What Happens If You Shake A Lava Lamp | Is It a Matter of Concern?

You’ll probably see a lot of things in your lava lamp. You may see floating objects, and some will even be slightly colored. However, what happens if you shake a lava lamp? If you shake it extremely hard enough, the water from inside could come out and hit you in the face or break the lamp.

Also, did you know that the contents of a lava lamp can be completely different after being shaken? To learn further facts about shaking a lava lamp, read the whole article.

What Happens When You Shake A Lava Lamp?

The answer to this is straightforward: nothing dangerous until you shake extremely hard.

Usually, when you shake the lamp, it will produce a little more heat than usual. This may cause some of the wax inside to melt a little, creating some smoke and even some minor explosions. In these cases, nothing dangerous or harmful will happen in any way. Anyway, some more things can happen if you shake your lava lamp. We’re explaining them below.

• If you shake, the liquid of the lava lamp may change color or become cloudy. This is because some of the contents in the lamp are plastic, which can absorb water and swell. In such a condition, you’ll see the liquid move around more easily in the lamp, and it will appear to be changing color.

The contents of a lava lamp are usually clear, but sometimes they may turn cloudy. This could be caused by an oil-based substance that has absorbed water and swelled up.

• When you shake your lava lamp, some of its contents may come out and fall to the bottom. This is why some people prefer to use a lava lamp with a special base that allows them to keep the rest of their lava lamps in place without having to worry about shaking them too much.
• Sometimes a lava lamp can get so hot that it can burn you. If you’re close enough to touch the lamp or even just stand next to it, you could get seriously burned. Putting your hand into the lava lamp after extreme shaking and holding it there for 10 seconds means you’re actually touching the bulb at a temperature of 1300 degrees Fahrenheit or 700 degrees Celsius. That’s hot enough to burn your skin within seconds!
• Shaking a lava lamp can cause it to become covered in scum and gooey globs of lava. If you want to clean your lava lamp, try using a damp cloth or paper towel. You may need to use a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a small piece of cotton if scum and goo remain. Use caution when cleaning your lava lamp, as some parts may be hot.

Do Lava Lamps Explode?

Yes, lava lamps can explode when in use. The glass bowl inside the lava lamp may heat too quickly and cause it to explode.

Although this is very rare, it does happen from time to time. If your lava lamp explodes, you should empty all the remaining water out of the bowl and clean it thoroughly. Then, you need to put a new sheet of vermiculite or sand in the bottom of the bowl. Place your lamp back on top of that layer so that no water can come into contact with any other part of the lava lamp. You can also try putting something heavy on top of your lava lamp to prevent any further damage.

Sometimes lava lamps can explode if you drop them or hit them on the floor. If this happens, it will cause the glass tube to crack and shatter, which can be very dangerous to your health. A small amount of lava may leak out, but that’s all.

How Do You Fix A Shaken Lava Lamp?

The process of fixing a shaken lava lamp is simple. Just follow the below steps:

1. First, you will need to remove the glass globe from the base, which is a bit of a tricky process. You can do this by pulling on the base of the lamp and sliding it out.
2. There may be some tape holding it in place. Make sure this does not get stuck on any wires or cables connected to the lamp.
3. Once you’ve removed the glass globe, take a look at what caused it to shake. If it was because of an earthquake or other outside force vibration, then replace it with another one.
4. Now, reattach your wire harnesses so that your lights are back up and running again.

Can You Revive A Lava Lamp?

Yes, it is possible to revive a lava lamp. You should know that lava lamps are not made of glass and they are very fragile. But there are some ways to revive a lava lamp without breaking it into pieces.

1. Clean off the old oil and wax from the glass body of the lava lamp. Use warm water and soap to clean it off.

2. Put some new oil and wax into the lamp and shake it around until all the old oil has come off from the glass body of the lava lamp.

3. Put some new cotton or cloth balls into your lava lamp to make sure that there are no air bubbles inside your lamp when you turn on your flame.

4. Turn on your flame for about 5 minutes or until all of the wax has melted completely into the water mixture. This mixture will be used for cooling down your lava lamp later on. And, you can revive your lava lamp again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Shaking A Lava Lamp Ruin It?

The answer is no; shaking a lava lamp does not ruin it.

The reason a lava lamp has such a long lifespan is that it’s made from glass, and the glass doesn’t break when you shake it. The heating element that produces the light is made of steel and attached to the glass base.

What To Do If I Shake A Lava Lamp?

If you shake a lava lamp, the wax may fall out of the center, and the whole thing will be covered in the now-waxy substance. In this condition, it can be cleaned by rubbing it with a paper towel and warm water or by putting it in the microwave for 30 seconds. You can also put it in the dishwasher if you don’t want to bother with washing it by hand.

What Happens If You Break A Lava Lamp?

If the lava lamp is broken and the glass breaks, it can be catastrophic sometimes. The glass will likely break into many small pieces that can cause severe injury at most. Besides, the heat from the lava lamp can cause burns on the skin, especially if you are not wearing any protection for your skin.

Last Words

When the lava lamp is shaken, the beads inside begin to separate and take on a more distinct shape. Sometimes this means creating new layers within the lamp, while at other times, it results in beads that become elongated and form a vertical line. The subsequent motion of these moving beads creates liquid motion throughout the lamp’s interior, which certainly keeps it looking lively.