Bubble solutions for children can contain unwanted chemicals
Soap Bubbles can contain perfume and allergenic preservatives. This is shown by our check of 31 bubble solutions.
Bubbles can come into close contact with the skin when you or your child blow or touch them and pop the bubbles. Therefore, it is a good idea to pay attention to the chemical content of the bubble liquid.
But it is not always easy to see on bubble solutions if they contain allergenic substances. On chemical toys like bubble liquids, you often cannot see on the packaging what substances are in them.
The Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals has checked ingredient lists and asked the companies behind 31 soap bubbles for children what the liquid contain.
15 bubble solutions contain unwanted chemicals
About half of the soap bubble solutions in our check contain perfume or allergenic preservatives. 14 bubble solutions contain allergenic substances, and one product contains methylparaben, which is a suspected endocrine disrupter.
All these products receive the lowest chemical rating, the C-rating.
Only two of these bubble solutions have the chemicals listed on the product. For the other 13 products, we asked the company behind them for the information.
In addition to perfume, which is often listed as Parfum on the ingredient lists, we found the allergenic preservatives Dmdm hydantoin, Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, and 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol. In one product, we found methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone.
All the allergenic substances, except for perfume, are preservatives added to chemical solutions to extend their shelf life.
Children are particularly vulnerable to allergenic substances, so it is a good idea to avoid toys with perfume or other allergenic substances.
In our chemical tests of toys, we almost always find alternatives without unwanted chemicals.
Two soap bubble solutions without unwanted chemicals
If you are looking for bubble liquids for your child, a wedding, or something else festive, you can find bubble solutions that are free of allergenic, suspected endocrine-disrupting, or environmentally harmful substances.
In the test, we find two bubble solutions on the Danish market that receive the best rating, the A-rating, and are without unwanted chemicals. They are:
- Bubble wand (Kvickly)
- Sonett Bio Bubbles (Helsam)
Both products also have a full declaration of all substances on the packaging, making it easy for you to see what they contain.
Difficult to get information about ingredients in bubble solutions
It has been difficult to get information about the content of several bubble solutions. There is no legal requirement for a full declaration of ingredients in chemical toys like bubble solutions.
For 14 out of 31 bubble solutions, it has not been possible to get information about the ingredients from the companies behind the products.
"We believe that companies should be transparent about ingredients so that consumers can make an informed choice, even though it is not a legal requirement. Therefore, these bubble solutions without information on ingredients receive the lowest chemical rating, the C-rating," says project manager at The Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals, Stine Müller.
Five tips
- Choose soap bubble solutions without unwanted chemicals such as perfume, allergenic preservatives, or endocrine-disrupting substances.
- Buy bubble solutions with an ingredient declaration. This makes it easier to check for unwanted substances.
- Ask the retailer about the content. They should know if the product contains perfume or other problematic chemicals.
- Be cautious when making homemade bubble solutions. Not all ingredients are intended for skin contact by children.
- Wash the bubble solution off your hands when playtime is over.
About the test
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We bought 31 bubble solutions in stores or on webshops.
This is a declaration test where we check ingredient lists for unwanted chemicals.
Bubble solutions are not subject to declaration requirements. This means the product is not required to have a full ingredient list on the packaging. Therefore, you can rarely see what chemicals the bubble solutions contain.
We found the ingredients in the products either on the packaging, on the companies' websites, or by contacting the companies behind the products and requesting the declaration.
We then reviewed the ingredients for chemicals that may be allergenic, environmentally harmful, endocrine-disrupting, etc.
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2 soap bubbles received the best chemical rating, the A-rating. They are free from a range of undesirable chemicals.
15 soap bubbles received the lowest chemical rating, the C-rating. They contain allergenic or potentially endocrine-disrupting preservatives or perfumes.
For 14 soap bubbles, we could not obtain information about the ingredients. Companies should be transparent about ingredients so that consumers can make an informed choice. Therefore, these soap bubbles received the lowest chemical rating, the C-rating.
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In the test, 14 bubble solutions contain allergenic preservatives or perfume.
Allergenic substances in the bubble solutions:
- Dmdm hydantoin
- Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate
- 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol
- Parfum
- Methylisothiazolinone and
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Dmdm hydantoin is a formaldehyde-releasing preservative that is allergenic. The substance is found in seven bubble solutions.
Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate is an allergenic preservative that can also be problematic for the environment. The substance is found in six products.
2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol is a formaldehyde-releasing preservative that is allergenic and is found in one product.
Perfume can cause perfume allergies and is found in one product. The Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals recommends that products for children be free of perfume. Therefore, for example, chemical toys for children with perfume receive the lowest rating, the C-rating.
Methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone are allergenic preservatives that can also be problematic for the environment. The substances are found in one product.
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In the test, one product contains the suspected endocrine-disrupting preservative methylparaben.
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When you buy soap bubbles, there is rarely a full ingredient list on the product.
A full declaration of ingredients is not a legal requirement for chemical toys like bubble solutions. Therefore, you cannot find bubble solutions in our app Kemiluppen.
Some companies still list the ingredients on the product.
Four bubble solutions in our check have a full ingredient list on the product, and some of the other bubble solutions have a partial but not complete ingredient list. Full ingredient list gives you the best opportunity to make an informed choice when buying toys for children. The four bubble solutions with a full ingredient list are:
- Disney Princess Bubbles (Kvickly)
- Sonett Bio Bubbles (Helsam)
- Soap Bubbles (Bog & Ide/legekæden)
- Bubble wand (Kvickly)
We were unable to get information about the content for 14 bubble solutions from the companies behind the products. Transparency is important for consumers to make informed choices. Therefore, we give these bubble solutions the lowest rating, the C-rating, as we have no way of knowing what is in them.