Visual tutorials & education

In order from most to least recommended:

1. Candy Coated Squeaks repair video playlist.

2. Heath Dragon's how to and tutorials playlist.

   • Ignore the following videos, as they are low quality: "Removing the Safety Flaps from Inflatable Toy Valves", "Replacing Valves on Inflatable Toys".

   • Inflatable Seaming Techniques.

Storage

1. To store an inflatable without damaging the paint or seams, remove all air from the chambers but leave their valves open, lay out all of its seams flat, then roll the inflatable either clockwise or counter-clockwise, and be sure to close the valves quickly after the rolling process has expelled the remaining air out of your current chamber. This isn’t space efficient, but it is the safest for the inflatable as there is less bent corners.

2. Store vinyl or latex inflatables inside of undyed & unwaxed cotton bags (called "canvas bags"); they must look similar to this in color:
   

3. Do not store inflatables in:

   • Plastic bags (Ziploc, etc.), it leeches plasticizers out.

   • Dyed/pigmented fabric bags, they will permanently stain vinyl.

4. If you inflated using your lungs (the mouth), deflate, then re-inflate with dry air. This drys out the inside of the inflatable to prevent mold build-up.

   • Keep in mind that vinyl can mold from the outside too, luckily storing them in cotton bags airs them out and makes this a non-issue.

5. Avoid for long-periods of time:

   • Leaving vinyl or latex on a hangar.

   • Having the vinyl or latex touch itself if using ATBC plasticizer instead of DINP. You can place thin foam sheets with 1/16" thickness between the layers of vinyl or latex to have them not stick to itself. For a messier but easier option, use corn starch for vinyl, or unscented talcum powder for latex.

6. Known harmful for contact with vinyl:

   • Baby oil, Coconut oil, Mineral oil, Silicone-based lube, Vegetable oil, Lithium grease, WD-40 (and other sprays containing solvents).

   • Concentrated dish soap. Non-concentrated dish soap is however safe for both vinyl and latex.

   • Water-based lube and petroleum jelly (Vaseline) is safe for vinyl short-term, but petroleum jelly is always unsafe for latex. Be sure to wash both off at the earliest convenience regardless.

   • Non-vinyl glues, such as Gorilla Glue and other superglue products.

   • Duct tape and other forms of tape not made for vinyl.

Cleaning

• A pencil eraser can get rid of undesirable marks/scuffs. While the eraser is dry, try using it on an inflatable; if that doesn’t work, then wet the area with water and try erasing again.

Recommended at least every 3 days while the inflatable is in active use:

1. Get a 950 mL (32 oz) spray bottle, fill it half-way with warm water, put 60 mL (4 tablespoons) of non-concentrated dish soap into the bottle, then finish the bottle up with warm water.

2. Have two microfiber cloths. One for wiping off soap, and the other for further drying.

Finding leaks

1. Inflate until it feels very firm.

2. Spray with an even ratio of the bottle you’ve made, and spread it around with your hands. Ensure your inflatable feels like a bar of soap. Look for expanded bubbles; this may take up to hours to appear, unless you apply pressure to areas you think will leak.

Applying vinyl glue

Warnings

1. Work outdoors if possible, this will reduce the number of hazards to a minimum.

2. If you must work indoors:

   • Ensure you can exhaust air out of your workshop quickly by using a high-velocity fan or other means.

   • Never work around electronics; sparks mixed in with gas fumes can start a flash fire.

3. Wear a gas mask or painter respirator.

   • A Honeywell North 7700 series is suitable. You can go cheaper than this, but you’ll be paying the price when it needs to be replaced such as for the 3M respirators.

4. Vinyl glue is toxic before it dries. Wear nitrile gloves while handling.

   • Avoid latex gloves, they deteriorate on contact with vinyl glue.

5. Avoid going above 0.4mm (16 gauge/16 mil) thick vinyl for patches or seam reinforcement. 0.6mm and above is hard to cut, will have problems sticking to seams and vinyl glue, and lowers durability by over-stressing the surrounding vinyl. Arguably, 0.3mm (12 gauge/12 mil) thick vinyl is more suitable for inflatables that use this thickness, such as those from Inflatable World.

Seam context and information

1. Pinch seams: these are the most common and cost effective type of seams in inflatable manufacturing. They involve pinching two pieces of vinyl together and closing them off via welding. It’s easy to recognize these by the raised lip along the seam.

   • The problem with these seams is they’re prone to split open while overstressed. The fix would be to glue a strip of vinyl on top of the seam that bonds both sides of the pinch seam.

2. Negative curves: these are pinch seams that are curved instead of straight, such as going from head to nose. If you still do not recognize a negative curve, look for the tension surrounding it, as it’ll have much more of it than uncurved pinch seams.

3. Flat seams: the most costly but durable type of seam. They’re made by slightly overlapping two vinyl sheets together then welding both sides of that vinyl. These you usually don’t have to worry about fixing, and look "flat".

Guidance

1. Firstly, buy the glue:

   • HH-66 Vinyl Cement is the gold standard, though some countries cannot purchase this locally.

   • Loctite Vinyl, Fabric & Plastic Adhesive is much higher price than HH-66 and not as high quality, but is easier to apply.

2. Now, buy the required tools:

   • A rotary cutter. Get one with an ergonomic handle to reduce strain on the wrists and to prevent accidental injuries. The blade also needs to be sharp and easily replaceable, therefore we get Olfa’s 60mm ergonomic rotary cutter. Vinyl cuts do not require much precision, so a big 60mm blade will make it easier to work with the vinyl.

   • A brayer roller. We avoid the ones that contain any latex (natural rubber); what I use is VinBee’s soft rubber brayer tool.

   • A paper guillotine. The X-ACTO 15" gives the best value when it comes to quality and size; larger sizes are better, but the price goes up gradually past 15".

   • Tim Holtz 7 inch and 9.5 inch scissors. The 7 inch is for shaving off miscuts of vinyl, while the 9.5 inch is suitable for cutting off vinyl strips into smaller pieces (don’t do this if a paper guillotine can do it more effectively).

   • Multiple Intex Orcas to practice the following: air chamber seperation, seam reinforcement.

     • To practice reinforcing negative seams, get multiple Intex Unicorn Ride Ons.

3. Cut your roll of vinyl using a rotary cutter by running it alongside an external ruler on a self-healing cutting mat (use the OLFA or Dahle brand) to hold the rotary cutter’s blade in place while pressed up against that ruler, and to take advantage of the additional ruler on the self-healing cutting mat to make it easier to accurately straighten the external ruler; this is to get a straighter cut. Do this slowly and carefully to prevent veering off course. If you veer off course, use scissors to correct it.

   • Afterwards, use a Paper Guillotine to make precise cuts on the smaller sheets of vinyl you’ve made using that rotary cutter. The sizes of your vinyl strips are at your discretion, and will vary from inflatable to inflatable.

4. Put the HH-66 glue inside of a 10mL disposable syringe, then put on a 19 or 20 gauge blunt syringe tip, which ever you prefer.

   • Too low of a gauge will leak out glue, while too high of a gauge makes it impossible to get glue out.

   • Do not have air inside of the syringe holding the vinyl glue, it will cause the glue to leak out.

5. Use a UV flashlight to see if the vinyl’s surface is clean before applying glue to it. Ensure you’re wearing polycarbonate safety goggles or glasses while using a UV flashlight.

   • Read 1lumen’s "The Best UV Flashlights tested".

   • The NoCry ANSI Z87.1 goggles (fits over glasses) or Tool Klean Safety Glasses are suitable for protection.

6. To ensure the glue does its job:

   • Apply the glue evenly and thinly.

   • Split the work of gluing each vinyl strip into parts. Take it slow and work your way up.

   • Do not apply too much glue in a given area.

Tips and tricks

1. Heat acts as removal for vinyl glue, and so does direct sunlight. Keep it in mind.

2. It’s possible to glue pinhole leaks while soap + water is still on it and the inflatable is fully inflated. A video example of this.

[TODO] Vinyl glue removal

1. HH-66 Thinner or Acetone. Do not put these on cotton swabs, use blunt-tip syringes instead.

2. Hair dryers also help in removing vinyl glue residue, but have to be used in conjunction with Acetone.

For inflating

• Double action hand pump: get one from Texsport (discontinued) if you can find it brand new.

• For an automatic, MetroVac’s 110-IDAR or DIDA-1 is the best. To keep its noise and heat down, get a motor speed controller such as this. For non-american outlets, get a 220-IDAR or DIDA-4.

  • Ensure buying the MVC-211C-AS inflator adapter alongside your MetroVac of choice.

Buying DINP plasticizer

Why DINP and not ATBC?

• More elasticity, no paint damage, and far less plasticizer leeching via resistance against skin oils and direct sunlight. In some cases it can also prevent the vinyl’s paint from cracking by making that paint flexible.

• If you do not trust the safety of DINP, ATBC is the go-to, however I will not assist in getting it as I consider it harmful to inflatables.

• Also keep in mind that the negative health effects associated with DINP are primarily an issue for DEP, DEHP, and other phthalates, especially those applied through aerosol instead of an oil; DINP is a lot safer.

Studies on DINP’s negative health effects that are easy to comprehend; read in order

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7460375/

2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8677456/

3. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-01/16.-dinp-.-exposure-consumer-indoor-dust-.-public-release-.-hero-.-jan-2025.pdf

Warnings

1. Mouthing (sucking or licking on) vinyl treated with DINP leads to higher exposure to DINP according to the EPA.

2. Wear nitrile gloves to protect yourself from DINP while applying it to an inflatable. While the absorption rate through skin is around 5%, skin contact is still harmful and you should immediately wash the affected area if applicable.

   • You can apply it internally through a valve and spread it around with your hands; this exact method is used for ATBC. This is safer for your health but will weaken the inflatable’s seams.

3. Sellers from Alibaba overcharge greatly; their average cost for 1kg/1000mL is around $100, plus $80 or more shipping.

4. Some chemical companies such as Sigma-Aldrich only sell to chemists that work for a university or via your company’s approval.

   • This also applies to the sale of ATBC.

5. Bad sellers could mix in sunflower oil or water into the DINP as a way to cheap out; the sunflower oil is harmful to inflatables.

Good sellers

1. Inflationresource

[TODO] Painting vinyl

1. The Gocheer Airbrush Kit - 48 PSI is highly compact in size and suitable for paint touch-ups.

2. Now for the paint itself, its base is not cyclohexanone so don’t expect miracles,

[TODO] Replacing vinyl plugs/valves

Large valves recommended for all but small air chambers such as the ears:

1. From FL Outdoor Fitness Store, Link 1, Link 2; expected price: $3.62 USD for 5 valves.

2. From Candy Coated Squeaks; overpriced but ships fast.

Enlarging an inflatable

🔥	This permanently results in weakened seams and deformation.

The following methods to do this are:

1. Exposing the toy to direct sun-light for a long time.

2. Using a steam cleaner to push steam into the toy.

3. Leaving an inflatable over-inflated for 3 days; higher humidity or higher temperature will accelerate this process.