Blow a Bubble With Gum

Whether you're going for a world-record bubble or just trying to find something to do with your gum once all the flavor's gone, knowing how to blow great bubblegum bubbles can help you get what you want. Though it doesn't take much to blow a simple bubble with almost any gum you have handy, blowing a really large bubble or doing a trick with your bubble can take some dedication — believe it or not, it's actually something people compete over!

Steps

Blowing a Basic Bubble

1. Grab some gum. You can use almost any kind of chewing gum or bubble gum to blow bubbles with as long as you have enough of it! Pick a flavor that you like, and if the pieces seem especially small (like for many "tooth-healthy" brands of gum like Trident), take an extra piece or two so you have enough to work with.
   • Though almost any gum will work, if you're going for the best bubbles, stiff, chewy, low-sugar gums (like Bazooka) work best.
2. Start chewing. It can be pretty tough to blow bubbles with "fresh" gum that you've just started chewing, so be patient. Chew the gum for long enough so that it becomes soft, moist, and very stretchy. There should be just a little flavor left at this point.
   • For many types of gum, you won't want to chew for too long, or the gum can get hard and won't stretch as well. This time varies from gum to gum, so be willing to experiment to find the perfect chewing time for you.
3. Flatten the gum against the top of your mouth. Use your tongue to move the ball of chewed-up gum to the center of your mouth. Next, make it flat between the top of your mouth and your tongue. Your goal is to make a small, flat "disc" — this will be what you blow into to make your bubble!
4. Lower the flattened gum to the front of your mouth. Move the gum to the space just behind your front teeth — where the tip of your tongue would normally sit. Pull in your jaw to hold the flat gum in place. If you need to, press gently into the back of the gum with your tongue to support it.
5. Push into the gum with your tongue. Next, you need to make a small "pocket" in the gum to blow into. With the disc of flattened gum at the front of your mouth, open your mouth very slightly and stick your tongue about half an inch into the gum. Your goal is to make a slight indentation in the gum. However, you want there to be enough gum remaining in the disc that it won't stretch and pop when you start blowing. The "pocket" can need a little adjusting, so feel free to try a couple of times until you find a good position.
   • For best results, keep your lips together when you open your mouth slightly. This prevents you from accidentally pushing the gum out of your mouth when you're getting the hang of this motion the first couple of times.
6. Blow! You're all ready to make bubbles! Open your lips and use slow, steady air to blow into the pocket you've made in the gum. Don't go too slow or too fast — if you blow too slowly, the bubble can collapse, but if you blow too quickly, it can pop! Keep your eyes on the bubble as you blow it. The thinner and more transparent it looks, the closer it is to popping. To bring the gum back into your mouth, open your lips wide and use your tongue to pull the gum in.
   • This can take some time to learn, so be ready to practice! If you can't get it at first, try again and again! Before long, you should be blowing good-sized bubbles consistently.
7. Use baby oil or peanut butter for clean-up. Blowing bubbles can be great fun, but getting thick, sticky bubble gum out of your hair or off of your skin can be a huge pain. Sooner or later, almost everyone who blows bubble gets some gum stuck on their face or hair. To get it out, try soaking a cotton swab in baby oil and wiping it on the affected spot. The oil should undo the stickiness of the gum, making it much easier to peel off.
   • Another good trick that works extra-well for gum in your hair is to work peanut butter into the gum, then shampoo it out. This usually removes the majority of the gum, though you may need to repeat several times to get all of it.

Blowing a Huge Bubble

1. Use the right gum. If you're going for the biggest bubbles, the gum you start with matters. You'll definitely want to use "stiffer", less sugary gum than you might normally chew. Bazooka gum is great for this — it's a little harder at first than the average bubble gum, but its rubbery texture makes for great bubbles. Sweeter, softer brands of gum contain lots of sugar and additives, which may taste great, but make for a softer, more fragile bubble.
   • You also may want to use more gum than normal. Try chewing two or even three pieces at once to make sure you have plenty of material handy for you bubble.
2. Use slow, even blowing. Start by chewing your gum and flattening against the top of your mouth as you normally would. When you start blowing, it's extra-important to keep a slow, even pace. The bigger your bubble gets, the more fragile it will get, so you'll need to hit that "sweet spot" between too fast and too slow to keep it inflated.
   • If you're really serious about blowing bubbles, you might want to learn a technique used by musicians of wind instruments called circular breathing. With this technique, you blow until you're almost of air, use your last bit of air to fill your cheeks, then push the air out with your cheeks as you breathe in through your nose. When done correctly, this allows you to blow more or less without ever stopping to inhale.
3. Use your hands to support huge bubbles. As you get better and better at blowing large bubbles, you'll eventually get to the point where the bubble starts to touch your chest. Because bubble gum can be especially hard to get out of clothing, you'll want to avoid this, so use the tips of your fingers to ever-so-carefully keep the growing bubble away from your body. Be gentle! The bubble will probably be quite fragile at this point, so a delicate touch is needed.
   • If you do get gum on your clothing, don't worry! You can get gum off of clothing by freezing it or rubbing it with a bag of ice cubes until it hardens, then scraping it off with a knife or your fingernails. Alternatively, you can try applying white vinegar directly to the gum to soften it up. This works well when the gum has already been worked into the fibers of the clothing.
4. Practice! Huge bubbles aren't the sort of thing you'll be able to get overnight. The world's biggest bubble-blowers take years to get their skills to the point where they're recognized for their talent. The best way to get good at blowing huge bubbles is to try to do it, so go buy yourself a pack of gum today!
   • Don't give up! With lots of practice, you can become a champion bubble gum blower. The current Guinness World Record for the largest bubble gum bubble ever blown (without using hands) currently stands at 20 inches (50.8 centimeters) in diameter.

Blowing Trick Bubbles

1. Make a loud "gunshot" pop. This trick is great if you're trying to scare your friends or just be a nuisance in general! To make a loud pop, start by blowing a bubble as you normally would. Don't inflate it until it pops — this won't make a very loud noise and can leave you with sticky gum all over your face. Instead, pull the bubble into your mouth, raise your tongue to the roof of your mouth, and use a sharp motion to bring your tongue downward (similar to how you'd use your tongue to make a "tsk, tsk" noise). The bubble should pop with a loud "crack", getting you plenty of attention from the people around you.
2. Blow two bubbles side-by-side. When you master one bubble, try two! Chew two pieces of gum, keeping them separate from each other in your mouth. Use one piece of gum to blow a bubble as you normally would, then use your lips to "close" the end of the bubble. Carefully use your lips to move this bubble to the side of your mouth, then move the other piece of chewed gum to the front of your mouth and blow a bubble with this piece. With luck, when you're done, you should have two separate bubbles next to each other.
   • For an extra trick, try joining the bottoms of the bubbles together in your mouth and carefully pulling the joined bubbles out. They should look something like a heart — perfect for Valentine's day, as long as your S.O. is open-minded!
3. Make a bubble around a small object. Put a small, light object in your mouth (like a piece of hard candy, for instance) and keep it separate from the gum as you chew it. As you start to blow your bubble, use your tongue to maneuver the object through the hole in your lips and into the bubble. Close the bubble by bringing your lips together and use your hands to remove it from your mouth. Present your gift to a friend or spectator and watch their reaction!
4. Make a bubble within a bubble. This is the hardest trick of all, but, when pulled off correctly, it's absolutely amazing. Chew two pieces of gum in your mouth, keeping them separate. Begin to blow a bubble with one of the pieces. Get the bubble fairly big — the more space you have to work with, the better. Next, maneuver the second piece of gum in your mouth in front of the hole in your lips and start to to blow. This is very tricky, but if you pull it off correctly, you should see a second bubble growing inside the first one!
   • If, after plenty of practice, you become an expert bubble-blower, try challenging yourself by blowing a third bubble inside the second one. It's very tricky, but possible!

Tips

• Using bubblegum instead of regular gum will make blowing bubbles a little easier.
• Just before you blow up your bubble, make sure the gum is in a position where it won't fall out of your mouth. If it does, you'll just look foolish.
• Using a fruity gum flavor is best for beginners because it won't sting or bother your tongue like peppermint or spearmint types.
• Some types of gum can make bubbles blow real big. But use those after you have practiced.
• Make sure that you keep your lips in a good position.
• Watch yourself in the mirror or make a video of yourself trying. Watch what you do and fix it next time.
• It may seem silly reading an article about gum bubble blowing, but it's really fun!
• Never pop the bubble when it's really  big or you will make a huge mess.
• Hubba Bubba is the best brand for blowing bubbles as it is bigger than regular bubble gum.

Warnings

• Be careful about getting it in your hair. It is quite an enemy to get out.
• Don't give up! Keep on trying!
• Whether you decide to blow bubbles or not, never swallow your gum.
• This takes time, so don't get mad at yourself.

Things You'll Need

• A buddy to practice with (optional)
• Gum

Related Articles

• Blow a Bubble With Gum
• Blow Bubblegum Bubbles Within Bubblegum Bubbles
• Blow Multiple Bubbles With Chewing Gum
• Blow a Bubble with Bubblegum Without It Sticking to Your Lips
• Blow a Big Bubble

Sources and Citations

See also

• Blow a Bubble with Your Hands
• Make a Frozen Bubble
• Make Bubble Solution
• Make a Bubble Snake Maker
• Make a Longer Lasting Bubble Solution
• Make Bubbles
• Ionize Water
• Make Bubble Soap
• Make Soap Bubbles for Your Children