Baking balloons

[poppinbags]

I've read somewere that it is possible to make balloons (much) softer by baking them slightly in an oven. Does someone have experience with this?
How long do you put them in? At what temperature?

I've seen a German video where a unique 16" was blown far bigger then I would imagine possible after it was baked, so very curious how this is done.

Thanks for any info on this!

[b0f0s0f]

Re: Baking balloons

Also interested, I've tried some mild heat stretching before but never used the oven. I would love to see pics of a baked vs. fresh balloon side by side if anyone has any.

[OverTheTop]

Re: Baking balloons

Alternatively, you can also use a clothes dryer to heat stretch ballons more easily. Just put them in a ziploc bag (separating them into their own bags is a good idea if they're not new to prevent sticking) and then put them in the dryer on high heat for 15-30 minutes. You'll need some trial and error to find the best time for your dryer and different brands of balloons. If the balloons are brand new, you'll want more time than if they've been inflated previously, for example.

For both cases, I'd recommend starting with Cattex. They've always been pretty reliably easy to heat stretch for me, with good results, but definitely make sure you stick to shorter times since they're already pretty soft.

[poppinbags]

Re: Baking balloons

Thanks for the explanation!
I will try the oven as soon as I have the time for it.