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How To Make a Simple Lava Lamp At Home

3,893,583 views October 29, 2013 1:51

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ChannelHowcast

In brief

You’ll create a colorful, bubbling lava lamp using common household items—great for a quick, hands-on science project that’s both fun to make and mesmerizing to watch. The process involves layering oil and water, adding food coloring and glitter, then triggering the reaction with an effervescent tablet or salt. Perfect for curious minds of all ages who enjoy playful experiments.

Key steps

  1. Rinse an empty plastic soda bottle thoroughly.
  2. Fill the bottle three-quarters full with vegetable or mineral oil.
  3. Add a few drops of food coloring and optional sequins or glitter.
  4. Break an Alka-Seltzer tablet into small pieces.
  5. Drop one piece into the bottle to start the bubbling effect.
  6. Add remaining tablet pieces until fully dissolved for continuous bubbles.
  7. Shake the bottle gently to form a single large oil glob, then illuminate with a flashlight.

Questions & answers

What can I use if I don’t have Alka-Seltzer?

Slowly add table salt to the mixture instead—it creates a similar bubbling effect.

How much oil and water should I use?

Fill the bottle three-quarters with oil, then add water until it’s nearly full.

Description from the creator

Full Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLALQuK1NDrhmmfheHCL…
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Want to try this project at home?
Food Color: amzn.to/1JVAwHb
Natural Vegetable Oil - 128 oz: amzn.to/1jeKlv7
Alka-seltzer Original Effervescent Tablets: amzn.to/1jeakSG
Craft Sequins, Mixed Colors and Sizes: amzn.to/1ht9Xm2
Headlamp Flashlight: amzn.to/1QbT2R6

Watch more How to Do Fun Tech & Science Projects videos:

Lava lamps are as easy to make as they are fun to look at.

Step 1: Rinse soda bottle
Empty and thoroughly rinse a large plastic soda bottle.

Step 2: Add oil
Pour vegetable or mineral oil into the bottle until it is three-quarters full.

Step 3: Fill with water
Fill the rest of the bottle with water.

Step 4: Add food coloring
Add several drops of the food color of your choice.

Tip
To make things more interesting, add sequins or glitter to the mixture.

Step 5: Break a tablet
Break an effervescent tablet (like Alka-Seltzer) into several small pieces.

Step 6: Drop one piece
Drop a piece into the bottle. Watch the oil begin to fall to the bottom and then rise in small droplets.

Step 7: Add the rest of the pieces
Continue adding the tablet pieces until they have all dissolved.

Tip
Don't have an effervescent tablet? Slowly pour table salt into the mixture to create the same effect.

Step 8: Move the bottle back and forth
Put the cap back on the bottle. Begin slowly moving the bottle back and forth in your hands until the oil droplets begin to form one big glob.

Step 9: Enjoy the show
Enjoy the show! To really bring out the colors of the blob, illuminate the bottle with a flashlight.

Did You Know?
In 2006, the town of Soap Lake, Washington, agreed to spend $100,000 to install the world’s largest lava lamp, which is 50 feet tall and had been on a billboard in New York City’s Times Square for several years.

About this tutorial

Howcast published this 1:51 video tutorial on October 29, 2013. It has been watched 3,893,583 times on YouTube.

Channel
Howcast
Duration
1:51
Published
October 29, 2013
Views
3,893,583
Likes
15,302

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