How long does a Himalayan salt lamp last?
Well that sort of depends on what you are asking
Your Himalayan lamp is a large chunk of salt, hollowed out and given a lightbulb, cord and stand to turn it into a lamp. The salt itself has been around for millions of years so providing you don’t break it or submerge it in water it should last forever.
Salt lamps are heavy and don’t appreciate being dropped so bear this in mind when positioning your lamp especially if you have children or animals that might knock it over.
Himalayan salt lamps are very popular as nightlights for children due to the natural glow and potential air purification properties. But it’s a good idea to keep them low to the ground or completely out of reach if this is your plan.
As you know salt dissolves in water so you don’t want to submerge it, put it in the dishwasher or leave it outside in the rain. Salt lamps can get wet due to the humidity in the air which is a natural process.
Usually the heat of the lamp causes the water to evaporate leaving the salt behind and thus not reducing the size of the lamp. However, if you find yourself continually mopping up salty water this will have an effect over time.
This might be happening because you’ve not got your lamp lit for long enough, the air is too damp (more likely if you live in a humid area, during the winter in cold climates or in the kitchen or bathroom), or if you’re using an LED bulb that doesn’t get hot.
The non-salt components of your lamp
Although the salt part of your lamp should last a lifetime the likelihood is the rest of it won’t last so long and the electrical components will need to be occasionally replaced if you plan on keeping your lamp for decades.
The bulbs will need to be replaced and the type of bulb you are using and whether or not you have your salt lamp on 24/7 will influence how often this happens. And it’s worth thinking about this when you are choosing a salt lamp.
The electrical components can get damaged especially if they get wet so it’s well worth being vigilant to make sure this doesn’t happen. However, these can be replaced and you can give your salt lamp a new lease of life quite easily.
Cleaning your salt lamp can potentially take off a tiny bit of the salt but it would take a long time before you noticed any difference in size, and you could even scrape off a bit to season your food without significantly reducing the size of the lamp. You can find out more about keeping your salt lamp clean here.
