Q&A for How to Make a Lava Lamp with Household Ingredients

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Can I use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil for the temporary lava lamp?

Community Answer

Sure, coconut or olive oil would work just as well.

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Question

Could I do it without food coloring? Would that just cause it to not have color?

Community Answer

Yes, you can make it without food coloring and it will not change the lava lamp in any way other than the color.

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Question

Does it have to be a soda or water bottle, or can it be any liquid holder?

Community Answer

As long as it has a lid and is perfectly sealed then you can use any bottle you want.

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Question

How does the permanent lava lamp work?

Community Answer

The heat from the light makes the "lava" rise, and as it cools near the top, it will sink again.

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Question

How long does the temporary lava lamp last? I was thinking about using nail polish bottles.

Aislin Paton

Community Answer

It lasts a few minutes. A way to keep it going is to add salt after it finishes.

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Question

What can I use instead of oil?

Community Answer

You need some type of oil, but you could experiment with different kinds.

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Question

How do I make a permanent lava lamp with only kitchen materials?

Community Answer

Follow the steps in method 2 for making a permanent lava lamp.

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Question

Why is my baby oil rising to the top instead of the alcohol?

Community Answer

You need to make the density of the oil greater than that of the alcohol. Thin it down with a couple of drops of solvent, such as turpentine or paint thinner. To make it more dense, you would add salt.

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Question

Can I make a permanent one?

Seporah

Community Answer

Yes, the instructions are above. :)

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Question

Can I just use food coloring to color my lava lamp?

Community Answer

Yes, but only to color the water.

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Question

Can I use salt to make a lava lamp?

Community Answer

Yes, it can be a replacement if you have no Alka Seltzer tablets.

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Question

Do I have to put a candle under it to make it a permanent lava lamp?

Community Answer

Nope! A candle or low watt bulb will work. Just make sure the bulb isn't too hot. You want the lava to flow properly and want to avoid breaking the glass.

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Question

Can I put food coloring in a permanent lava lamp?

Community Answer

Yes, but it is a little harder to do. Maybe try it on your second or third lamp.

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Question

Can I use water for my lava lamp instead of alcohol?

Community Answer

Nope, it won't have the same density as alcohol. Try to find something with the same density of alcohol and similar chemical properties so you don't accidentally make the jar explode.

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Question

How long does a temporary lava lamp last?

Community Answer

About 1 hour, but it depends on how much salt you put in.

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Question

Do I have to use food coloring?

Community Answer

You don't have to if you don't have any. In the permanent one, you can see there's no food coloring. The light will make it better for you to see the bubbles.

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Question

Can I use baking soda for the temporary lamp?

Community Answer

Alka-Seltzer is made of baking soda and citric acid. The two combine to make the chemical reaction that makes bubbles. Baking soda alone won't give you the same effect.

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Question

How long does a temporary lava lamp last?

Community Answer

This lasts a few minutes. A way to keep it going is to add salt after it finishes.

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Question

Can I use water instead of alcohol?

Community Answer

It won’t have the same density, and it won’t work. Try and find a substitute with the same density.

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Question

Can I make a permanent lava lamp with food coloring?

Community Answer

Yes, but it’s harder to do. Maybe try it on your second or third lamp. You could also use artist’s oil paint to get color, but it might get stuck at the bottom or the top.

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Question

Can I use any type of salt when making a lava lamp?

Community Answer

We did just normal cooking salt, and we tried the tablets. The tablets didn’t work any differently.

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Question

Can I use any type of oil or can I use salt?

Community Answer

You need to have some sort of oil. On the temporary one, when it's done, add salt to make it keep going for a bit longer.

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Question

Can I use sunflower oil instead of vegetable oil?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. Any oil works as long as they are less dense than water. Olive and sesame oil work as well.

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Question

On the permanent one, can I use food coloring?

Riley Robinson

Community Answer

Yes, if you would like, but only on the inside, so you can see the mixture. If you have a lightly colored jar (like stained glass) you could use that.

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Question

How do I make a lava lamp without food coloring or Alka-Seltzer?

Riley Robinson

Community Answer

You could use Method 2: Make a Permanent Lava Lamp. It doesn't include Alka-Seltzer and you don't HAVE to use food coloring.

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