Cleaning Your Vape for the Best Performance
One in five Americans today vape on a regular basis. Vaping serves as one way to kick a tobacco habit, and quite a few individuals find this is the only way they have succeeded in giving up smoking for good. The boost in vape culture along with the low cost associated with this activity help to explain why countless individuals use vapes.
However, these same individuals likely don’t clean the vape properly. Doing so remains an important part of vape ownership, as the vape coils and other components of the device get dirty with use. Cleaning the vape ensures a tasty experience that lives up to the user’s expectations. This holds true regardless of what device is being used.
Don’t be intimidated. Taking the vape apart to clean it frightens many, but it shouldn’t. Once a person does this task once or twice, they feel confident cleaning the unit whenever it’s needed and find their vaping experience benefits in every way. IndeJuice provides additional information on how to clean a vape, but the following serves as a basic overview of the process.
The Importance of Cleaning a Vape
New vapers wonder why the vape needs to be cleaned. However, removing any debris that has built up in the device allows for more flavor with each drag of the mouthpiece. Gunge builds up in the mouthpiece of the device, which many people would find unappealing if they saw it. Sadly, some vapers discover their device needs a good cleaning when they go to remove this gunge from their tongue.
The tank and mouthpiece of the vape serve as perfect breeding grounds for bacteria and germs. When the user draws from the vape, the germs and bacteria may make their way into the body right along with the vapor. Prevent this from happening and do a thorough cleaning of the vape components regularly. However, it never hurts to wash the mouthpiece daily to avoid issues.
Strongly flavored e-liquids often leave a part of themselves behind in the tank. They adhere to the coils and affect every flavor used in the tank after them. Experienced vapers refer to this problem as flavor ghosting, which is more common than many people realize. Cleaning the device ensures this becomes less of an issue. However, this is only one way a strongly flavored e-liquid can impact the device performance. This sugar coating on the coils also results in the coil burning out sooner than it should. The coating may also make its way into other parts of the device and negatively impact its overall performance.
Cleaning the vape device saves the user money. There’s no need to replace the coils as often as many people do. With a good cleaning, the coils will last longer and the entire experience will be better. People may be tempted to give up on vaping as they feel they are spending too much on this activity. However, with proper care of their device, they can keep costs down while still enjoying an activity they love. Take the time to clean the device today and see how it changes your experience for the better. One good cleaning is enough to encourage users to complete this task as part of their regular vaping activities.
Cleaning the Tank
However, the cleaning process needs to start with the tank. This component collects residue from every e-liquid it has contained. The residue negatively affects the appearance of the tank while influencing other flavors used in the future. For instance, a person might use a cherry-flavored vape juice this week and switch to one with a hint of lemon and lime the following week. Combining the three flavors often doesn’t result in a pleasant taste, but that’s exactly what happens when the tank isn’t cleaned after using the cherry-flavored vape juice. A hint of it remains and combines with the new juice flavors.
Cleaning the tank takes very little time and effort on the part of the owner. Pour warm water into a bowl and unscrew the tank from the battery. Remove the coil from the tank and set it off to the side for cleaning. The tank needs to be stripped down to the glass and o-rings. These o-rings seal the tank to ensure the liquid doesn’t leak. Most people don’t know how to strip the tank, but they need to learn this skill. It will come in handy countless times throughout your time as a vaper.
Using dish soap, clean the tank components in the warm water. When they are clean, dry them using a lint-free cloth or a paper towel. Upon completion of this step, allow the components to air dry an additional 30 minutes before reassembling the tank.
If the tank has stubborn stains that soap and water won’t remove, alcohol may be sued to remove them. However, make certain the alcohol used is appropriate for human consumption. Nobody wants to make themselves sick while trying to prevent illness. Many people purchase vodka for this purpose, as it is very effective at removing glycerin residue. Pour the vodka onto a paper towel or rag and wipe the tank. After using the alcohol, rinse the tank and complete the steps listed above.
Cleaning the Coils
After cleaning the tank, it’s time to move on to the coils. They take more time and effort to clean, as they have delicate components. Don’t assume simply because they are made of metal, they are less fragile. However, cleaning them remains an essential task if you want the best flavor from your vape. By cleaning the vapes, you’ll find you can extend their lifespan. Nevertheless, a coil that is completely black and full of gunk should simply be pitched. It’s not worth the time and effort it will take to clean. Purchase new ones instead.
Cleaning the coils requires they be removed from the tank. Once this has been done, soak them in vinegar or vodka for a few hours, as this allows the liquid to remove the baked-on gunk’s. Once this period has passed, remove the coils from the liquid and rinse them repeatedly. Many people choose to use distilled water for this purpose. Make certain to rinse them thoroughly or an unpleasant taste may be left behind to interfere with vape juice flavors. Allow the coils to dry naturally. They absorb liquid, which explains why the process of air drying takes time. If you wish to speed up the process, try putting them in the sun for a few hours to allow nature to assist the process.
Cleaning Rebuildable Coils
Individuals with an RTA or RDA vape must make cleaning of the coils a priority, as they do become dirty. One way to clean the coils if you are only dealing with some juice on the coil is to remove the wicks before doing a dry burn. When gunk appears on the coils, however, the task becomes more involved.
Place the coil in running water and use a toothbrush to remove any gunk or buildup present. Specialized tools help with this task but aren’t necessary. When the gunge is no longer present, dry burn the coil, as this evaporates any remaining water. Dish soap helps if the coil is extremely dirty, but make certain to rinse the coil repeatedly to remove any traces of the soap before you dry burn the coil.
The Exterior
Countless individuals focus on cleaning the individual components inside the vape device while completely overlooking the exterior. However, if you stop to think about it, the exterior often gets dirtier than the inner parts. Imagine every place your hands have been and what germs you may have picked up. These germs transfer to the vape device every time you use it. For this reason, the exterior of the vape should be cleaned daily and more often if you have come into contact with a known surface with germs.
Some people simply wipe the exterior of the device and assume that is enough. However, you may want to take an antibacterial wipe and clean the outside of the vape to ensure all germs are removed. Take care not to come into contact with the interior components of the vape, as you don’t want the cleaning solution to transfer to these parts and make their way into your body.
If nothing else is available, use a paper towel or napkin to wipe down the device. In addition, if the device has leaked vape juice, take extra time to remove it, as the liquid residue tends to be sticky. The device exterior then becomes a magnet for anything that wants to stick to it.
Very few people say they enjoy cleaning their vape device. However, doing so offers many benefits that cannot be overlooked. Don’t waste money buying a new device or coils simply because you don’t want to take on this task. Once you have cleaned the vape a few times, it becomes second nature. You’ll finish the job in no time at all and enjoy the vaping experience more. This makes the time and effort you invested worth it in the long run.
