to scale up the recipe, you just need one part washing-up liquid to six parts water. Try making a big bubble mixture in a washing-up bowl – then you can use bigger items, like colanders and slotted spoons, to make bubbles in the garden.