Revive a lava lamp with Epsom salt mixture experience
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- I picked up an old lava lamp at an estate sale. I was unsure of its age but I know it was at least 20 to 30 years old. Unfortunately the liquid was cloudy and the wax had separated. I tried to shake it hoping to mix it but it only became worse. I then researched how to fix it. When it was cold I drained the Liquid leaving all the wax in the bottom. I then turn on the light and allowed the wax to heat for several hours agitating by swirling like wine. I then used the Epsom salt mixture starting with one tablespoon in about a liter of water then poured in the lamp. I made a second mixture in a bowl with as much epsom salt as would dissolve in it. I then turned on the lava lamp allowed it to warm up and used the straw to add the concentrated mixture. When the lamp was too for I had to use the straw to siphon off to make Room and continue adding concentrated mixture until I got the movement I desired. After several days of cycling the lamp on and off the liquid did get slightly cloudy. This is a where I ended. I will be changing the liquid out again, starting over, but I'm happy with the result.
Duuuuddde, those are some nice buds in the background. Nuggets? All you need is a tasty wave and you'd be set. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
I see this is an older post. However, I personally tried sea salt and Epsom salt! My experience was not so great. It after time left the water cloudy and white spects that looked just nasty. A friend found a post online describing the use and a small starting point of distilled water and propylene glycol that I knew was fog juice for fog machines it is non-toxic and can also be purchased as food grade. In about 20% propylene glycol (LESS) and 80% distilled water, it stays CLEAR the wax moves after some practice like a brand new lamp. And since it is all liquid easy easy easy! No mixing and very little mess. The best for revitalizing an old lava lamp. I have used this on a newer lamp and an antique lamp that I have had as a gift from my children 35 ++ years ago, and it gave it new life.
I had found that material as the correct source. Unfortunately I didn't know about the fog juice. We actually had some at work I had to dispose of about a year ago. Great info for someone. I haven't even plugged my lamp in in over a year.
So you don’t put Epsom salts in at all?
@@munchkinheaven7877 I'd like to know that also
Since all you guys are in this particular thread, I'll share what I just recently learned from another youtuber that has about ten or more lava lamps and basicly refurbishes them. I'm very new to lava lamps, but I refurbish old things and all things,I'm 56 and have always wanted a lava lamp and only recently found one that someone discarded in the trash😀😀😁 It was actually laying on the lawn along with other household items that I was rescuing from the dump. Frozen on the lawn when I found it I was like wow a lamp ,cool I placed It on my front seat wrapped up in one of my jackets. Took it home thawed it out and it worked . So happy as a clam I was enjoying it one night and thought about if there was anything I needed to know ,special care or run time etc. The very first video I googled I found this guy, . So I guess I'm jumping the gun here cause I haven't even completely refurbished mine yet. But I have poured out all of the old milky water,left the wax and the metal spring at the bottom. I filled it with distilled water ,leaving about 2" from top and 1tsp of Epsom salt which I predissovled ... that's as far as I have gotten other than to dissolve more Epsom salt in a cup of water. About three or four tsp . Well I don't have the clear dish washing soap yet, I've been sicker than a dog, and I still have a touch of pneumonia. Anyway I don't want to have a tint ,other than the one I choose. But if I don't get to the store tomorrow I'll probably use my blue dawn ,then again not. So once I have my clear dishwasher soap ,next step is to turn on lamp, let sit for 2 hours then add a tsp of the salt water, let stand about another hour , and repeat...until the wax looks like a dome at the bottom then add one drop of the soap let go for about 15 minutes. Anyway that's the jift of it, I think he adds about two drops of soap all together. And then once you have it working like it should, add your choice of a drop of food coloring. Mine is exactly like this guy's, and the date on the lid says 1974 ,very cool ! The UA-cam video I found on this is called how ro refill lava lamps by Spats Bear . I hope this helps,, I'm sure the soap has the same chemical that the fog stuff has but I not a scientist lol☺
No epsom salts at all looks like. And the fireman cannot put a sentence together so I wouldn't trust what he says either.
Awesome slow and easy wins the race
I need to turn it on. She's been sitting unused almost 2 years.
So dump the water and pour in distilled water and slowly add epsom salt mixture? Is that how you do it?
And thank you for the video very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
I used Birthday candles and Sea salt for solidity with a small squirt of dish soup along with any left over wax I could save from original mix so now it's a trippy mixture of colors and replaced the Cap with one from a beer bottle just cause we'll it looked cooler lol I also went with 20 drops of Green food dye for water color
Did your candle wax melt? Seems like it would have a higher melting point than the lava lamp wax.
Glycerin or proplene glycol is better than Epsom salt. Epsom salt will cause corrosion of the coil.
“We’ll call it a turd shape” !!!!!!!xD
Was the water clearer the second time you did the mixture process?
@spudth. lol, the wax in our older lamp just sits at the top, so I'm wondering if it's our liquid, or the Wax is just dead.....
I bought another one from Amazon & that one sucks. It looks like a Blueberry Slushy (it's so cloudy) with a ''Hint'' of a small Darker Shade that floats to the top every once in a while.
***Now back to our old lamp. It's a 16.5'' model. Did you write down any measurements for the Epson Salt to add & the amount of Dish Soap...
Edit: Oops, I almost forgot, thanks for posting the video...MD.....
I'm going to revisit this when the weather changes. As to amount, I used the emperical method. Disolve as much epsom salt in a cup of distilled water and add a small amount at a time (waiting several minutes between) until results are achieved. I may buy a fluid instead of using epsom salts. Removing your wax, melting and mixing it may help but the fluid also needs changed or filtered. These things are finicky as ambient conditions affect their performance. I have a vintage glitter lamp that our 7 year oId granddaughter adores. If it gets left on too long all the glitter quits moving around.
(Can you do update video with new mixture or let me know how it worked) I have the exact same lava lamp. With the holes in the bottom, and red wax, nothing different, Mines doing some weird shit because it was stored in a shipping container for years and I need to do what you've done to yours but im not sure if my wax is salvageable, hopefully this fixes mine
Haven't touched it since then. Maybe over the next few months.
Try kosher salt I've heard it works better
I like the turd shape...lol. I have a new 27 inch grand that they replaced with a glitter one. I saved the grande thinking I would re do it also. So the wax looks clumpy and sticks to side etc...do. You think I should just pour out the water and replace it and just do what you did? How much soap did you use? Or better yet how to measure it? Also the epsom salt probably would be a lot more but I think I’m gonna try. Can’t really mess it up as it is already messed up. I think something happened to it in shipping.
Mine was really dirty and I think what I did was good but it needs to be done again. I used just 2 drops of regular soap. Didn't waste money on clear soap. Some suggest using propylene glycol, used in foods, but that can cost a few bucks. I used about a teaspoon in a liter. I then made a mixture of about a cup of distilled water with as much epsom salt as would dissolve into it. I added this a few drops at a time (maybe 20 mins apart) until it worked. I actually did it over days as I was locked down due to covid exposure last year.
@@spudth thanks for info I’ll let you know how it goes. What about the cap? Looks like a crimped type cap. Does it just push back on?
@@debbievan I thought that but mine was a screw on cap. I'm sure pushing a crimp cap back on is satisfactory..
Do you need to use distilled water?
Yes
Strange there were a lot of comments here that I never received notification for.
How can we fix bubbly lava lamp ?
I think you need to start from the beginning. Drain the water/fluid then heat the wax for a while to remove all water. Then reintroduce fresh distilled water with salt in it. As a first step you can try to re-use your fluid but it likely is cloudy or dirty. Best of luck.
Why add epsom salt or salt at all ?
Changes the water density allowing the wax to become buoyant and flow to the top
When you dump it out what do you refill it with
Distilled water and Epsom salt. You may need to run it a couple times as 5he wax will have debris that dirties the water.
@@spudth is the wax also a special solution
@@cursedfox4942 I'm sure it's a wax with a specific melting point. I left my wax in the lamp and drained the water. I might get back after it. I worked at this when I was quarantined on a precautionary basis. 2 weeks in my camper for no good reason.
HOW MUCH EPSON SALT TO A CUP OF WATER. A TEASPOON, A TABLESPOON OR A CUP? I'VE TRIED THIS THREE TIMES AND NOBODY GIVES THE SALT/WATER RATIO! WHY? 🤷♀️😩
Raechelyn Dawn- ( How to Refill Lava Lamps) this guy tells you in this video, This guy says 1 table spoon Epsom salt to 1 liter of water which should be distilled. good luck :)
NOTE TO SPUDTH: "Don't Go Into Sales." Informative, great pix, insightful. BUT--No real commitment, conclusion drawn, path outlined. "Hmm It kinda worked, could be better, I'm gonna try something else and get back 2 you."?! I am vaguely farther than when I got here. And- Did adding MASS amounts instead of miniscule work?? I still don't know.. But thx for trying