We’ve seen recipes for glow in the dark bubbles all over the internet, and we were curious: do they actually work, or are they just another Pinterest myth? After testing a bunch of different methods, we finally found one that gives the best glowing results… with a little help from science.
It turns out the real trick is using highlighter ink and a UV light. Mixed with bubble solution, it creates bubbles that glow under black light — perfect for summer parties and a bit of backyard magic. And here’s the bonus: if you wear a soft glove, your glowing bubbles will become bouncing bubbles!
Keep reading and we’ll show you what worked, what didn’t, and exactly how to make your own glowing bubble mix at home.
How to Make Glow in the Dark Bubbles
Materials:
- Bubble solution
- Yellow highlighter(s)(or green; fluorescent)
- Glycerin
- UV light
Equipment:
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Bowl(or container)
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
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Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Mix the glowing bubble solution
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Add a 4 ounce bottle (1/2 cup) of bubble solution to a bowl or container.
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Have an adult cut the end off a yellow highlighter using sharp scissors. Wear gloves for this, so you don’t get the highlighter on your hands.
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Open up the end more with needle nose pliers, if needed, and use the pliers to remove the ink tube.
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Squeeze the ink tube into the bubble solution and then set it in the liquid.
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Repeat with a second highlighter and let the solution sit for 15 minutes.(If you have a large highlighter you can just use one.)
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Remove the ink tubes, squeeze them out again, and stir to combine.
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Add 1 Tablespoon glycerin to the bubble solution and stir to combine.This is optional, but makes the bubbles stronger.
Step 3: Have fun with the glow in the dark bubbles
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Use a UV flashlight or set up a black light panel.You’ll need a UV light to see the glowing bubbles. In normal light they just look like regular bubbles.
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Dip a bubble wand in the glowing solution.
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Blow the bubbles and watch them glow! You need to be quite close to the light to see the glow.
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Your glow in the dark bubbles are complete!Bonus: If you wear a soft winter glove you can catch and bounce the glowing bubbles as well!
Helpful Tips:
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Ask an adult to help cut the end off the highlighter and carefully remove the ink tube.
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Play with your glow bubbles outdoors or in a space that’s easy to clean — things can get a little messy! (Keep reading for more tips.)
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If the bubbles aren’t forming well or you’re having trouble bouncing them, try placing the bubble solution in the fridge for a while. Chilled solution helps the bubbles form larger and stronger.
Do I need a UV light to see these glow in the dark bubbles?
Yes! For this recipe, you’ll need a UV light (also called a black light) to see the bubbles glow. The glowing effect comes from fluorescent highlighter ink, which only lights up under ultraviolet light.
Without a black light, they’ll just look like regular bubbles. For best results, play in a dark room or head outside at night with a UV flashlight or black light panel.
You’ll have to place the light quite close to the bubbles to see the glowing effect, but when you do see the glow it’s quite cool!
How messy are glow in the dark bubbles?
We’ll be honest, they’re pretty messy — invisibly messy! You won’t notice anything in regular light, but once you shine the black light around, you’ll spot glowing residue wherever the bubbles have landed.
The highlighter ink travels with the bubbles and leaves behind fluorescent splashes on skin, clothes, and surfaces. That’s why we strongly recommend using them outdoors, or in a space that’s easy to wipe down (like a bathroom or laundry room), with a portable UV light on hand for the glow reveal.
Do we think the mess is worth it? Honestly, not necessarily. It’s pretty cool to see the bubble solution glow, but the bubble splatter really does get everywhere.
Can I use something else to make glow in the dark bubbles?
We scoured the internet for recipes and tried a lot of options, but highlighter ink was the only one that truly worked — even if you do need a black light to see the glow. Here’s what we tested and why these options didn’t work:
- Tonic Water: The tonic water itself glows faintly in UV light, but the glow pretty much stopped once the soap was added. And the bubbles didn’t glow at all.
- Glow-in-the-Dark Powder: This works beautifully to make glow in the dark bouncy balls, so we had high hopes. But since the pigment isn’t water soluble it sank to the bottom, instead of mixing in.
- Glow Sticks: The liquid from the glow sticks definitely glows, but it doesn’t mix evenly with the bubble solution. And the bubbles themselves didn’t glow at all. Maybe if you add 5 or 6 glow sticks worth to the mixture? But that seems like a waste.
- Glow-in-the-Dark Paint: The solution glowed amazingly, but the paint made it too thick and heavy to form actual bubbles. We tried both acrylic and gel types of paint, but no luck.
Glow in the dark bubbles are definitely a fun experiment — but they come with a few caveats. You’ll need a UV light close by to really see the glow, and things can get a little messy under black light.
That said, it’s a cool and quirky activity that kids will love trying at least once — especially if you’re already stocked up on bubble solution!
Here’s even more glow in the dark craft ideas:
