How to Make Helium Balloons Last Longer

Balloons can make all the difference to the decoration at a party, whether they are for kids or adults, but it's frustrating and upsetting when the balloons go down before they're meant to.

Here are a few tips that can help you get some extra life out of your balloons.

1. Are they for today?

If they are, great, get them as close to the time of the party as is convenient or practical. If not, if they are for the next day, get them as late as possible the afternoon before. The later they are done, the longer they will last.

1. Keep them in their bags.

Helium particles can escape through the wall of a latex balloon, as it is porous, by keeping them in their bags, you are giving the helium the chance to re enter the balloon and not just disappear into the air (I work in a balloon shop, trust me it works!)

1. Flight extender

Ask the person doing your balloons if they will be using a flight extender, this clear gel coats the inside of the balloon and slows down the process of the helium escaping through the walls of the balloon. Most flight extenders will increase the life of your balloons from anything from 10 to 25 times the normal life.

4.Not too hot, not too cold.

A big mistake many people make is to leave their balloons in the car until they need them, whether it is winter or summer, this is a bad idea, in winter the balloons will get too cold, and brittle, and they will shrink, and in the summer, the helium particles will expand and burst the balloon. Try to keep them at a normal room temperature.

1. Consider foil balloons.

Though they are slightly more expensive, foil balloons will last a great deal longer than latex, as long as you follow rule number 4!