Sugars and Bubbles

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boyago

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I haven't seen it any of my books but I have read hear about adding sugar to increase bubbles. Can anybody explain what makes this work? Does the source of the sugar matter? ie honey, maple, milk or what have you? I am curious since I am putting together shampoo bars for mini me and she likes the bubbles.
 
I can't explain why but I do know that the items listed can cause your soap to overheat if used in high amounts. If you do use in high amounts, it is suggested to not insulate the soap and put it in the freezer or fridge if possible. Hopefully someone can come along and tell us why sugar helps with bubbles :)


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Sugars help make the bubbles tougher so they last longer. It doesn't so much make more bubbles, just adds more stability so there is more lather.

Could you explain this further? I know why sugar was first added to soap and I know it was found to increase lather but I have never heard that it makes bubbles tougher and would like to know where this info came from so I can add it to my research. TYIA
 
Not very scientific but it does explain better then I can. www.ecsd.us/pre/Science/PDF/Science Fair Report.pdf

From the above link;
How water makes bubbles. Under the surface of water, the water molecules are attracted to each other because the two hydrogen atoms of each water molecule are attracted to the one oxygen atom of each nearby water molecule. Where water meets air, the water molecules are only pulled in one direction: back toward the liquid. This makes water have a stretchy skin that is called surface tension. This skin of water can be stretched around air just like a balloon.
Some substances can help bubbles last longer. Soap reduces surface tension which helps the bubble stay formed instead of being pulled back into a puddle of liquid. Hygroscopic substances, like glycerin and sugar, reduce evaporation and hold in water which helps a bubble stay formed.
 
Well, could you then make the same argument for adding glycerin rather than sugar???? Wondering myself....
 
I add sugar to each batch I make, and I must say the lather is very stable! :)
 
Some people do use glycerin instead of sugar. I tried it in my last batch but I used too much and it made my bars sticky. I had to rebatch and add in a couple tallow bars to de-sticky-fy it.
 
I've been adding sugar to every batch almost since I started soaping, so I'm not really sure if it makes a difference for me. But it's what I do, and I like my soap, so I'll keep doing it!

Actually, I had a problem once when I added the sugar after the lye water had cooled down, and the sugar clumped up. So now I make a simple syrup, about a quart at a time, and add about 1 TB PPO to my lye water.
 
Like Dennis, I add the sugar to my water and stir until its dissolved then add my lye. I once added the sugar after adding the lye and I got that same clumpy mess.
 
Could you explain this further? I know why sugar was first added to soap and I know it was found to increase lather but I have never heard that it makes bubbles tougher and would like to know where this info came from so I can add it to my research. TYIA
Know how sugar makes syrups? That's how it's working. It makes a solution of it in water more viscous, meaning more resistant to flow. Therefore it makes the liquid of a bubble take longer to drain down.

One of the common ways to measure the stability of a watery foam is its drainage time. A quantity of foam is laid into a container from which liquid can drain freely from the bottom. The slower liquid drains from it, the more stable the foam. The longer the water stays in a bubble, the longer it takes to pop.
 
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