Salt lamps have been in the market for quite a long time now. They aren’t exactly new products by any means. Although their designs and usage styles have been changing over the years, their benefits stay pretty much the same.
- Salt Lamps are beautiful to look at from an aesthetic standpoint especially when turned on
- Himalayan Salt Lamps can provide ease with many allergies like asthma, breathing problems and many others
- Himalayan salt is a natural air purifier cleansing the air you breathe naturally
- The natural ambiance and glow it provides cannot be replicated with other table lamps
- These are also cheap and very affordable offering great benefits in return
Yet, there are many warnings and misconceptions looming around salt lamps made from Himalayan salt. However, when you dig a bit deep into the matter, the picture becomes a lot clearer. Most mistakes, warnings or risks with these lamps are more connected to the way they are manufactured.
Read below to find out how some of the risks and warnings are attributed to these salt lamps:
Possibility of Salt Lamps Catching Fire
From the offset, the answer to salt lamps possibly catching fire questions is yes. As most things that deal with electricity can, so can salt lamps. These have a working and turned on lightbulb inside of them.
A proper electricity wire runs from your wall outlet into the lightbulb inside. When treated irresponsibly with not the right kinds of wires and materials, fire is a hazard that can come.
Home Décor Store Michaels in 2017, had to recall no less than 80,000 Lumière brand salt lamps from the market. The problem with these was in the manufacturing of their electricity circuits. The dimmer switches did not meet US Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC) laws. These were thus deemed as potential fire hazards posing shock and burning up risks.
Reported and affected models of this situation included:
- Rock of Gibraltar Lamp — UPC 00886946056253 — SKU 495144
- Carnival of Lights — UPC 00886946058325 — SKU 495433
- Basket of Rocks — UPC 00886946056277 — SKU 495146
Although there were no reported injuries that occurred before the recall, the company still had to go through the procedure. Important take from this whole debacle is that it was not the salt lamps that were prone to catching fire. Rather, it was the inner electrical circuit and boards used in them.
Yet, this natural salt lamp warning is important and reminds manufacturers what can go wrong. When buying, customers should also only consider lamps that are equipped with US certified wires and mechanisms. Dimmer switches need special attention if they are there on your selected lamps.
Warning of Lightbulb Being in Contact with the Salt Surface
The natural shape of all salt lamps whether they are USB Salt Lamps or any other ones has lightbulbs glowing inside them. A piece of Himalayan salt surrounds the lightbulb fully. What should not happen is that lightbulb actually touching the rock salt surface.
When it does, moisture can drip onto the lightbulb fitting short-circuiting the whole thing once again. This can go back to fire hazard again but in most cases, the circuit simply dies off with the moisture. However, this warning should only apply to poorly made salt lamps.
American made Himalayan salt lamps and even most Pakistani made ones don’t suffer this problem. Chinese imported Himalayan salt also gets turned into lamps and are usually the source of such problems. Pakistani makers usually ensure completely hollowed out salt rocks with US approved cords.
Also, a well-designed salt lamp with authentic materials and cords should last a really long time. Saving only a few bucks on ones that might be made from cheap materials is not recommended at all.
Toxic Warning for Himalayan Salt Lamps – Pets and Humans
Salt lamps made from Himalayan rock salt are natural air purifiers. These release negative ions in the air making it much more salty and heavier. Sticking with the dust particles in your rooms, these ions bring all the dust down.
People often think of them as potential toxic warnings after they see dust lying around on various surfaces. Their own surfaces can also look different and possibly toxic after a short period of usage. Although all that dust is already there in the room.
Other than that, a cleaned-out surface of a salt lamp can even be licked. Not that we recommend that at all. Even your pets or kids can lick it a few times only to leave them be with the too much salty taste. Afterall, it is just that similar salt you use in cooking all the time just unprocessed.
Thing to learn with these is that they are not toxic at all and only help purify the air. You need to dust off their surfaces and your room furniture and floors to keep everything perfect. Nothing toxic about them at all in any stretch of imagination.
Salt Lamp Warnings for Small Children
Salt lamp opposers often come up with their warnings for small children. In actual fact, these can be quite large and heavy at times. And you do need them in hefty sizes and weights in order to have much purified air to breathe.
Small children are known to knock and topple things over. Some naughty ones even commit the crime of pulling on their cords and wires. When done too much, their wires can eventually come out and be electricity hazards for small children. Also, their weight can be quite painful when falling on any body part of your children.
However, this is also no fault on part of the salt lamp themselves but in their usage. Naturally, you would want to keep anything that might be a hazard away from children. Placing your salt lamps too close to the ground or on levels they can easily reach becomes as much of a hazard as anything else.
In a home with kids, you are much better off using USB salt lamps or placing them at high levels. Shelves, high tables and other places that might be out of their reach will eliminate this warning.
Any Negative Effects and Warnings You Should Really Worry About?
In its true application, Himalayan salt does release particles into the air that help with air purification. When you place them at the right risk-free positions and also clean them properly, they can be quite beneficial.
Ideally, you’d want to keep them switched on at all times. Since they are very low voltage lightbulbs inside, not much harm will come to your electricity bills. It would however stop toe bit of sweating that can occur on the surface of natural salt.
Some people also argue that salt lamps can be a cause of headaches and also migraines. However, their actual effect proven scientifically is the exact opposite. With no blue light coming of them, their gentle amber glow and also allergy cleaning abilities from the air help them fight headaches and migraines.
People with certain allergies like asthma and other breathing problems have reported much better times. When in presence of natural Himalayan salt lamps asthmatic patients have had to use their inhalers much less. Aside from your cat or child licking it too many times and having too much sodium intake, these are safe.
In fact, there have been no reports of negative effects with salt lamps of any kind. Himalayan rock salt converted into lamps are beautiful to look at and provide many benefits.
Himalayan Salt Lamps are Completely Safe
Till yet, there have been no reported cases of any major harms caused by the lamps themselves. By having them placed right and cleaned every so often, you can enjoy their many benefits. There is actually no specific danger or warning with these.
All there is can be some safety issues that can be taken care of with responsible handling.
Best Case Scenario: You buy a natural salt lamp made from Himalayan salt and place it on your table or shelf. It cleans the air purifying it from many allergies. You sleep much easier and feel healthy while the lamp looks great in your setting.
Worst Case Scenario: You spend as little as $30 on a quality salt lamp. It doesn’t do any of its supposed functions and you feel the same as you did before. Still, you get a damn good-looking table or shelf lamp for your beautiful interiors. Everybody wins.