10 Common Issues With Himalayan Salt Lamps And How To Remedy Them

Salt is a natural substance, which means that if subjected to specific environmental conditions, it can cause problems.

Despite the fact that you might know what you need to do, sometimes it is difficult to figure out how to prevent a salty ruin on your precious lamp.

Our readers have written numerous questions and comments about salt lamps gone wrong.

The best way to solve some of these problems and tackle the common issues people have faced with their beautiful Himalayan salt lamps is to lend a helping hand.

The following are ten common problems you might encounter with your Himalayan salt lamp and how you can resolve these issues.

How Can I Stop My Lamp From Sweating And Melting All Over The Table?

By absorbing the micro-droplets of water that carry contaminants into the air, Himalayan pink salt lamps act as a deodorizer.

Hot salt crystals evaporate clean water, capturing any absorbed particulates, which then return to their surroundings.

The process is referred to as hygroscopy and causes the lamp to sweat.

The sweating effect occurs only very seldom in drier climates.

The lamp can emit more significant moisture if kept in a humid environment (either by absorbing moisture from the air or absorbing it from the crystal.

One option to this problem is to leave the lamp plugged in for 24 hours a day.

Salt lamps consume little energy, so you won’t need to worry about running up your electric bill or hurting the environment by using them.

Find a less humid location in your home where you can place your salt lamp if you already leave it running all day, every day.

Do not put it near wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry.

Also, you might want to use a higher watt bulb for a more powerful light source so that the trapped water will evaporate faster.

A bulb’s maximum strength should be determined by the manufacturer and found on the bulb’s housing.

The Lamp Continues To Continue To Sweat Despite All My Efforts. What Do I Do?

If you and your Himalayan salt lamp live in an environment that is so humid that the salt crystal is constantly sweating, there are a couple of steps you will want to take.

It will also reduce the risk of accidents and will also make the lamp last longer.

To begin with, save your furniture by keeping a saucer or coaster beneath your lamp.

You must leave a lamp with a temperature between 150 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit (60 and 69 degrees Celsius) running all the time to evaporate the water in the crystal.

If you notice a significant build-up of moisture around the salt crystal, use a dry, lint-free cloth to pat it dry.

Flickering may also indicate moisture has taken up residence in the bulb housing or it is damaged.

If you can spot the bulb flickering in other ways, turn off the lamp, let it cool down, then pull the bulb housing out and test the bulb’s temperature.

Check the entire component for corrosion, loose contacts, or visible damage before removing the bulb.

In case you cannot identify the bulb or bring it back to life, you might need to change the cord assembly.

The Lamp Is Too Bright For Me To Sleep With It On, But I Don’t Want To Turn It Off At Night Because It Will Sweat

If you wish to keep your salt lamp in your bedroom, but it is too bright to let you sleep with it on, the following options may be perfect for you.

It may be a good idea to purchase a dimmer switch since your lamp did not come equipped with one.

Try moving the lamp into a nearby closet or some other place that would shade the light without removing it from your immediate vicinity if the lamp is still too bright when fully dimmed.

Keeping the lamp on a coaster and turning it off while you sleep would be the simplest solution if the first two options seem like too much trouble.

Should a lot of moisture accumulate on the salt crystal, you can always wipe it dry in the morning with a lint-free cloth.

My Lamp Is In The House, But It Does Not Seem To Affect Air Quality

If a new lamp does not seem to be helping with your allergen problems, there are a couple of reasons why this may be the case.

A large Himalayan pink salt lamp probably wouldn’t be able to counteract the constant stream of particulates flowing out of your ventilation system if the allergens are inside your air ducts.

Make sure that your air system is inspected, and if necessary clean, if required.

Other than that, HPS lamps purify the air based on crystal proportions to their room size.

These general sizing guidelines will help you choose the suitable lamp:

With a 5-8 lbs lamp, a lamp like this will provide adequate coverage for the average bedroom.

This 8-11 lb lamp is ideal for open spaces like a living room or den.

To effectively cleanse the air in a room, your lamp will need one pound of salt crystal for every 16 square feet of floor space.

You may need to use multiple lamps to create the same effect if you cannot find one large enough to fit your intended location.

I Want To Keep My Lamp Clean But Can’t Seem To Find A Way To Clean It Without Melting The Salt. How Do I Do It?

You can very easily clean a Himalayan salt crystal lamp if it has been gathering dust and looking a bit dingy.

Let the salt cool off to room temperature after you turn off your lamp and unplug it.

After that, dampen a cloth or sponge so that the fabric is damp but not wet.
To prevent soaking the cloth or sponge in salt, squeeze as much water out as you can before touching it to the salt.

Clean the crystal carefully by wiping away debris and patting it dry with a soft cloth.

Your lamp may then be set back in its own home, plugged in, and turned on.

When thoroughly heated, the salt crystal regenerated from a clean will naturally evaporate off any remaining water from the bath.

My Lamp Doesn’t Work When I Turn It On; I Replaced The Bulb, But That Doesn’t Fix The Problem

It most likely refers to a problem with the wiring or contacts in the cord assembly.

The lamp is a chunk of hollowed-out crystal powered by two tiny filaments inside a glass globe on a long copper wire girded with soft plastic.

If the lamp gets bashed, which can occur when moving it around, let us say that the lamp always wins vs. the fragile electrical elements.

Thankfully, it’s easy to replace the cord assembly, and you can find generic cords online.

The Bulb In My Lamp Is Burning Out Too Often

Here are some troubleshooting tips to help you identify the problem if you’re having a steady stream of burned-out bulbs too quickly:

You need to make sure that your light bulbs don’t exceed the maximum suggested wattage for your lamp.

Occasionally from time to time, you might find that your bulbs appear smokey white when you remove them, so be sure the next bulb you install does not touch the inside of the salt crystal due to a different size or length.

It is possible for the hot bulb and the glass to crack if water from the crystal runs over the bulb. This forces the filament to oxidize and causes white smoke effects on the glass.

You could get a broken bulb if you are moving your lamp around frequently.

In this case, the burned-out bulb may show white smoke, its filament oxidized, and break glass.

The Lamp Bulb Flickers When It Is On

A lot of flickering indicates that a wire is broken or the bulb is loosely attached.

Turn your lamp off and let it cool before you examine its electrical components.

The connection between the circuit and the cord assembly could be broken, which constitutes a fire hazard, so you should replace it.

If excessive sweating occurs and flickering, moisture buildup or corrosion may be present in the bulb’s housing.

It is recommended to unplug the lamp immediately in this case to prevent electrical damage.

You can then unscrew the lamp and the bulb and examine the electrical components once the light and bulb have cooled down.

When you detect any water or mildew inside the bulb housing, move the lamp to a less humid location or use a more powerful bulb to expedite evaporation.

In case there is any damage to the cord assembly, you’ll need to replace it.

If your bulb strength is increased, remember not to exceed manufacturers’ specifications, which appear stamped in the bulb housing.

Watch out for flickering and moisture buildup from your lamp. If this occurs, halt the use of the lamp and unplug it.

It Doesn’t Seem That I Can Find New Bulbs For My Lamp Anywhere

Don’t worry. We’ve all been there.

Your lamp has a tubular light bulb that is unlikely to be one of the regular sizes or shapes stocked by big-box stores.

We will take the guesswork out of finding the perfect candle bulb because most salt lamps are compatible with a standard small 15 to 40-watt incandescent candle (E12) base bulb.

You can pick up a 10-pack of short tubes that are 15-watts here, a 10-pack of long tubes that are 15-watts here, and a 6-pack of long tubes that are 25-watts on Amazon.

Getting Tired Of Buying New Lights And Cooling The Lamp Down, I Have Had It With This Salt Lamp! It Will Not Stop Sweating

That one isn’t directly a safety tip, nor is it a usage or care tip.

The Himalayan salt lamps may be an excellent choice for some, but not everyone will agree.

It means there’s one more option if you’ve tried them, but you don’t like the way the lamps look, you’ve had so many problems you can’t stand them anymore.

You could try a Himalayan salt candle holder instead.

Moreover, they boast many of the same benefits as lamps, albeit in smaller sizes, but without the problems inherent to electrical components in an environment which may be moist.

A tea light holder should probably sweat on humid days, just as a lamp does. Make sure you keep a saucer under it to protect your furniture!