* Please remember that these are estimates based on typical indoor conditions and following all of the instructions contained in this website. Flying time will be less if outdoors. Flying time varies greatly due to factors such as latex quality, humidity, temperature, altitude, etc. Balloons typically half as long in hot, humid weather. For maximum floating life, hand-tie balloons.

Basic directions

How to use SUPER HI-FLOAT or ULTRA HI-FLOAT to increase float life:

Attach the dip tube to the bottom of the pump as shown in Fig. 1. The nipple on the bottom of the pump fits inside the end of the dip tube. For bottles other than gallon size, cut off the dip tube as follows.

Clips are color-coded as follows:

Slide the balloon onto the pump outlet to as far as it will go in order to inject the HI-FLOAT deep inside the balloon as shown in Figure 2. The end of the pump nozzle should be in the bulb of the balloon. Depress the pump plunger as far as it will go. Remove the balloon from the pump. Pinch the neck of the balloon as you remove it to clean off the nozzle and keep HI-FLOAT out of the stem of the balloon.

Make sure the pump returns to the full upright position after each stroke. If necessary, lift up on the cap before treating the next balloon. Gently rub the balloon a couple of times as shown in Figure 3 to spread the liquid over the inside surface. While rubbing, hold the balloon opening elevated to allow air to escape and to prevent liquid from entering the stem of the balloon.

Inflate the balloon in the usual manner and hand tie. We recommend rotating your helium nozzle downwards as shown in Figure 4 to reduce splatter and help keep the liquid out of the balloon stem . A key to minimizing mess when using HI-FLOAT is to keep it out of the balloon stem where it can leak on to the hands when tying.

When the balloon is first inflated it should float up straight but it will not be very buoyant until the HI-FLOAT dries which takes a couple of hours. After drying, the balloon will have nearly as much upward pull as an untreated balloon. If the balloon does not float, or leans to one side when first inflated, see Troubleshooting Guide.

With a little practice you should be able to treat balloons neatly and quickly.

Back to top

The " dry" method

If a treated balloon bursts before the coating dries it can be messy and cause a complaint. A method was developed by a number of HI-FLOAT users to solve this problem called the " dry" method because the coating is allowed to dry overnight before the balloon is given to a customer.

Some of the advantages are:

• If a balloon pops there is no mess.
• Balloons float well initially since the dried coating weighs very little.
• Gives the maximum floating life possible.
• Balloons are less likely to burst.
• Eliminates uneven spots of liquid sometimes visible in clear balloons before drying.

This method consists of the following steps:

Step 1. At the end of the day treat enough balloons on the inside with HI-FLOAT to cover the next day's orders. Inflate the balloons with helium and seal with plastic clips or discs.

Step 2. Allow the balloons to dry overnight. In the morning remove the clips and give the balloons an extra shot of helium to regain their full size. Hand-tie the balloons.

This results in a fully inflated balloon coated with HI-FLOAT which is completely dry. If a balloon accidentally pops there is no mess!

The key to this method is to keep the HI-FLOAT out of the stem of the balloon so it can be re-inflated the next day. Inject the liquid deep inside the balloon then pinch the stem closed when rubbing the balloon to spread the coating. Be sure to treat extra balloons for those unexpected orders.

Giving the balloons a shot of helium the next day is quick and easy with a little practice.

Many balloon shops use this method to treat every balloon they sell.

Back to top

Coating The Outside Of The Air-Filled Balloons After Inflation

A dilute HI-FLOAT coating may be applied to the outside of the latex balloon after it is inflated to keep it from oxidizing (turning chalky). This is especially useful for those arrangements where items such as stuffed animals are put inside of clear balloons and it is important that the balloon remain clear for a long time. Treating the outside of an air-filled clear balloon will keep it bright and clear for several weeks if it is cared for properly. The following photo shows a bear in the balloon where one-half of the balloon has been coated with HI-FLOAT. The treated half remains clear even after several weeks! The un-coated half started turning chalky in a few days.

BEAR IN A CLEAR BALLOON THREE WEEKS
AFTER INFLATION

We recommend using regular HI-FLOAT for all coatings on the outside of balloons. ULTRA HI-FLOAT is not suitable for this use.

This dilute coating method does not work well on helium filled balloons since it can cause streaking.

Step 1. Inflate the balloon and stuff it as usual.

Step 2. Attach the stuffed balloon to a cup and stick to provide a handle.

Step 3. Mix one cup of HI-FLOAT with 2 cups of warm water. Stir gently to avoid making foam.

Step 4. Place the balloon in a large pan and gently pour the liquid over it while slowly rotating the balloon as shown in Figure 6 . Make sure the entire outside surface of the balloon is wetted.

Step 5. Hang the coated balloon up by the handle so that it can drip and dry. Under normal conditions drying takes about 30 minutes.

Drying can be quickened by using a handheld hair dryer. Do not aim the blower at one spot too long since this could burst the balloon.

The liquid which drains into the pan may be placed in a capped bottle and saved for reuse. Refrigerate during storage to keep mold from forming.

Any bubbles in the coating will collect at the lowest point. Wipe this spot gently with a damp sponge after drying about 15 minutes. After drying, touch up any missed spots with the small brush.

Do not dilute the HI-FLOAT more than two parts water to one part HI-FLOAT. A more dilute solution will not wet the balloon surface properly and the final coating will be spotty.

Never dilute HI-FLOAT for coating uninflated balloons since this will drastically reduce floating life! Used the diluted material only for coating balloons which are already inflated.

This outside coating will also remove oxidation which has already occurred.

This technique will keep balloon animals made from twisted 260 balloons looking big and shiny for several days. Simply place the animal in the pan, pour the diluted mixture over it, and hang it by the knot until dry.

Back to top

Coating The Outside Of Balloons Before Inflation

Step 2. Remove the balloon from the liquid and let it drain for a couple of minutes.

Step 3. With the helium nozzle pointed downward as shown in Figure 8 , slip the balloon onto the nozzle and inflate it while the balloon is still wet. The balloon will stop dripping as soon as inflation begins. It will dry within a few minutes.

Step 4. Seal the balloon and attach a ribbon. Try not to touch the balloon except near the stem until it is dry.

NOTE: ULTRA HI-FLOAT is not suitable for this use.

Back to top

Cleaning HI-FLOAT or SUPER HI-FLOAT

Allow adequate drying time for balloons to avoid cleanup jobs. We recommend using ULTRA HI-FLOAT since there is less mess. We also recommend allowing balloons to dry a couple of hours before giving them to customers.

HI-FLOAT is completely soluble in water, even after it has dried. It dissolves much quicker in hot water.

On nonporous surfaces such as counter tops, allow spilled liquid to dry then simply peel it up and discard.

On machine washable fabrics wash in warm or hot water if possible. Presoak a few hours if the HI-FLOAT has completely dried.

For dry cleaning, you must inform the cleaner that the spot is soluble in water and/or steam.

On upholstered fabrics the HI-FLOAT can be removed by dipping a toothbrush into a cup of hot water and rubbing the spot to soften it. Then blot with a dry towel. Repeat wetting and blotting several times as necessary. After drying, if any trace remains, repeat the procedure. Brush felted fabrics to restore nap.

Back to top

Cleaning the pump dispenser

A pump dispenser should last through several bottles of HI-FLOAT or SUPER HI-FLOAT. The pump may be cleaned it as follows:

• Unscrew the top of the pump and place both sections in a pan of hot tap water. Let stand overnight.
• Rinse the pump parts with warm water. Make sure the air holes under the threaded cap are clean. Reassemble.

Back to top

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

Balloons don't float when first inflated
Reducing splatter inside balloons
HI-FLOAT or SUPER HI-FLOAT “beads up” inside balloon
Haze on inside of balloon
Product discolors in the bottle (mold)
Product gets too thick to pump (gel )

Balloons don't float when first inflated

Treated balloons should float straight up when first inflated. If your balloon does not float straight up or leans to one side, then you either have too much HI-FLOAT in the balloon or not enough helium.

Check to make sure you are using the correct restriction clip on the pump and that you're not using a helium/air mixture to fill the balloon.

Make sure the balloon is fully inflated. The balloon should be inflated until it begins to become pear shaped. Some people first inflate their balloons with air to stretch them. They then inflate them with helium. This allows the balloon to be inflated to a larger size.

If the balloons still do not float well initially, then either don't push the pump down all the way or switch to the next longer size restriction clip. This will reduce the amount of HI-FLOAT injected into the balloon . However, it will also give less floating life.

Your balloons will get more buoyant as the HI-FLOAT dries. When completely dry, the balloon will float with nearly the same upward force as an untreated balloon.

Back to top

Reducing splatter inside balloons

When using HI-FLOAT in clear or transparent balloons, some uneven runs of liquid may be visible initially. These will gradually disappear as the coating dries.

This splatter can be minimized in the number of ways. Use ULTRA HI-FLOAT. Since you use less it will be less visible. Try inflating the balloon more slowly with the helium nozzle pointed in a downward direction. Also, when rubbing the balloon to spread the coating, rub gently to avoid working bubbles into the liquid.

If the HI-FLOAT is very old and has begun to get thick and stringy (gel ) it will be more visible inside the balloon . This gel can be re-dissolved by heating.

Back to top

HI-FLOAT or SUPER HI-FLOAT “beads up” inside balloon

HI-FLOAT and SUPER HI-FLOAT work well on all major brands of latex balloons. However, occasionally we find a balloon which has an oil coating which interferes with the HI-FLOAT wetting the inside of the balloon. When this happens the HI-FLOAT or SUPER HI-FLOAT “beads up” similar to water on a freshly waxed car. In this case treatment gives very little increase in floating life. Use ULTRA HI-FLOAT with these balloons and you should not have this problem.

Back to top

Haze on inside of balloon

Shortly after inflating a balloon you may notice a haze or cloudiness on the inside of the balloon. (Oxidation occurs on the outside of the balloon.) This may be caused by adding less than the full recommended amount of HI-FLOAT. Make sure you are using the correct colored clip for that size balloon.

Back to top

Product discolors in the bottle (mold)

A dark green mold can grow on the surface of HI-FLOAT in a bottle which has been opened for several months. This is very similar to the mold which grows on bread. If this happens scoop off and discard the discolored material. Quickly use the remainder of the bottle.

Do not pour the small amount left in an old bottle into a new bottle since this can seed the new bottle with mold. Wash off the pump when transferring to a new bottle.

If mold is a recurring problem in your area, purchase HI-FLOAT in the smaller size bottles since it will be used more quickly.

Back to top

Product gets too thick to pump (gel )

Normally HI-FLOAT has the consistency of honey. However, with excessive age it can begin to gel and will get very thick and lumpy. ULTRA HI-FLOAT may begin to gel if it has been frozen. If your product becomes too thick to pump, it can be re-dissolved in one of the following ways: (1) Remove the cap and heat in a microwave until hot but not boiling. Stir after removing from microwave, or (2) Pour HI-FLOAT into a double boiler and heat on a stove, or (3) Remove the pump or cap and place in a pan of water as shown in Figure 9. Boil the water in the pan for about two hours. This will heat liquid sufficiently to dissolve any gel.