Fire in a teacup

Fire in a steam inhaler rather. So yours truly is down with a nasty cold; and a sore throat to boot. Yesterday morning I decide to do something about it. Salt water gargles and inhale steam ie.
So I heat some water in a vessel on the stove, pour some into my favorite teddy bear glass, tip a teaspoonful of salt into it, and start gargling. Ouch - too hot - tip some hot water back into the vessel (beeeg mistake) pour some cold water into the glass and go on gargling.
Next I get to the steamer. Since the water is already hot in the vessel, I decide to add that to the steamer (which otherwise takes a full 10 min to start steaming). Plug it in, and turn it on.
Aanndd FLASH! and flash again - inside the water even!. /me really wonders wotsup.
Turns out that the salt from my gargling water is the culprit. This is getting to be a chemistry lesson even.
Basically: water + salt + heat + electricity leaking from the heating element == flashes inside the water!
How kewl is that.
So heck I did turn off the steamer immediately and threw out the offending water. I pour in regular water, wait 10 min, an voila, I am back in business.
PS: I gotta replace the heating element on that steamer - but it works just fine. I know it leaks a bit of current - but that never hurt anyone, did it? ;)