Balloons are an addition to any event: birthday, wedding, first or last bell at school. Such cheerful and airy items will add more positive emotions to any festive setting. Plus, you can decorate a room with balloons and even make compositions.
But the most important feature is that they can float in the air. But, unfortunately, not all products can rise into the air, but only those filled with helium. In order to get this option, there are several ways: the first is to order from specialists, the second is to buy all the ingredients and do everything yourself. If you are inclined to the second option, then read our article: gas for balls at home - how to use it correctly.
What do they inflate and fill balloons with to make them fly?
If you inflate a balloon with your mouth, you will get a fun toy, great decor, but it will not fly like the balloons in the cartoon Up! In order for a balloon to fly, it must be filled with gas, which is several times lighter than air. Thus, according to the laws of physics, the air will push out the gas, and accordingly the ball will fly higher and higher, as long as the string holding it allows it.
What do they inflate and fill balloons with to make them fly?
Methods for fixing the base of a balloon
Already inflated balloons can be tied with thread, or at the base of the balloon its tip, through which it was inflated, can be tied with a knot. You should not tie it too tightly - if there is less air, the balloon can be untied and inflated again.
For balls, special plastic sticks with a unique fastening are now sold in order to wrap the tip around this fastening, blocking the air, hold it in your hand, put it in a vase, or attach it to something.
At home, it is most convenient and safe to inflate balloons with a special pump. If you don’t have one, you can use a bicycle compressor.
It’s good if no moisture or warm air gets into the ball. A dry ball with air at ambient temperature is more durable.
Therefore, the method of inflating balloons the old fashioned way - with your lips, of course, is quite fast (if there are only a few balloons) - you do not need to look for tools, but it is not very hygienic.
In addition, warm air and condensation negatively affect the walls of the balloon. Perhaps in our time we should find a more civilized way of inflating balloons. Moreover, different attachments for pumps and compressors are sold for inflating balls, swimming pools, etc.
How to inflate balloons with helium at home: methods
So, we know two types of filling balloons - one, with a regular pump or mouth, then the balls are light, but at the same time they are still drawn “to the ground”. These balls are good for decorating flat surfaces, as well as floors in photo zones.
The second filling method can be called “flying balloons”, since balloons are filled with gases that are lighter than air and therefore they rapidly rise up.
In the second method, there are two directions to inflate the balloon. The first one is more expensive, but the ball will please you for 2-3 weeks. This is a portable gas cylinder with liquid, which, penetrating into the balloon along with helium, forms a dense film inside the balloon and prevents gases from escaping through the latex. The second method is more economical, but it is worth noting that balloons inflated with soda and vinegar last only 12-14 hours.
Hydrogen balloons
You can make a flying balloon filled with hydrogen at home, but remember that such balloons are explosive and should only be inflated and released in an open space.
Like helium ones, they cannot be stored at home. Overheating, unexpected refraction of sunlight, fire, cooking stove - all this can cause a hydrogen explosion.
Hydrogen can be produced by mixing aluminum foil; ordinary unheated water; sodium hydroxide (contained in drain cleaners: “Mr. Muscle”, others. You need to read what substances are in the composition).
Just out of curiosity, you can try to extract hydrogen and inflate the balloon, but many will probably agree that there is no point in using such balloons, creating even the slightest danger for the holiday.
How to inflate balloons using a helium balloon?
To work, you will need durable balloons and a portable tank with helium and liquid.
We put a ball on the balloon tube so that its edges are pressed tightly and sealed. We hold the balloon during operation so that it does not fly off and the helium is not wasted.
How to inflate balloons using a helium balloon?
We unscrew the valve and the ball begins to be filled through the tube. Please note that the process occurs quickly, and accordingly it is better to keep the valve open for no more than 3-4 seconds. It’s better to open the valve for a few seconds to add more, rather than overfill the balloon and cause it to burst.
Having closed the balloon, carefully remove the ball and immediately tie it; if you doubt the strength of the knot, you can make two.
All that remains is to tie the ribbon and decorate the room!
Where can I get helium for balloons?
So, after you have learned how to fill balloons with helium yourself, you are probably already looking for a site where you can buy caustic soda or a gas cylinder. But think about it, is the party worth all the hassle?
It is much easier to purchase ready-made air compositions from specialized companies, where you can order excellent helium latex and foil balloons of any colors, shapes and sizes.
Balloons are a wonderful decoration that will make your holiday truly bright, cheerful and unforgettable, rest assured!
Based on materials from Mechtalion.ru.
Rules for inflating balloons with a pump
It seems easy to inflate balloons with your mouth, but when there are a lot of them, it’s a whole test for a person. So take a regular bicycle pump and put on a ball adapter, or a special ball pump.
Rules for inflating balloons with a pump
Now we put the ball on the tip of the pump and hold it so that the ball does not fly off, we will re-inflate it. After the balloon is inflated to the required size, carefully remove it and tie it in a knot. Ready!
Paper balls
Balls are very different. There are a lot of interesting videos on how to make a ball. Beautiful round-shaped products can be created from different materials.
How to make a paper ball? There are a lot of techniques. For example: cut a lot of circles out of colored paper. Their edges need to be bent so that a triangle is formed inside.
Glue the sides of the triangles together to create two hats. Then - a strip running down the center of the ball. To do this, we glue the sides of the circles so that the triangles are located in one direction, either with the top or the base - alternating.
Next we glue the two caps and the middle. It turns out to be a charming ball that can be used to decorate a Christmas tree or place it somewhere as a souvenir.
How to easily and quickly inflate a thin balloon with your mouth?
It would seem that it could be easier than inflating a balloon with your mouth. If you think it's easy, then you've never inflated 100 balloons in an hour! Especially if these are high-quality, dense balls.
How to easily and quickly inflate a thin balloon with your mouth?
So, in order to simply and quickly inflate balloons with your mouth, you need to:
- Knead the ball: stretch it in different directions, but so as not to tear and there are no cracks;
- Now we take the ball and pinch it with our thumb and forefinger so that the tail is on one side and the hole on the other;
- We bring the ball to our lips and, as if we were kissing, pressing it to our lips;
- We take a big breath in through our nose and exhale through our mouth, and so on until the ball is completely inflated;
- Tired and need a break? Pinch your thumb and index finger together and take a breather. Have you rested? Bring it to your lips and continue to blow;
- At the end, just press with two fingers and tie the ball.
What to do with helium after receiving
Most likely, you needed helium to inflate holiday balloons. Let's say that you managed to get helium. Now you need to decide how to properly inflate the balloons. This is quite simple, we hasten to assure you, for this you need to put the ball on the small hole of the nozzle and slowly open the valve with which the cylinder is equipped. After which the balloon will be filled with helium, and you can also smoothly close the valve.
Expect homemade helium to be no worse
In order to save time and not inflate each balloon separately, you can use a sizer. This is a fairly simple device that will help you easily adjust the size of the balls. To make it easier for you to understand, this is a simple sheet of cardboard or a material such as plastic, in which you need to cut a hole that will correspond to the dimensions of the ball.
The process of fitting the balls is as follows. The ball must be inflated and inserted into the hole that belongs to the sizer. In this simple way you can understand whether it is worth increasing the volume of the ball or not. Everything is quite simple. You can use a helium substitute to make balloons; you can film the creation video yourself.
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How and what to inflate balloons without helium to make it fly?
Do you have a goal to make the ball fly, but don’t have the budget to buy a balloon? We suggest doing without it and inflating it with hydrogen.
Required:
- A small flask or container of this type;
- Measuring spoon;
- Alkali - caustic soda or sodium hydroxide;
- Heated water;
- Foil.
Fill the flask halfway with warm water, tear the foil into small pieces and place it in the water. Add 3 heaped teaspoons of lye and quickly pull the ball itself onto the neck.
How and what to inflate balloons without helium to make it fly?
We begin to shake the flask so that the lye begins to interact with the foil, while holding the edge of the ball so that it does not fly off.
As soon as the foil dissolves in the liquid and the balloon is completely inflated, you must immediately remove the balloon from the neck and tie it in a knot, otherwise it will immediately begin to deflate.
Let us immediately note that this method is good for preparing a small number of balls, since the process is very long.
Domestic fireflies
Completely unusual glowing balls can be obtained by inserting mini-LEDs inside each ball before filling them with helium or gas. Powered by small batteries, they can be pleasing to the eye as long as they fly near the ceiling. Most often, luminous elements from keychains, small flashlights, pens or other similar toys are used for this. After the balloons are deflated, the flashlights are removed and the batteries are disconnected. These elements can be used repeatedly in preparation for another holiday or party. The result is a completely unusual effect of fireflies flying under the ceiling.
How to inflate a balloon using a bottle, soda and vinegar?
And this method is so simple and accessible that even a child can handle it. In addition, the ingredients can be found in any kitchen.
Required:
- 9% vinegar, sold in the nearest supermarket, and which is used for canning;
- Baking soda, which is purchased for baking;
- Plastic bottle with a capacity of 2 l;
- Spoon.
So, first, pour a liter of vinegar (half the container) into the bottle and prepare a ball. It is best if the work process is done with four hands. One pours a tablespoon of soda, and the second immediately pulls the ball. As in the previous methods, be sure to hold the tip of the ball.
How to inflate a balloon using a bottle, soda and vinegar?
As soon as it stops swelling, immediately remove it and tie it.
DIY helium balloons: what you need
You probably have vinegar and soda in your kitchen, and even more so, you have a bottle and a glass. Among the kitchen utensils you can find a funnel, and in the refrigerator on one of the shelves there will most likely be a lemon; if not, buy everything that is missing. In addition, you will need electrical tape. It is advisable that it is not too wide or too narrow. One of the main ingredients is water. To get the balloons themselves, you will still have to leave the house and visit the store.
So, to make helium balloons, which will soon become a source of good mood for your loved ones, you need to have the following ingredients: - baking soda - 5 tablespoons; - juice of half a lemon; - vinegar - 3 tablespoons; - Balloons; - electrical tape; - 1 glass of water; — 1 small bottle; - 1 funnel.
How to inflate a balloon in a balloon?
In order to inflate a balloon in a balloon, you need to stretch the large balloon in different directions and carefully work out the neck.
Now we place a small ball inside so that the tail looks out from the large ball.
How to inflate a balloon in a balloon?
Inflate a small balloon, tie it and stuff it completely into the large balloon. We also repeat with the remaining 2-3 balls. Now take a large ball and inflate it. As the balls inflate, they will end up in free space and float there.
Braid
To tie inflated balloons, use a narrow decorative polypropylene ribbon (5 mm wide), which is sold in rolls of 250 m (metalized) and 500 m (regular). For adult parties, the standard end of the ribbon is 1.5 m long. for children's parties, use longer ends of the braid, 2 - 2.5 m long (depending on the height of the ceilings). In any case, if you use a 10 liter balloon, one spool of tape will be enough for all the balls. The braid is cut with ordinary scissors as the balloons are inflated.
How to inflate a balloon if it doesn’t inflate: tips
Sometimes, especially when you have a large package of balloons in your hands and there is no time or money to run to the store for new balloons, they stubbornly do not inflate. There are several tips that will help you inflate any balloon.
A container of warm water - add the balls and let them sit for a few minutes. (warm, but not hot!)
Now gently stretch them in different directions with your hands and place them on a towel so that all the moisture from their surface is absorbed.
We inflate, fighting against resistance (the first 1-3 exhalations), then the ball will begin to inflate much easier.
If a child wants to inflate, but he can’t do it, inflate and deflate the balloon and only after that give it to the child. Thus, the child will easily overcome the resistance in the pre-stretched ball.
