Balloons Help & Advice

The Helium Guide

First, let us walk you through the basics and then we’ll move on to some specialist tips and tricks so that you can make the most out of your helium balloons. This guide takes you through opening your canister to tips for making them last longer.

How to inflate balloons with helium

In order to inflate your balloons at home with helium, you will need a helium canister (which you can find here). You will need to select the correct size or amount of helium canisters, depending on how many balloons you will be inflating. Our handy helium calculator will help you to work out what you need!

How to store helium canisters

Keep your canisters at room temperature in a dry place with plenty of ventilation, until you’re ready to use them. To put it simply, if your helium gets too cold then your balloons won’t stay up for as long - it’s science!

How to open a helium canister

Now you’re ready to blow up your balloons, the first thing you need to do is to get your canister open! Here’s how it’s done:

Locate the valve and nozzle at the top of the canister
Turn the valve anti-clockwise until it doesn’t go any further
Push down on the nozzle, you should hear the helium releasing

How to dispose of a helium canister

Once your canister has run out of helium and you’re finished with it, please take it to your local household waste recycling centre. Most will happily take them off your hands but check with them before you set off.

How to inflate balloons

You can use helium to inflate both foil and latex balloons, however, it’s important to note that each works slightly differently. Below are two helpful 1-minute video guides for each type of balloon, along with a quick explainer.

The Foil Balloon Guide

First, let us walk you through the basics and then we’ll move on to some specialist tips and tricks so that you can make the most out of your helium balloons. This guide takes you through opening your canister to tips for making them last longer.

Watch our step-by-step walkthrough below on how to inflate a foil balloon

How to inflate a foil balloon

Fit the neck of your balloon over the nozzle
Press down on the nozzle to start inflating the balloon
Inflate the balloon until it begins to rise towards you
When it looks like the image below, remove it from the nozzle
Press the neck above the inflation hole to seal it
Add balloon weights or ribbons as required

How long will a foil balloon stay up?

If you’ve followed us with this so far, your foil balloon should stay afloat for around 7 days.

What to do if you don’t have enough helium to inflate your foil balloon?

So, you’re inflating your foil balloons but you’re running out of helium. No problem. Some foil balloons can be inflated with air and helium, meaning you can use your helium canister more sparingly if you have to.

Start by using a hand pump to fill your balloon part of the way with air, keep the neck pinched as you move the balloon over to your helium canister to finish the job!

On our website, you will find a description for all of our balloons that will let you know whether this is possible and also how much helium you will need to use.

Did you know?

You can reuse our high-quality foil balloons multiple times! All you need to do is deflate your balloon, fold it up and store it away until your next celebration, or pass them on to a friend or family member.

Browse our huge range of foil balloons here.

The Latex Balloon Guide

Watch our step-by-step walkthrough below on how to inflate a latex balloon

How to inflate a latex balloon

Carefully stretch the neck of the balloon to fit over the nozzle
Press down on the nozzle to start inflating the balloon
Inflate your balloon until it reaches the required sizeTake the balloon off the nozzle and tie it securely
Add balloon weights and ribbons as required

How long will a latex balloon stay up?

If you’ve followed these instructions so far, your latex balloon will stay afloat for around 5-7 hours! If you would like them to last a bit longer, then let us recommend Hi-Float! Spray the clever liquid into your balloons before inflating them to keep them floating for up to a week. It’s magic