My Salt Lamp is Crumbling (is it Fake?)

My Salt Lamp is Crumbling

Someone asked me… “My salt lamp is crumbling, is it a fake”?

The Salt lamp is a magnificent piece of art to own but have you ever faced any issue of salt crystals falling off the lamp? Well, there is no need to panic and don’t let anyone fool you by saying you need to buy a new lamp. Before you come to any conclusion, let’s try to understand what is actually happening and what your salt lamp is made of?

For starters, it’s a structure of salt with a bulb in the middle which cleanses the air surrounding it. People admire it for its warm glow and freshness it induces in the atmosphere of the room.

Having a salt lamp is just like owning your own natural source of light that continuously provides you with the purest air. It provides the room with fresh aura by removing the pollen, dust and any other kind of contamination from the room. The Himalayan salt is the purest form of the salt available on the earth which makes it so special.

My Salt Lamp is Crumbling (is it Fake?)

Your lamp absorbs the harmful air particles and water molecules from your surroundings. As the water vapor contains most of the impurities, the impurities get deposited on the salt molecules.

When the lamp is heated from inside, it results in the evaporation of water molecules, leaving the impurities settled in salt. This phenomenon goes by the name of hygroscopy. It is all about the exchange of ions when you look closely.

Lack of moisture

Now, depending upon the level of moisture in the place where you live, and the weather, your salt lamp will be drawing the moisture from the air around and drip. Here moisture plays a crucial role in the working of the lamp.

If there is no wetness in the air around your lamp it can leave the residue on the surface of your lamp which can be pretty flaky or chalky in nature. Eventually, the flaky part will fall apart from the crystalline structure making it look like as if the salt lamp is losing its crystal.

It is completely normal and can happen because of lack of moisture in the surrounding. To remove the flaky part getting accumulated and eventually falling apart, you can gently clean the top of your lamp with a mild damp cloth. Leave the light on to remove the excess of moisture.

To avoid the crumbling you can adopt the practice to keep the lamp on during the day time and turn it off during the nights in order to maintain some moisture in the lamp. Once the moisture is balanced the lamp will not result in crumbling of small pieces of salt.

Whereas there can be some other reasons for crumbling of your salt lamp which we are addressed below.

The Size and shape of the salt lamp

The size and shape of your lamp are of great significance. These two features determine the heat distribution generated by the bulb on the inside. If the shape is irregular or the size is too large it can lead to an uneven distribution of heat.

Those parts which are heated more will evaporate more water compared to those parts which are heated less. This will lead to dryness of a few parts whereas the other part will still have water molecules.

Overheating

The size and wattage of the bulb used inside the lamp should be according to the size of a lamp. If the size of your lamp is small and the bulb has higher wattage it will result in overheating. The overheating of aluminous lamp can lead to excess evaporation and crumble your beautiful lamp.

The excess heating is dangerous and can damage the insulation of the wire. It can result in a fire hazard if the base of the lamp has any kind of paper material near it. In order to prevent any kind of mishap carefully check the voltage of your bulb being used. If there is no user-error, check it with the provider of your lamp. Safety in any condition is of utmost importance. 

False Himalayan lamp

Salt lamp works on the concept of hygroscopy. As the time passes by, your lamp will tend to get damp as it gathers moisture from the surrounding. This is completely normal. The concern rises when your lamp handles all the humidity without even a break and a sweat.

If the salt of your lamp loses moisture at a higher pace it will eventually result in the dryness of your salt. It is an indication of a false Himalayan lamp. The real salt lamp even when used on daily basis, it will tend to last for a decade or even more.

A decade is a long time when you think of a lamp made of enriched salt. Whereas the counterfeit lamp will lead you to falsehood and it won’t work efficiently even for a year. Purchase the Himalayan salt lamp from a trusted buyer only.

The White Salt crystals

If you ever, by any chance find any salt lamps having the crystals of white salt, but having a lower price than the usual Himalayan salt lamp you can understand that the lamps are not the authentic salt lamps. They wear and tear easily and lead to crumbling of your precious lamp.

The salt lamp isn’t just about making a lamp of salt it is about the enriched purity of salt. Avoid the cheap lamps available in the market as the low quality of salt can lead the whole lamp to crumble.

If you love natural remedies and want a stress-free life and fresh breath of air, Himalayan salt lamps are just right for you. You will have the lamp for years or even decades to make sure to buy from the reputable seller. Adopt a practice of switching the lamp during night time if your salt lamp is crumbling.

Crumbling of the lamp doesn’t necessarily mean it is fake. Sometimes it can be due to lack of moisture and overheating due to a bulb of higher voltage. Hope you find the perfect Himalayan pink salt lamp that will drive the purest air for you and your family. These alluring lamps will become the charming center of your house in no time!

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