Salt lamps have become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to bring natural beauty and wellness into the home. Not only do salt lamps look beautiful, but they also are thought to improve air quality by releasing negative ions that purify the air around them.
Eventually, your salt lamp may come to the end of its life. The question becomes how do you know, and then what are your options?
In this article I wanted to dive into the topic of replacing a salt lamp. I’ll explore some maintenance topics as well as the possibility of recycling or reusing your salt lamp in other ways.
When Should You Replace A Salt Lamp?
One indication that a salt lamp needs maintenance is if it no longer emits the same level of light as it did when it was new. The top two reasons this happens:
- The lamp gets a layer of dust or recrystallization – in this case, see our article entitled The Surprising Truth About Dirt on Himalayan Salt Lamps where we go into detail about salt recrystallization and give instructions for how to clean salt lamps (and candle holders).
- The bulb is nearing the end of it’s life – in this case, we give you tips for replacing your bulb, and even help explain how you would go about selecting a LED bulb to replace an incandescent bulb to fit the (usually) small size used in a salt lamp: Salt Lamps 101: How To Choose The Right Salt Lamp Light Bulb.
Other less frequent problems might include a salt lamp getting very wet, the cord/bulb socket holder getting damaged, or the lamp switch ceasing to function. One of these issues might be bad enough to consider just replacing the salt lamp.
Not only should you consider the lamp’s performance when deciding whether to get a new salt lamp, but also its aesthetic qualities. After all, many of these lamps are designed into beautiful and complex forms. Over time their shape can become misshapen from salt recrystallization, flaking or even deep cracking. If visual appeal is no longer pleasing with your current light source then it may be time for an upgrade!
The lifespan of a salt lamp can vary depending on the quality of the salt crystals and the conditions under which the lamp is used. If well maintained, salt lamps can last for decades – they just will need to have the bulb replaced occasionally.
Another thing is that if your salt lamp becomes saturated with water, it must be immediately replaced. To preserve its supposed healing properties and shape, the lamp should not come into contact with any moisture or wetness; doing so will cause it to slowly dissolve over time.
Do Salt Lamps Require Maintenance?
Salt lamps, being a natural product, require minimal maintenance to keep them functioning effectively. However, some simple things like cleaning your lamp and changing the bulb periodically are all that is needed.
Additionally, inspect the cords for fraying, verify that there isn’t any water damage on the fixture itself, and routinely check the salt crystal for signs of cracking or crumbling.
Salt is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs moisture from the air. If your salt lamp is exposed to humidity, the salt can recrystallize. This is what recrystallization looks like on a Himalayan Salt candle holder.
The Salt candle holder above did not get exposed to water (or sit in water). The white recrystallized salt occurred simply from ambient humidity in my office.
To preserve the beauty and efficacy of your salt lamp, keep it out of direct sunlight and heat sources. Heat and humidity variations can cause cracking or recrystallization in the salt crystals, which will eventuaully result in a change of appearance.
Can Salt Lamps Be Recycled?
Salt lamps are made from natural salt crystals and are considered a sustainable product. The salt crystals in salt lamps might be able to be used for non-culinary purposes. The base and wiring of the lamp may not be recyclable and would need to be disposed of properly.
So are there any options for recycling a salt lamp? While the salt in a salt lamp could technically be ground up and used in the kitchen, I don’t recommend it. Since a salt lamp doesn’t go through the same production processes and FDA approvals as food-grade salt, there is no way of telling exactly what you’d be ingesting. I wrote a whole article about Why You Shouldn’t Lick a Salt Lamp (Even if it’s Tempting) that goes into more detail about this.
Up-cycling your Salt Lamp
It’s also worth noting that recycling is not the only way to be sustainable, reusing or upcycling the salt lamp is also a good way. A couple of ideas I can think of:
- The salt block could be used as a diffuser for essential oils, especially if the block still looks nice. Some people believe that the salt still acts as an air purifier, even if the block is not being warmed by a bulb.
- A book end: a nice heavy salt block is great for propping up books in your book shelf.
- Flip it over and use it for a candle holder.
- If you really do want to grind it up or pulverize it with a hammer, it could serve as sidewalk deicer …
DIY Repair instead of Replacing a Salt Lamp
Depending on what the issue is, repairing a Salt lamp might be possible instead of replacing a salt lamp.
As mentioned before, bulb replacement in a salt lamp is fairly simple, and here is that link again for the bulb article: Salt Lamps 101: How To Choose The Right Salt Lamp Bulb.
I am starting to see a fair number of Himalayan Salt lamps available in thrift and consignment stores. Sometimes they are not very nice looking (they did get donated after all) but sometimes their bulbs and the lamp socket works perfectly fine.
Many salt lamp sockets just clip or sit in place – they aren’t fastened or screw into the wooden bottom. This makes it possible for some of them to be interchangeable between lamps.
The drilled holes in salt blocks can vary of course, but measure the diameter and depth of your lamp cavity. You might be able to continue using a lamp that you really love by getting the lamp socket from a thrift store. Or vice versa: maybe you find a great looking salt lamp that doesn’t light up, but you can use the socket from a lamp you already have that you don’t like as well.
Final Thoughts
Salt lamps are a great way to bring natural beauty and wellness into your home but eventually, you might need to consider replacing your salt lamp, or what your options are for repairing it.
