Tips for Deflating Mylar Balloons and Extending Their Float Time

Learn how to properly deflate Mylar balloons and keep mylar and latex helium-inflated balloons floating for longer. Follow these simple tips and enjoy extended balloon fun!

Balloon bouquets are a great and unique way to send a message. They are great for birthdays or as get-well gifts. They provide special colors and fun to your occasions.

Did you know that helium evaporates quickly inside latex balloons and that’s why sometimes after a few hours your balloons don’t float anymore?

Latex balloons are thinner than mylar balloons and they don’t hold helium very well. That’s why we treat our latex balloons with hi-float, a liquid plastic solution that, once it dries inside a balloon, it forms a coating that holds in helium.

Have you noticed that when you buy a mylar balloon and go out during winter, the balloon starts losing height rapidly or it shrinks but when you come back inside into a warmer room it comes back up? This is because helium contracts in chilly weather and expands in hot weathers. If you get them into a hot car they might even explode because of higher temperatures; run the air conditioner first before doing this.

For How Long Can Latex Helium-Inflated Balloons Float For

If used indoors, hi-float treated latex balloons might last around 2 days, same as mylar balloons. On the contrary, non-treated latex balloons will last around 2 to 8 hours depending on weather conditions.

For maximum float life, keep helium-inflated balloons indoors in a heated or air-conditioned location between 72 and 80 F. Exposure to sunlight or high humidity will dramatically shorten floating times. In hot weather, run the air-conditioner; in chilly weather, run the heater.

How To Deflate Mylar Balloons

Mylar balloons contain a plastic valve inside of them that keeps the air from coming out when they’re inflated. This valve makes it sometimes extremely hard to deflate a mylar balloon.

So, if for some reason you decide you want to keep your mylar balloon and try to deflate it, grab a piece of wire of about half the size of the balloon and softly insert it where you would inflate it. What the wire will do is to create a gap in the valve by opening it without ruining it and letting the air come out.

Now, you have to be patient and very gentle. An effective way of doing it faster and without hurting the balloon is to place a pillow or something as big as the balloon (if it’s too heavy it might blow up the balloon, it has to be something light) on top of it and just let the air come out. If the balloon is not that big, in a couple of hours it will be flat, and you will be able to fold it and put it away safe until the next time you need it!

5 Steps To Deflate A Mylar Balloon In Pictures

Find your balloon's valve

How a balloon's valve looks

Find a long wire

Insert the wire in the valve

Place something on top

Do you know any other facts about balloons? If you do, let us know in the comments below.

If you want to send a balloon bouquet in Gaithersburg, click here and you’ll be redirected to our website where you will find a selection of fun ideas to send today.

5 Steps To Water And Take Care Of Your Succulents

So many times, I’ve heard “I can’t even take care of succulents”, and “It’s the lack of attention that makes me kill them”.

Succulents are incredibly resilient, and once you understand their needs, you’ll never kill another one.

When you bring home new succulents, the first thing to do is let them adjust to their new environment. Leave them untouched for a few days and observe how they react before making any changes. After a few days, you can add a small amount of water. Be cautious, though—watering too soon can cause them to rot, as sudden changes in their environment, especially humidity, can have a big impact.

Ready to transform your succulent care routine? Discover these 5 essential steps to water and care for your succulents, and watch them thrive with these expert tips from your local florist.

1) How much Sun do succulents need?

Succulents require around 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

Harsh light burns them, but not enough light rots them. Indirect means that there has to be something like a mesh between the sun and your plant, a window works good enough.

Keep succulents away from air currents, and not lower than 40-30F.

Succulents require around 6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.

2) How much Water do succulents need?

Add around 4oz (1/2 cup) of water every 10-15 days or more depending on pot size. Wait until the soil (2 inches deep) feels dry. Depending on the temperature and humidity of their surroundings this will vary greatly.

The most important thing to know about succulents is that they keep a lot of water in their leaves and their roots are very thin, and if you add too much water, they will drown because they will drink more water than they need. Their soil needs to actually get dry before you add more water and you need to water the soil directly. If you pour water on top of the leaves it can rot the entire plant.

Water the soil directly when it feels dry.

If the stem is mushy or rotting, it's probably overwatered. If the leaves get puckered, the plant needs more water.

Do not let them stand in water, if the container doesn’t have drainage, flip it upside down after watering it (holding your succulents while doing it so they won’t fall out) and let all the excess water drain out.

Do not let roots stand in water.

If your environment tends to be dry, a great way to keep your succulents thriving is to mist them daily. Some varieties of succulents actually prefer a light misting over traditional watering, as it mimics the natural humidity they would experience in their native habitats. By giving them a gentle mist each day, you can help prevent their soil from becoming overly dry while providing the moisture they need to stay healthy and vibrant.

A daily mist can help prevent succulent soil from becoming overly dry and keep their petals healthy.

3) Does Humidity hurt succulents?

As mentioned before, succulents have a lot of water in their leaves. So, if their surroundings are very humid, they will need less water.

Make sure your plant’s soil is completely dry and the base of your plant is not mushy before you add more water.

Humidity won’t hurt your succulent as long as you don’t overwater it.

4) Do I need to Fertilize succulents?

Fertilize once a month during their active growing cycle (spring), beginning in the spring when temperatures start to warm up and the fear of frost is over.

Choose a fertilizer recommended for cacti and succulents and follow the package directions, or choose any all-purpose, balanced liquid fertilizer and mix it to ¼ strength of what the directions indicate. Keep in mind that if you use a liquid fertilizer, it is like adding water so avoid watering your succulents right after fertilizing them.

5) Do succulents need to be Preened?

Whenever you see a dry or dying leaf at the base of your succulent remove it gently. If the leaves fall on their own but are not rotten or dried, the plant might want to propagate, leave it where you found it and the leaf might grow its own roots eventually, creating a new plant.

Only remove dry or rotten leaves. Healthy, fallen leaves might propagate into another plant.

Remember, the most important aspect of succulents is the lack or excess of water you provide, find a happy balance depending on their surroundings and they will live a happy and long life.

Find a happy balance between lack or excess of water for succulents to thrive.

Do you know any other tips to help succulents live healthier lives? Let us know in the comments below. If you're looking to send succulents to Gaithersburg, Maryland, make sure to reach out to us or visit your nearby and reliable florist.

3 Unique Gift Ideas for Everyone

Struggling to find a unique birthday gift? Look no further! This guide offers three creative gift ideas that are sure to delight any personality type. Say goodbye to boring presents!

In the past, there was a tradition of gifting the same number of flowers as the number of birthdays, so if a person was turning 25, they would get 25 flowers. Nowadays, we want to gift something more unique and special.

We have a wide selection of fresh and high-quality birthday flowers and gift baskets, but if you are looking for a Unique Birthday Gift, here are three ideas:

Birthday Floral Cakes:

This gift will make someone happy. We all love to eat cake but then feel guilty about the calories. This Blooming Birthday Cake by Tognoli Florist creates a fun-filled, fat-free birthday cake that they will be able to enjoy for more time than a conventional cake. If you don't like the colors or flowers in this picture, we have other options, or we can customize it for you.

Birthday Balloon Bouquets:

Everyone loves balloons, so how about sending a Giant Birthday Balloon Bouquet? The person who receives this will sure be surprised! A giant balloon do takes a lot of space in your house and in your heart. If a giant balloon is too much, maybe choose a smaller one, but this option will be a unique birthday gift for sure.

Birthday Snickers Chocolates Cake:

We give you a different option for a birthday cake with our Snickers Chocolates Cake. Assorted chocolates surrounded with Snickers! A cake you can share without worrying about getting dirty or spoiling your purse or car when transporting the leftovers.

Tognoli Florist is the best local florist to send your Birthday Gift in Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, Germantown, Rockville, and Surrounding Areas. In our store, you will find many gifts and flowers among which you can choose the right one for you and if you can’t find one you like, you can always give us a call and we’ll design something special for you.

Let us know in the comments if you have seen gifts like these and if you like any of them!