Popular in the eighties, Himalayan salt lamps are back in favour. And, not just at the local health food store. These beautiful glowing pink salt blocks can be found all over the place; from your doctor’s office to the local coffee shop, helping to clean the air for a better, healthier environment.
As a salt lamp absorbs water and particles from the air, it also takes positive ions with them. As the salt heats, it releases cleansed water vapour back into the air, while expelling negative ions. This, in turn, increases cilial activity in the lungs, which cleanses them.
If you’ve bought a Himalayan salt lamp for your home, you may be stumped about how to clean it. The answers are not straightforward.
The Careful Kid Glove Treatment
Purists insist that a salt lamp should never be washed, as its natural effect is one of self-cleansing. With its antibiotic properties, it does not need washing. However; if it gets too dusty, they suggest a slightly damp microfibre cloth to gently wipe away debris.
The Spit & Polish Process
On the flip side, the more radical salt lamp owners opt for a big bucket of cold water. Dunking their salt lamp a few times to wash off the dust before placing it in the sun to dry. The key here is to dunk, rather than submerge, and to use cold water, rather than warm. Salt will dissolve in water if left for any length of time.
Moisture Management
Salt lamps naturally draw moisture, so avoid displaying or storing them in wet areas, such as the bathroom or outdoors. When humidity is high, if your lamp feels damp, simply wipe it dry with a microfibre cloth or turn it on for a couple of hours to evaporate the moisture.
