Lava Lamps FAQ
All Lava Lamps
Mathmos have been manufacturing high-quality lava lamps in Britain since 1963 and provide a comprehensive range of spare parts. Our unique lava formulation offers a superior flow, longer life, clearer liquid, and the most vivid colours. We operate to the highest safety standards and build quality, and several independent bodies audit us.
Mathmos have been manufacturing high-quality lava lamps in Britain since 1963 and provide a comprehensive range of spare parts. Our unique lava formulation offers a superior flow, longer life, clearer liquid, and the most vivid colours. We operate to the highest safety standards and build quality, and several independent bodies audit us.
The metal spring is an essential component in any lava lamp. This should be found at the bottom of the bottle. If this becomes dislodged, please run the lava lamp for up to six hours. This process may need to be repeated.
This is how a lava lamp works. These stalagmite shapes are the early stage of the warming-up process. Please leave the lava lamp on for longer, and this will start to melt and form moving lava shapes.
Mathmos lava lamp bottles are made by hand, so there may be small variations in the colour. The appearance of colours can vary under different lighting conditions. For reference, our photography will usually display products in a lighter environment.
Don’t worry. Whilst some halogen bulbs are being phased out for lighting purposes. Mathmos uses compliant halogen bulbs to heat and light its lava lamps. We also have alternative ways of powering our iconic lamps should there be any further changes to the regulations in the future. We are committed to ensuring that our lava lamps stay out of landfill and spares will be available on an ongoing basis.
Mathmos lava lamp bottles last for approximately 2,000 hours. The life of the bulbs can vary depending on usage as halogen bulbs are very delicate. Replacement bulbs and bottles are available to purchase from our website.
Most lava lamps can be used for up to six hours at a time, except for the Candle range (maximum 4 hours) and the Saturn Giant lava lamp (maximum 12 hours).
This will vary per model. The Mathmos logo will either appear on the base, cap, or the label on the lead. In most cases, it will be etched onto the bottle.
Mathmos lava lamp bottles are manufactured in one of the highest quality automated bottling factories in Great Britain. Small bubbles in the glass are a normal part of the manufacturing process and are not a fault.
The lava lamp has overheated. It may have been on too long (more than 6 hours). Alternatively, the placement may be unsuitable, such as near a heater or window. Please turn off the lamp and allow it to cool. Reposition your lava lamp to a suitable placement between 20 and 24 degrees.
Lava lamps can become cloudy for two reasons; either they have been shaken or moved whilst hot, or the bottle has reached the end of its life (approximately 2,000 hours). This is often irreparable. Run the bottle a few times to see if this improves the situation. If the bottle does not clear you can purchase a replacement bottle for your lava lamp.
Over time the dye in the lava liquid will fade, particularly if positioned in direct sunlight. Contact our customer service team if your lamp is still under warranty and the instructions were followed. You can purchase a new bottle if your lava lamp is no longer under warranty.
Mathmos has offered a huge number of lava colourways in its long history, but sadly it is not possible to keep every colour in stock. Please choose from our current range. We cannot offer a custom refill service on an ongoing basis. However, please sign up to our mailing list and social media channels as we occasionally offer limited special fills.
We do not offer lava lamp bottle refills. Lava lamp bottles are sealed units and should not be tampered with for safety reasons. Do not attempt to top up the liquid as this will void the warranty and could lead to overfilling and increased pressure on the glass as the liquid expands. We do not sell the liquids separately, but you can buy a new bottle and its professionally filled contents from the Mathmos website.
Small bubbles in the lava are normal, particularly when you first receive the lamp. As you use the lamp over time, the bubbles will reduce.
First, try using the lava lamp a few times and monitor the wax; this should join the rest of the contents. Contact our customer service team if this does not occur, and the instructions were followed. Please consider purchasing a new bottle if your lamp is no longer under warranty.
There should be nothing in the bottle besides lava, liquid and a metal coil. Sometimes you may notice darker specs in the lava as it is flowing. As each batch is individually made, varying amounts of dye particles can sometimes be observed in the lava. These will often fade over time and are not considered a fault. Please contact our customer services here if you see anything else in your bottle.
Why not purchase replacement parts? You can find spares for most models of Mathmos lava lamps from the 1960s to the present day on our website. If you must recycle the unit, please take your unit to your nearest household recycling centre, which specialises in recycling electrical waste.
The formulation has improved since the 1960s making our lamps less likely to cloud in the heat or freeze in the cold. However, we have not changed the formula in many years.
Check your bulb is working and is the correct wattage. Check you have positioned the lamp away from drafts, air conditioning or a window. Try the lamp in a new position in the room. Make sure the room is at least 20 degrees centigrade. The lamp will take longer to warm up the first few times; run the lamp for 4-6 hours each time. If you have an older base check the correct light source is fitted: see our bulb section for the possible bulbs. Check there is a coil at the bottom of the bottle.
The bottle should be cleaned with a glass cleaner and a cloth. The base and cap are either Aluminium or Zinc (depending on the lamp you own) so please use recommended products. If in doubt just use a soft cloth. Do not use abrasive cleaning products as this can irreparably damage the lamp.
Mathmos lava lamp bottles are sealed units and so we do not sell the screw cap separately, but you can buy a new filled Mathmos bottle.
Dispose of as much of the liquid and lava that you can remove from the floor. Then use recommended cleaning methods for removing coloured water and wax specific to your floor type.
There have been many small changes in the manufacture of Mathmos lava lamps over the long production period. Dating lava lamps is not something we can do for you. To begin this process, you might visit one of the specialist sites, such as www.flowoflava.com.
Most lava lamps should start working within one hour to an hour and a half from being switched on. First, they will form stalagmite shapes before the liquid lava formations. Please note that new bottles may take longer to heat up when new (up to three hours), but the time taken is expected to decrease after several uses.
Mathmos bottles are supplied with a lip that runs around the bottom of the bottle to ensure they sit straight in the base. When the bottle is placed on a base, it should fit securely, although it will still be possible to move the bottle from side to side, and a shadow gap may be visible. There have been many bottle and base size variations over time, so it may be possible with some much older products that a new bottle does not fit in the base.
Please check that your bulb is working. You can purchase a new bulb here. Alternatively, please check the integrity of the fuse located in the plug.
Some lamps have a shadow gap between the base and the bottle; this is normal.
Candle Range
Candle-powered lava lamps should start flowing within twenty minutes after lighting. First, they will form stalagmite shapes before the liquid lava formations. Please note that new bottles may take longer to heat up; the time taken is expected to decrease after several uses.
Candle-powered lava lamps should start flowing within twenty minutes after lighting. First, they will form stalagmite shapes before the liquid lava formations. Please note that new bottles may take longer to heat up; the time taken is expected to decrease after several uses.
The larger tea lights with a height of 15 mm work best. Tea lights can differ in flame height, heating ability and wick length. If you have a lower tea light, you could try and raise its height by placing a coin underneath.
Yes. Like any unprotected candlelight, you will need a place with no wind.
Firstly, please read the instructions carefully. Following any points that are relevant for all tea lights.
DO NOT: leave unattended, leave on when going to sleep, use water to put out the flame, let debris (like part of a match) sit in the tea light, position near anything flammable, touch or move when lit, position near drafts, vents, children, or pets.
When the bottle is placed on a base, it should fit securely, although it will still be possible to move the bottle from side to side, and a shadow gap may be visible.
All Ages Range
Once your product has completely cooled, use the Allen key provided to unscrew and remove the back screw (keep these components safe). Holding the bottle and arm piece carefully, lift and remove the bottle and arm piece from the base. Carefully take the arm piece off the bottle. When installing the bulb, please only fit the correct type, as stated in the label on the base. You can install this by gently pushing them into the holder socket. Following a successful bulb change, please follow the instructions given previously in reverse to reassemble your lamp.
Once your product has completely cooled, use the Allen key provided to unscrew and remove the back screw (keep these components safe). Holding the bottle and arm piece carefully, lift and remove the bottle and arm piece from the base. Carefully take the arm piece off the bottle. When installing the bulb, please only fit the correct type, as stated in the label on the base. You can install this by gently pushing them into the holder socket. Following a successful bulb change, please follow the instructions given previously in reverse to reassemble your lamp.
Most lava lamps should start working within one hour to an hour and a half after they have been switched on. First, they will form stalagmite shapes before the liquid lava formations. Please note that new bottles may take longer to heat up (up to three hours), but the time taken is expected to decrease after several uses.
The only suitable lava lamps for children are the Mathmos Neo table range. The Neo lava lamp was developed with children in mind, so as well as looking stylish, it is also shatterproof, has fixture points, does not get too hot, and is screwed together as a secure unit. The lamp has also passed stringent safety checks required to be classified as child-safe, something no other lava lamp in the UK has a classification for. We recommend all other lava lamps be placed well out of reach of children under 14 years old.
The product must adhere to a stringent criterion to achieve this. For example, the bulb should not be accessible without a tool, it must be low voltage (not mains voltage), it must be very stable, it must have a shatterproof coating on the glass, the bottle must be fixed to the base, and it must not be too hot.
No. Neo has a unique formulation different from other bottles. This would overheat if used with other models. Contrastingly, Astro Baby and Telstar bottles will run slowly or not at all if used with the Neo.
The bottle has a shatterproof coating to help hold the glass together should this be dropped and broken. In this worst-case scenario, additional bottles are available to be purchased.
Once your product has completely cooled, use the Allen key provided to unscrew and remove the back screw (keep these components safe). Holding the bottle and arm piece carefully, lift and remove the bottle and arm piece from the base. Carefully take the arm piece off the bottle. Reverse this process to install the new bottle.
It is important to install the cap and rear arm element on top of the bottle before you position these on the base. Please see the ‘Instructions’ tab for detailed assembly guidelines on the relevant product page.
Yes, this is normal.
Yes. They do vary a little, and this can be normal.
Under no circumstances must the Neo Wall be installed in this way. The Neo Wall lava lamp is a low voltage (class III) product and must be connected to the included power supply to function safely and correctly.
A slight delay before the light comes on is normal with halogen bulbs. This is not considered a fault.
Evo
No, only use bottles bought within the last two years. Older bottles may sit too near the candle.
No, only use bottles bought within the last two years. Older bottles may sit too near the candle.
Please wait 24 hours before using Evo. The bottle needs to warm to room temperature before use. A sudden temperature change could cause the bottle to crack.
The bottle will take 45 minutes to 1 hour to flow depending on ambient conditions.
Tealights differ in flame height, heating power and wick length. The larger tealights with a height of 15 mm work best. If you have a lower tea light you could try and raise its height by placing a coin under the tea light.
Only use Telstar or Baby bottles bought from Mathmos in the last two years. Neo bottles have a plastic coating that will melt, and older Telstar and Baby bottles may sit too near the candle.
Yes, but like any unprotected candle, you need a place with no wind.
No, these bottles are not suitable for use with this product.
It can be positioned anywhere however, keep away from flammable objects and do not move when lit.
No, it has only been designed for use with a tealight.
We would not recommend these types of candles for this product.
These are hand pressed from molten glass, so each piece is unique. This is a natural and unavoidable part of the manufacturing process.
Please trim the wick of the tea light to 0.5cm and point it upwards before lighting.
Long wicks can occasionally cause flaring of the flame that could affect the bottle.