Zubbles, our long-ago prophesied soap bubbles with magically vanishing color have finally hit the market—and they’re awesome
By Mike Haney Posted 06.25.2009 at 2:59 pm 24 Comments

Zubbles:  John Mahoney
The problem with working for a magazine about the future is that things don’t always—in fact, rarely—happen as you say they’re going to, and readers let you know. The call I’ve been getting harassed about for almost four years now: colored bubbles that don't leave stains.

In 2005 I wrote a profile of an old friend, Tim Kehoe, a toy inventor who’d spent 10 years trying to solve what should be an easy problem: How do you make colored soap bubbles that don’t stain whatever they break on? If you’re thinking, “Oh that’s easy, just do X,” you’re wrong. Tim tried X. Didn’t work. In fact, it blew up the kitchen and permanently colored the dog.

But as of today, you can buy his colored bubbles, called Zubbles, at zubbles.com and through his iPhone app. And even if you’re not a bubble man, these things will blow your mind. Thanks to some seriously novel chemistry, the stain they appear to leave when they break vanishes in seconds. If only he could make pizza sauce do the same thing.

Zubbles On My White Linen Shirt: It was clean 15 minutes later, after the dyes had fully evaporated  John Mahoney

Here's a video of Mahoney and I blowing colored bubbles in the office. Read Tim’s account for the last four years of trying to bring his life’s work to market on the next page.


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24 Comments

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danolson1
06/26/09 at 3:32 pm

I too have been waiting for years for the bubbles to finally make it to market. Congratulations Tim, and thanks for keeping at it!

-Dan

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whitesites
07/01/09 at 3:09 am

Awesome. Next wedding I go to I am going to pass these bubbles out to all the kids and then watch as the bride and parents freak out when they think they have a stain in that $1500 wedding dress and rental tux.

http://prosportnutrition.net/?a=633808700294218750

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drew2413
07/04/09 at 8:14 pm

Well, I think that we have just witnessed a remarkable milestone in the history of the United States. I feel so content.
-Drew

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suzyjenkins
07/08/09 at 7:44 pm

This rocks. I remember stuff like this in the 90's. It was supposed to disappear, but lots of times it didn't. I never tried them, but I heard horror stories.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/suzyjenkins

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helmet5
07/09/09 at 11:23 am

awsome i want some

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jacob sperry
07/10/09 at 1:30 pm

so wy that coloer ?

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ultimatenerd22
07/10/09 at 5:29 pm

that is really cool,only if they had those when i was a child.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHTQMWLn2m0

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zemane
07/11/09 at 10:06 pm

Way to go Tim!

Congrats on your invention, I can't wait to blow a color bubble myself and I am 51!

My 12-year old son will certainly love it, but may be mom won't like the stain until it goes out. But I have that planned out, I'll tell her I'll do some "magic" and in a few minutes the stain is gone! If I survive those minutes then I will be her hero!

Thank you, thank you, and good luck!

--Ernst B
www.LinkedIn.com/in/ernstbreternitz

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gammaraylaser59
07/18/09 at 8:49 am

finally you can blow bubbles indoors!

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dwatts1
07/28/09 at 2:53 pm

I was just thinking about this again a couple of weeks ago! Great work Tim! Way to get through it

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peanut_butt
07/28/09 at 7:03 pm

WOW! this is most definitely something i'll buy.

the days of clear bubbles will be GONE!

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researchone23
08/04/09 at 7:41 am

Soapy invisable ink. Did you drink some yet? Wonder what will happen if the bubble breaks in your childs eye? Are the Glow in the dark and Black light ones next?

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mouses
12/03/09 at 1:51 am

This color is very beautiful, I like this.
Thanks.
www.beereg.com

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ripper23tw
12/20/09 at 3:29 am

Wow...nice

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antfarm31
12/29/09 at 12:57 am

It took almost 5 years to develop but this is one heck of a great gag. I hope the the stain really disappears, if so this is a definite buy for my son.

tungsten rings

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malegroomingtips
12/30/09 at 3:18 pm

cool! I used to love bubbles when I was a kid!
www.squidoo.com/male-grooming-advice

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Phili
01/02/10 at 1:21 pm

This is a fantastic cool product, thank you so much for developig it! I was always look for innovative stuff for parties. Your color bubble is very vivid and visual and now it is also harmless. best of the best.
www.trip4you.co.il

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Xsecror
01/10/10 at 9:04 pm

Thank you very much for the information, those bubbles look great on color!

www.forexrobotmarketing.com
www.vippianolessons.com

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streek21
02/01/10 at 11:35 pm

I do love color bubbles & found this new one only through your article,thanks a lot.

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fmjobs
02/25/10 at 4:20 pm

Man these bubbles look freaken cool as they think of everything these days dont they?!I do think that im a bit old for bubbles though!

www.myfacilitiesmanagementjobs.co.uk
www.myfacilitiesmanagementjobs.co.uk


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