Mr. Bubble foam soap is not toxic. Poison control classifies most bubble bath soaps, including Mr. Bubble, as nonpoisonous. If a child swallows a small amount during bath time, the standard advice is to offer water or milk and watch for any discomfort. That said, “not toxic” doesn’t mean the product is free of ingredients worth understanding, especially if your child has sensitive skin or you’re choosing between formulations.
What’s Actually in Mr. Bubble Foam Soap
The Original Bubble foam soap (2020 formulation) has a surprisingly short ingredient list: water, butane, stearic acid, propane, triethanolamine, fragrance, lanolin, and a violet dye. The butane and propane are aerosol propellants that create the foam. Stearic acid is a fatty acid that acts as the cleanser. Triethanolamine adjusts the pH and helps ingredients blend. Lanolin, derived from sheep’s wool, softens skin.
Other Mr. Bubble products, like the Doodle Foam Soap or the liquid bubble bath, use different formulas. Many contain sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), a common foaming surfactant, along with preservatives like phenoxyethanol. The foam soap’s aerosol format lets it skip some of the heavier detergents found in the liquid versions.
EWG Safety Ratings
The Environmental Working Group rates Mr. Bubble Bubble Bath Original as a 4 out of 10 on its hazard scale, which falls in the “moderate hazard” category. Most individual ingredients score low (1 or 2 out of 10). The two ingredients that pull the score up are fragrance, which scores an 8, and the red dye (D&C Red No. 33), which scores a 5.
Fragrance consistently scores high in EWG’s database because it’s an umbrella term. Manufacturers aren’t required to disclose the specific chemicals that make up a fragrance blend, so it’s impossible to evaluate them individually. This is where concerns about undisclosed phthalates or allergens come from. Mr. Bubble does sell a “Dye & Paraben Free” version that still contains fragrance, and a fragrance-free version for families who want to avoid it entirely.
Skin and Urinary Tract Irritation
The more practical concern with Mr. Bubble isn’t toxicity but irritation, particularly for young children. The FDA requires a warning label on all foaming bath products: “Excessive use or prolonged exposure may cause irritation to skin and urinary tract.” This applies to every brand of bubble bath, not just Mr. Bubble.
A review published in Archives of Disease in Childhood found that bubble bath products are indeed irritants to children’s urinary tracts, and that products with more surfactants tend to be more irritating. The common worry is that bubble baths cause urinary tract infections, but the evidence doesn’t clearly support that. What the research does suggest is that bubble baths can cause vulvar or genital irritation that mimics UTI symptoms: burning, redness, and discomfort during urination. Limiting soak time and rinsing with clean water afterward reduces the risk.
Children with eczema or very sensitive skin may also react to the fragrance or dye. If you notice redness, itching, or a rash after bath time, switching to the fragrance-free or dye-free formulation is a reasonable first step.
What to Do if a Child Swallows It
Small amounts swallowed during bath time are generally harmless. If your child drinks a larger quantity, give them water or milk right away. Do not try to make them vomit. If they’re having trouble swallowing, seem unusually drowsy, or are vomiting on their own, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. Have the product container nearby so you can read off the ingredients and estimate how much was swallowed.
Choosing Between Mr. Bubble Formulations
Mr. Bubble sells several versions with meaningfully different ingredient profiles:
- Original Foam Soap (aerosol can): No SLES, no parabens, contains lanolin, fragrance, and violet dye. Shortest ingredient list of the lineup.
- Doodle Foam Soap: Contains SLES, phenoxyethanol as a preservative, and synthetic dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5). Free of parabens and the more problematic preservatives like methylisothiazolinone.
- Dye & Paraben Free Bubble Bath: Contains SLES and fragrance but no dyes or parabens. Uses phenoxyethanol and sodium benzoate as preservatives.
- Extra Gentle Fragrance Free: Drops both fragrance and dyes. The closest option to a minimal-irritation formula.
If your child has no sensitivities, any version is fine for normal use. For kids prone to skin reactions or genital irritation, the fragrance-free option eliminates the highest-scoring ingredient on the EWG scale and removes the most common source of contact allergens in bath products.