Hey, this time the subject title is spelled correctly!

Anyway, here's a quick question...I've seen conflicting ideas on how to store balloons used for sculpting. Some say freezer or fridge, others say doesn't really matter, just keep them away from heat and light. I understand they are biodegradable, but how do you store your balloons?

I'm playing around today with a bag that've been in a closet for the past 3 years, and had no problems...hence my question.

Hey Vilago,
I just keep mine somewhere cool and dark. I don't think I've kept a bag for over 6 months though. If you go to http://www.balloonhq.com and search the archives you will find several posts from balloon modellers arguing for and against storing balloons in freezers. A conclusion is never reached so it won't help at all though . I suppose to find out if it really helps we'll need a scientist to do some tests but I don't know any balloon animal making scientists

Thanks, magicgeorge!

Hey Vilago (are we still on speaking terms?),

We simply store ours in darkness, without excesses of heat or cold. We usually stock up about every three months with Qualatex. I find the freezer theory an interesting one but don't know about you, wouldn't fancy trying it! We personally electronically blow up balloons and put them in large plastic bags the morning of parties (sometimes up to 4 bags). I have sensed in recent years that some parents are none too keen on kids receiving anything that have been in someone's mouth - obviously a sign of the times? - so we even now force the bubble up into the poodle or mouse tail by hand instead of mouth insertion and sucking. Models like the elephant which are produced during blowing have had to be abandoned.

While a lot of balloonists swear by storing them in a fridge or cooler (when they are working), I simply keep them in boxes in my office.
Some have been stored for up to a year with no harmful effects on the balloons.
So it appears to be a matter of choice, or maybe trial and error.
Unless the fridge thing is yet another urban myth!

Hi,
I do not store mine in the fridge either I have one of those big cool bag things from Tesco they will just take 5,000 baloons nicely I keep the bag unzipped and have never had any hasstles.
When I am working outside in the summer I keep them in a cooller bag with a couple of the cooler packs to keep them cool. this really does reduce pops on a hot day (it keeps my drinks cold too)
Phillip

Mine live in the box they were delivered in on a shelf in my office, A good tip I got from Coz the clown or Cozmic balloons who's my supplier is, :- if you've got a bag that you've had for a long time, put the bag in the tumble drier for a minute or so before you use them. aparently this revitalises the balloons.

I've never tested the theory though.

Thanks for all the suggestions...Tony of Ace Parties brings up another question...are you finding parents to be wary of balloons that are blown up by mouth? Peter, I know you do this, have you seen any problems?

HI,
I blow up about 20 -30 thousand a year by mouth and I have never had any complaints or adverse comments /reaction.
Phillip

30 thousand a year Philip!! That's, er, er, (be with you in a minute) - over 80 a day! Is this not having an adverse affect on your lungs or blood pressure? Re: freezer theory. Would this not make the balloons soaking wet inside?

Hi,
30,000 is tops and I tend to find that a lot of them are blown up through the summer working outside. I have never had any problem doing 100+ an hour for hours on end it is not unusual at a large event to do 500 - 1,000 a day or maybe more if its one of these 10 in the morning to 10 at night events. just make sure you have a lot of drinks most of the problems people have are due to dehydration.When you blow you exhale moistor and a lot of people forget that and wind up with a severe neck or headache.
I do carry a pump but never used it yet.
Phillip

I've never had any complaints etc from parents about manually inflated balloons. I always blow them up by mouth during a show, if I'm just balloon modelling and i'm doing loads I use a pump. I found a website once that said if you inflate 100 balloons by mouth you take in 3 times your daily reccomended dose of chalk. until that time I didn't klnow we had a daily reccomended dose.
It also raises your blood pressure so don't blow too many too fast.

I'm the same as Emazdad, I use my mouth duing a show, but use a pump if I'm balloon modeling all day. i used to get head ache's if I blew them up all day.

Phillip you are a superman!
I always use a pump. I hate that chalky taste in my mouth, plus I get dizzy pretty quickly.

Villago,
I've been doing this for many years and have never had a single complaint or even a single person concerned (touch wood!) about blowing up balloons by mouth.
I feel that a pump -- manual or electric -- is just one more thing to have to haul around.
Besides, it's a good selling point: the kids see me blowing up balloons by mouth and they say things like, "Ask for another balloon; I think the old guy's ready to croak!"

Aceparties, blowing up balloons should have no effect on your lungs or blood pressure (certainly none on the blood pressure, according to my doctor -- and I hope she knows what she's talking about!).
It's roughly the equivalent of a saxophone player; for a few hours afterwards, you may have very minute air bubbles in the blood, from the back-pressure; but they dissipate rapidly.
The most balloons I've ever done at a stretch was for a Barney promotion; I made purple Barney balloon dinosaur hats, two balloons each, for a weekend. I did about 600 balloons a day, all by mouth.
And, yes, my cheeks were very sore the second day!

Hi,
my doctor told me similar things to Peter no real side effects (there all just urban myth) and it's good for your lung capacity/ breathing
Phillip

Yes, I agree about musicians. Remember Dizzie Gillespie? He not only played trumpet (of varying types) but also dramatically changed the shape of his face in doing so. When I first started with balloons about 1980 I was in fact allergic to them and had a batch tested from Supreme Magic by the health and safety people at Southport, UK, where I was working on a summer season. They did not find any toxic substance. However, it is since then we used initially a foot pump, and recent years a 12 volt electric pump on balloons (done at home prior to leaving). Earlier this year I went to the doc's with a leg injury through cycling too fast and too far! and was discovered to have high blood pressure! Now there's nothing wrong with my heart, but apparently this is a silent killer that can start from around age 30 or even younger and gradually can lead to strokes and heart disease. I am now grateful of the leg injury and take one tiny tablet every day which wow! has really brought it down! However much we enjoy our work we can all get a bit stressed at times, and if blowing balloons gives a headache or dizziness I think this a telltale sign. These battery powered monitors (the ones that wrap around your upper arm are very accurate I have been told). Thank you for visiting 'Doctor' Tony's column at the Magic Café (next week's subject: dealing with piles for unicyclists!)

HI,
I think personaly the chalk is more of a problem when infalting balloons.

I can pop a 260 in one breath. I always make sure that when I breath in I have no lip contact with the balloon to minimise the chalk intake. also if I do miss Judge the air I will remove the balloon for the in breath before blowing further. when doing a lot of balloons I also carry hand lotion and lip balm which I apply during any breaks I might get as the chalk drys the skin terribly leaving cracked lips and skin of you fingers (it does with me anyway)
Phillip

I wish I could remember the site where I got the health info. it was a site dedicated to balloon modelling and the information was in a special section on health. Basically as Aceparties said the tell tale signs of high blood pressure are headaches and dizziness. I use to get dizzy etc after 20-30 balloons now I can do a lot more. If you take your time making the balloon model and give yourself as much rest as possible betwwen inflations it does help. Whatever the conflicting ideas on this are, whether it's true or not, I feel it's best to air on the side of caution and not take any chances. That's why when I'm doing a lot of modelling I use an electric pump. Mine is built into a trolley that also holds my spare balloons etc and I can pull it along behind me when I'm on the move.

Hi,
Regardless of what you read on any of the balloon websites regarding balloon inflation they are pobably not Doctors. I sugest that if you have any doubts speak to your GP as Peter and I have done.
Pillip