Besides their visual appeal, salt lamps are said to offer several health benefits, one of them being air purification. But do they really help eliminate indoor air pollutants or is the claim simply pure marketing puffery?
Hygroscopic Properties
Salt lamps use Himalayan pink salt, which is hygroscopic. For that reason, the lamps are assumed to purify the air because they attract and capture water vapor along with the pollutants it's carrying from the air. While this may be true, it's important to note that the salt quickly becomes saturated with water and stops attracting more moisture from the air.
For the pink salt to keep absorbing more water, it would need to be dried out with intense heat. There's isn't any scientific evidence to show that the lamps get sufficiently hot for them to absorb a significant amount of water vapor from the air.
Air Ionization
A big selling point of salt lamps is their alleged ability to release negative ions into the air. Negatively-charged ions are reported to possess mood-enhancing effects as well as offer protection against airborne irritants. However, research has shown that the negative ions released by the salt lamp are barely measurable because they're too low.
Alternatives
There's no scientific proof of salt lamps having the ability to purify your home's air. Fortunately, there are several proven solutions you can utilize to boost your indoor air quality:
Invest in an air purifier that has been proven to remove indoor contaminants like mold spores, viruses, bacteria, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Clean your heating and cooling system regularly.
Install germicidal lights inside your HVAC system to kill microorganisms and purify the air before it's distributed throughout your home.
Use cleaning products that don't contain high levels of VOCs.
While a salt lamp may not provide any significant air purification, it will definitely spruce up your home decor. For more information on how to improve your home's air quality, contact Air Assurance. We offer a full range of indoor air quality products to homeowners in the Broken Arrow area.