Question: Why do my bubbles pop fast?
Answer: There are many possible reasons for this; here is a list of the most common causes.
Bubble Troubles
- Be sure to use tap water when diluting the concentrated bubble mix. Do not use purified water.
- Follow the dilution rate on the packaging.
- Make sure the mixing container is clean. Flush with water before mixing. Harsh cleaning chemicals like bleach are very bad for bubbles.
- Be sure your hands are clean. Insect repellant, hand creams, suntan lotions and even perfumes can react with bubble solution and cause poor performance.
- Dust, pollen, insects, and pollution. When anything dry touches a bubble it will pop. Things as small as a piece of dust or pollen will pop the biggest bubbles. These are often the unseen forces that will pop your big bubbles when just the day before you where making monster size bubbles that would last and last.
- Dry air. Sometimes the air is so dry that big bubbles are almost impossible. Adding a little more water to your solution may help. Also try bubbling in the early morning, the air has the most humidity then. Wait for a rain, the most amazing bubble can be made right after it rains.
- Sunshine. Big bubbles don’t like strong sunshine. Direct sun may dry a spot on the surface and just like a balloon with a hole, it pops. Get in the shade. After a bubble start spinning it has a better chance of surviving in the sunshine. Bubbles have the best color show on a cloudy day.
- Dirty solution. It is important to keep your solution free of dirt and debris. If the bubble loop does touch the dirt, be sure to rinse it off before putting it back in the solution. If the solution gets dirty don’t add more clean solution but use up the old solution and rinse the container before adding more.
- Dry sticks. Make sure your sticks are wet with solution at least three inches up from the tips.
- Poppers. Small children love to pop bubbles more than anything; they can’t wait to be the first one to pop the bubble. Make a game of it! Set a line 15 feet downwind and make a rule that no one can pop the bubbles before they get to that point. Makes lots of small bubble for them to pop by holding the tip close together. In a strong breeze it will make hundred of bubbles in a minute. Get up higher or hold the wands high in the air. The bubbles will float higher than the children. That makes them have to jump and jump to pop the bubbles. After jumping for hours, the children will get a good night sleep!
Note: Big bubble formulas work best when aged overnight.
