Five Ways to Make Your Helium Balloons Last Longer

As a quintessentially whimsical and fun symbol of any celebration, balloons have always had a special place in our hearts, no matter what the occasion. If you have recently commemorated a store opening, birthday, anniversary, or any other joyous event and you want your floating keepsakes to last as long as possible, we are here to help. Though all helium balloons will eventually deflate and fall to the ground, you can extend their life expectancy with a few simple tricks.

1. Pet Precautions: If you live with pets, store your balloons in a room that they cannot access. When your puppy pals and feline friends are left to their own devices, they will have a ball playing with the strings and potentially puncturing the balloon itself. This is also a good idea for your furry friends’ safety too, since they could get caught in the strings or the popped balloon.

2. Avoid Sunlight: Heat and sunlight act like kryptonite to balloons. By storing your balloons in a cold or cool place, it can do wonders for making them last much longer than they would otherwise. For foil balloons, try to maintain a consistent temperature so that they won’t be shocked and damaged by the fluctuations.

Deflated Balloons

3. Smart Storage: If you are planning back-to-back events and want your balloons to last, you can take the time to cover them in clear, large plastic bags. Or, you can purchase any number of our very large custom made Ballooney BagZ that have been specially made with vent holes for keeping your balloons cool and comfortable. Either way, just make sure your bag fits easily over the balloons but not so tight that the balloons can pop. Once the bags are placed on the balloons, twist and close the bag using a ribbon or just tie a knot yourself.

4. Hi-Float®: If you have ordered our latex balloons and need them to float for a long period of time, we can do that! We would inject Hi-Float® into each latex balloon. Hi-Float® is a non-toxic and very safe chemical that has a specific formulation to extend the floating time of your balloons. Since this chemical compound needs time to dry in order for it to work properly, you should not place it in a bag like you would with a foil balloon, since that can slow down the process and in fact decrease its floating time instead.

5. Heat Sensitivity: If you are throwing an all-day outdoor party or weekend event, you will want to take extra precautions to preserve your balloons. Helium molecules expand when exposed to heat, and this continual increase of heat and pressure from the molecules moving about may lead to noisy and disruptive balloon popping. You may be tempted to throw some water on them to cool them off, but that can actually cause them to stick together and pop as well. Instead, stick with light colored balloons since they won’t heat up as fast as their dark counterparts would. Also, bring them indoors at the end of the day so they are not left out all night. As the temperature drops, the balloons will shrink and when they become enlarged the next morning it may lead to popping. One very important distinction to keep in mind when reading these tips is the difference between latex and foil balloon floating times. A standard 11” helium filled latex balloon will stay afloat for around 16-18 hours but will come down quite a bit quicker if left outside in the heat. Foil balloons, on the other hand, may stay floating for weeks but will have a violent reaction to a sudden temperature change (both hot and cold).

If you would like to learn more about preserving your balloons and enjoying them for as long as possible, the staff at Life O’ The Party is here to help you. Contact us today to get all the answers you are looking for!