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Mandrake wrote:Yes, I know, I need to get out more....

Nah. Outdoors is just a way of getting between different bits of indoors.

Ok so Ive cheated a got a pump

Chris wrote:Ok so Ive cheated a got a pump

If it keeps me out of hospital I don't consider it cheating!

If you really want to inflate by mouth you could always pump them up before hand and deflate them, much easier then.
...I can't believe I just said that

Please use a pump. Blowing up balloons will definately damage you - that's a fact. It's not "cheating". It's good sense.

When I was fiddling about with balloons (decades ago) the book I read insisted "never use a pump, always blow them up by mouth because the warmth and moisture are important". Nearly killed myself on them - I have trouble with an ordinary party balloon, never mind those blasted modelling ones - and this was one of the reasons I stopped fiddling about with balloons.

It took me about 200 balloons to learn the technique to blow them up. I have been inflating them orally for over 20 years and I can't see any 'fact' to them 'damaging' me. I have tried to describe the technique to people but I think it is only something you can teach yourself by practicing.

I'll try to explain the technique; basically, you can (probably) effect more pressure with your cheeks, but it's possible to damage your cheeks (reference: Louis Armstrong!) or at least tire them out and make them sore!

So, give the whole balloon a good stretch, then, gripping with only your index and thumb of each hand, hold the open end (duh!) in your mouth and gently stretch out the first inch or so with the other hand (stretching thins the wall of the rubber, making it easier to blow). Use only your cheeks (on your face... honestly...) to blow for this bit, i.e. bulge out your cheeks with air, then force it out through your mouth without opening your airway at all.

This will put a little bubble of air into the balloon - because this air stretches the rubber either side of it a little bit, it is a bit easier to blow up the rest. You can therefore save your cheeks by keeping your cheeks as taught as possible (i.e. not allowing them to bulge out) and using your "lung power" for the rest of the balloon.

Hope that makes a tiny bit of sense!