7 Alternative Uses for Balloons

Intro: 7 Alternative Uses for Balloons

In this Instructables, we look into seven ways to use balloons.

Let's dive in!

STEP 1: Drinking Glass Identifier

If you like to party, most likely you know the situation: Eh, which is my glass?

With so many glasses on the table, it's easy to loose your drink.

Since you're in the party, it's a good chance you'll find a balloon.

Use the balloon to cover the bottom of the glass.

Now you can easily identify your glass.

STEP 2: Pimp Your Mouse

Balloons are great to pimp your mouse.

You can make it more colourful to suit your personality or match the computer.

It will also have a better grip.

• Take off the top of your mouse.
• Cover it with a balloon of your choice.
• Put back the top and enjoy your colourful mouse.

STEP 3: Yarn or String Lampshade

Balloons are great for moulds.

You can use a big balloon as a mould for a string/yarn lampshade.

I used a very big balloon as it seemed to be more round when inflated.

I used yarn and wallpaper paste to glue it together.

I have also made yarn lampshades with white glue, but I prefer wallpaper paste as it's cheaper (at least where I live) and it's easier to clean it up.

Wallpaper paste might take longer to dry than a white glue.

Prepare your glue and pour some in a jug.

Feed in some yarn and push it down, so it gets covered with the glue.

Keep topping up the glue as well as feeding and pushing down the yarn.

When you reach the end, feed it through the spout and cut off the dry yarn.

STEP 4: Yarn or String Lampshade

Now cover the balloon with the yarn.

It's very easy to do it this way.

You can spin the balloon or wind the yarn by hand.

When you reach the end, tuck it under other layers of yarn.

Hang the balloon to dry.

It will drip, so put a bucket under.

Drying time will depend on various factors.

Estimated drying time: 36h - 96h

Usually the bottom will dry last, so the ball might seem hard, but the bottom will be soft.

STEP 5: Yarn or String Lampshade

When the ball is dry, pop the balloon and cut a bigger hole to remove it.

There are various ways to hang the lampshade.

I made a hook that attaches to the cable and holds the lampshade.

STEP 6: Brighten Up That Chair

If you have a chair that needs to be brighten up, balloons are great for that.

Put a balloon on a permanent marker or a similar item that size.

Roll it down.

Now roll the balloon on your chair's leg.

Repeat the procedure for all the legs.

Put adhesive pads on the bottom, so balloons would not break.

Your rainbow colour chair is ready!

STEP 7: Balloon Gun

Get a pipe, tube or a plastic bottle neck.

Trim the balloon a little bit shorter and slide it onto the tube.

Wrap it with an electrical tape.

Load your gun and you're ready to shoot.

Be careful. It's more powerful than it looks.

Never shoot at animals, people or somebody's property.

STEP 8: Fancy Drink Cooler

Balloons make fancy drink chillers.

Fill them with the water, tie a knot and freeze them.

Colourful way to keep your drinks cool.

Alternatively, take the ice out from the balloons, revealing huge ice balls.

Probably you should not use balloons in direct contact with food, but if you do,

make sure to wash them.

STEP 9: Drums

I did not throw away the balloon I used for the lampshade.

It was big, so perfect for a big drum.

I got a container from some kind of sweets and covered it with a balloon.

I also put a rubber band on top.

Now my neighbours love me even more :)

Comments

[metqa]

You are so silly. What I took away from this is the great idea for feeding glue-sodden yarn from a pitcher. Great delivery method!

[BorgOvermind]

Ice balls... good to use against meatbags, cars, etc.

[dlindstrom]

Some very fun kid freindly projects.

[ShakeTheFuture]

Indeed. Apart from the gun. When I was a kid, my brother shot me in the eye with a berry. I started to cry. He carried me further from the house, so the parents would not heart me crying. When people asked me why my eye was red, I said that I ran into a branch :) The gun is not that bad, just need to make sure kids understand that they should not shoot at people :)

[gmcluvvin]

These are very powerful !!! When i was younger i used to make them from a coke bottle. First time i fired one i smashed a bus stop advert glass.. ???

[gmcluvvin]

Mine tho was a lot lot shorter then yours, so i could imagine mine was maybe more powerfull.. thanks for reminding me tho ;) #childhood memories... ☺☺☺☺

[GraceDyer]

Oh, I like the mouse! My boyfriend always buys ugly ones so I guess this is a good way to change its appearance a bit

[VIGNAUDM]

changez de copain

[ShakeTheFuture]

The only problem you might have is that your boyfriend might not like a balloon covered mouse :)

[GraceDyer]

Well, that's not my problem xD Next time he'll know to buy more nice looking ones

[Yonatan24]

Wow! The lamp one is the best!

[pattygandara]

LOL u r incredible!!!

[damyar]

That is awesome

[iamsewcrazy]

Eeeek! Love these tips! Can you tell me what kind of wallpaper paste you used to stiffen the yarn? I have had disappointing results with some of the things I've tried. :(

Also, if the finished light shade were to get wet, would it collapse? Or does it hold up well in moisture/humidity?

[ShakeTheFuture]

I used ordinary wallpaper glue. It was a cheap stuff.

Sorry, can't tell you more details about the glue.

It was a normal glue, white granules that you mix with water and get jelly-ish glue.

When using wallpaper paste, make sure the yarn is really wet. Ball should be dripping wet when finished.

You should also give it a long time to dry.

When it's not dry it might seem that the glue is not working as the yarn is soft, but if you wait an extra day, it will go hard.

If I remember correctly, it took me 3 days for this lampshade to dry.

Try white glue mixed with a little bit of water instead of the wallpaper paste.

[iamsewcrazy]

Thank you. :) It helps to know that it was not a pre-mixed glue.

I know there are so many different kinds of wallpaper paste... wheat, clay, vinyl, etc and I'm not familiar enough with which one would work for my project. I'll get a powdered one and try that. :)

[DIY-Guy]

Congratualtions on a very good Instructable!
This is exceptionally creative and tasteful.
Yours gets the virtual "Family Friendly" award!

(Our family is so glad you didn't use those "other kind" of balloons, thank you so very much!)

[ShakeTheFuture]

Thank You!

[robolimbo]

Wow! I must make this lampshade!

[CarlosS11]

how many shots you tried to hit the glass? rsssss

nice ;-)