Big Bubble Blend Tech Info for Professionals
The Big Bubble Blend is a concentrated blend of guar gum, and a cosmetic-grade PEG/PEO. For outdoor bubbles we like this formula:
1 gallon of tap water
1/4 tsp Big Bubble Blend
1 cup of Dawn
You can also use 3/4 cup Dawn Platinum with a tiny bit more bubble powder. The Platinum uses a water conditioner so it tends to foam more, but the colors are a little more vibrant.
We don’t have any tech data using other types of dish soap like Dawn Pro, or Fairy. If you come up with a workable mix using another detergent we are happy to post about it! P&G seems to have changed the formula of Dawn Professional, and we’ve heard mixed reviews. It’s tougher to source, so we have made the Big Bubble Blend to work with more commonly available detergents.
Scaled Recipe for larger batches
4 gallons of water- on a “drywall bucket” it’s just under the ridge where the handles attach
1 tsp Big Bubble Blend
4 cups Dawn (we use a graduated water bottle with a lid for measuring on-site- it’s a little less messy)
It’s our tried-and-true formula, that we use in bubble stations, nets, garlands, and to make moderately big bubbles.
Feel free to experiment with it in your existing formulas, or use it to fine-tune or tweak existing recipes. If you’re having one of those days where things aren’t working quite right you can add a little in your existing solution to see if that helps.
Usage amounts– 1/4 tsp of the Big Bubble Blend (BBB) is roughly equivalent to 2-3 teaspoons of Jlube, or 1 teaspoon of guar gum if you are letting it hydrate overnight. The benefit of using Big Bubble Blend is that it’s ready to use right away, so you can mix it on-site, and it’s more economical than using J-lube. 1/4 tsp of BBB weighs .8-.9 grams if you like using a scale, but the whole point of this formula was to make something that didn’t require any special equipment to make a decent bubble solution.
Compatability with other bubble ingredients– It should work in pretty much every recipe where you would use Jlube or guar. Big Bubble Blend is non-ionic so it’s compatible with most surfactant blends.
You should be able to add glycerin, or baking powder, baking soda, or citric acid with no trouble if those are ingredients you like to work with in your recipes. A 1/4 tsp of sodium citrate per gallon helps make the colors a bit bolder, but the mixture foams easier. Big changes in the pH may affect the hydration rate. The manufacturer’s tech data for the PEG says the maximum hydration time is 2 hours at a pH of 7. In our experiments it’s about 90% hydrated within 5-10 minutes, and it’s calibrated so that you can use it without needing to wait.
I tried a lot of different humectants like glycerin, sorbitol, panthenol, and even hyaluronic acid, and for outside bubbles I just didn’t see any huge improvements.
Shear Mixing– When we disperse thickeners in the cosmetics lab we sometimes use what they call “high shear” mixing with a blender, or immersion blender. Don’t do that with the Big Bubble Blend. It’s not what we call “shear tolerant”. A whisk is ideal, but a small hand mixer, or a paint mixing “squirrel” are fine if you’re not mixing it for a long time.
The ingredients were chosen because they disperse, and hydrate with pretty minimal mixing in cold water, and you shouldn’t need any special tools. It can get a little clumpy in hot water. If you’re using hot water because it’s cold outside sprinkle it in, and whisk as you go.
Shelf life– the powder itself lasts 6-9 months at room temperature, and longer if you store it in the freezer. If it’s older than that it may be weaker. You can use a little more to use up the pack.
As a mixed bubble solution, it’s ok for a day or two if all of your mixing equipment, and strings are clean, but we recommend mixing it fresh as close to show time as possible.
Make sure you firmly reseal the package to prevent contamination. There aren’t any additional preservatives in the BBB so it won’t prolong your shelf life of mixed solution. It’s made to be mixed fresh before bubble sessions.
Can I slurry it with the detergent? It’s made to be hydrated in water. It gets pretty clumpy, and it’s tougher to mix in with the detergent. It’s also an unpreserved powder, and could throw off the preservative load of the detergent making the mix susceptible to microbial growth if you’re trying to store a slurry for several days or weeks. You’re not really saving any time or effort, or getting better results by making a slurry, and it’s not worth the risk in our opinion.
A huge THANK YOU goes out to everyone who’s contributed to the Soap Bubble Wiki, and bubbling communities This powder would not have turned out as well if it weren’t for the immense amount of information that people have posted, and a lot of support from the communities over the years. We truly appreciate it!