How to prevent balloon oxidation?

You blow them up breathless, or you spend a lot of money on inflatable balloons -- and after just a few hours, your colorful decorations are starting to look cloudy. When shiny balloons take on a chalky appearance, a process called oxidation is to blame. You can't completely stop oxidation from happening, but a few simple steps can slow it down and keep the balloon shiny and bright for as long as possible.

 

Not all balloons oxidize. Foil and vinyl balloons are less susceptible to this process. It's just a matter of latex balloons. Most balloons you can buy at home and blow yourself up, as well as many inflatable balloons sold by retailers, are made from latex, a substance derived from rubber trees.

As an organic material, latex degrades much faster than aluminum foil or vinyl. Latex balloons are sometimes even marketed as biodegradable, although they can take months or even years to fully decompose. (That's why releasing balloons into the air poses a threat to wildlife and the environment. Fish and other creatures often die from eating balloons that fall back to Earth;Biodegradable balloons can cause damage before they start to break down. )

But while decomposition takes a long time, latex balloons may begin to oxidize within hours of inflating. Oxidation is a chemical process that occurs when molecules lose electrons. What you need to know is that oxidation can give shiny, vibrant balloons a dull, even dusty appearance. Exposure to light, heat, and oxygen accelerates oxidation.