How to Clean a Vape

Have you ever wished you could bottle that brand-new vape feeling and somehow preserve the excitement of powering up a sleek, shiny, and perfectly performing device for the first time? While we might not be able to recreate that exact experience every time you vape, what we can do is teach you how to keep your vape working just as well – and looking just as fantastic – as it did on day one.

It all comes down to learning how to clean a vape the right way.

Why a Clean Vape Equals a Happy Vaper

Cleaning a vape is a pretty simple process that requires a minimal amount of time, but it delivers big results in terms of device performance. 

Reasons to keep your vape clean include:

• Improved flavor quality/maximum flavor on every hit
• Less risk of unpleasant flavor “mixing”
• Less gunk build-up
• Reliable performance for a longer period of time

If you aren’t cleaning your vape on a regular basis, you’re probably noticing an unfortunate decrease in the flavor quality of your favorite e-liquids. As the leftover e-liquid accumulates in a vape tank, it turns into a thick “sludge” that coats the tank’s interior, your coil, and even the wick. The next time you heat up your vape with a new flavor, all of that old, congealed liquid is reheated and mixed with the fresh juice – and you end up tasting a strange blend of flavors. 

Regularly cleaning your vape is one of the best ways to extend its lifespan and avoid frustrating issues. Like any piece of equipment, a vape can wear down far more quickly when it’s not being maintained. Look at it this way: if you never changed the oil in your car, you wouldn’t exactly be surprised if it broke down, right? The same is true for your vape set-up.

You can save some serious cash, sidestep common vape problems, and get the maximum enjoyment out of your vaporizer – so, you can see why a solid vape cleaning routine is so essential.

How to Clean a Vape Tank

Generally, anytime you talk about cleaning vapes, you’re primarily referring to cleaning the tank. Even though the rest of the device can always benefit from a quick wipe-down, it is the tank (and your vape coils) that should be at the top of your to-do list.

Basic Vape Tank Cleaning

1. First, fill a bowl with clean, warm water. You can also add a few drops of regular dish soap for extra cleaning power.
2. Detach the tank from your vape mod/battery component. 
3. Dump out any remaining e-liquid in the tank.
4. Disassemble the tank, making sure to pay attention to how the components fit together so that you can reassemble later. (Tip: It can be helpful to take a quick photo of the fully assembled tank, just so you have a reference in case you need it later). 
5. Place the tank parts in the bowl of warm water, using it to wash them until they are clean. If there are some stubborn spots you can’t quite get clean, a soft toothbrush can do the trick.
6. Use a clean paper towel to carefully dry all of the components.
7. Set the pieces on a clean surface, letting them air dry for 10-15 minutes. 
8. Once everything is completely dry, reassemble your tank and reattach it to your device.

Deep Cleaning a Vape Tank

If your tank is looking pretty rough, it might need a deep cleaning. Some options include:

• Use propylene glycol to soak your tank for an hour or two (fill a cup with the PG, then place your tank in the cup). After soaking, your tank will need to drip dry. Because propylene glycol absorbs flavor, it is a great way to eliminate any leftover flavor.
• Baking soda is a handy cleaning agent and something that many people have on hand at home. Alternatively, white vinegar can be used, but be aware that you’ll need to thoroughly rinse your tank to get rid of the vinegar smell and flavor.
• High-proof, non flavored vodka is another effective cleaner for vape tanks. It does a nice job of breaking down the e-liquid “gunk” that tends to build up over time.

Cleaning Vape Coils

Unfortunately, there’s no secret to learning how to clean vape coils – because if vape coils get wet, they’ll burn out. Instead, regularly replacing vape coils will be an important part of getting the best flavor and vape experience. 

So, how often do you need to replace vape coils? It depends on how often you vape (and how long your vape sessions are). Some reliable signs that you need to change your vape coils include:

• You can see that the coil is dark, damaged, or crusted with e-liquid.
• There is a burnt taste even after cleaning your vape.
• You’re experiencing problems with leakage.
• Your vapor production has taken a major hit.

Changing the coil is an easy way to get your vape back to peak performance, and there are tons of coil types available to choose from. 

How Often Do You Need to Clean a Vape Tank?

If you mainly stick to the same e-juice flavors, a thorough weekly cleaning is probably sufficient. 

However, if you like to switch up your flavor options pretty frequently, you’ll want to clean the tank before using a new e-liquid. You don’t necessarily need to do a deep cleaning every time, but you should at least rinse out the tank between flavors. That way, you can avoid any accidental flavor mixing. Because unless you have very unusual flavor preferences, we’re guessing that Pink Lemonade and Peanut Butter Granola isn’t exactly the kind of pairing you’re interested in tasting.

Of course, anytime the performance of your vape device isn’t quite measuring up, a full-scale cleaning is a good idea. Sometimes, cleaning a vape can resolve some of the common issues that can show up after regular use.

How to Take Care of a Vape 

Aside from cleaning your vape (and replacing your coils), there are also a few important things to remember for successful vape maintenance. If you’re new to vaping, you might not be aware of the foundational responsibilities of vape ownership – but don’t worry, we’re giving you a short and sweet rundown of what you need to know.

Here are a few critical dos and don’ts of caring for a vape device:

• DO maintain an ideal level of e-liquid. DON’T let your tank run dry. You should always keep an eye on the amount of e-liquid in your tank, both before and during a vape session. Each device has an optimal fill level for the minimum and maximum amount of e-juice, so you don’t have to guess how much is enough or too much. 
• DO store your e-juice correctly. When e-juice is exposed to extreme temperatures and/or direct sunlight, it can degrade the consistency and increase the risk of poor performance or leaks. This means that your car is absolutely not the right place to keep your extra e-liquids.
• DO properly store your vape device. Much like your e-liquids, your vape device shouldn’t be left out to brave the elements. You can grab an inexpensive but effective storage case, so you can avoid accidental damage when taking your vape on the go.

Reap the Benefits of the Best Vape Tanks – and the Right Maintenance – from DIRECTVAPOR

Now that you know exactly how to clean a vape tank and keep your device in tip-top shape, you can look forward to making the most of your vape experience. And if your tank is at the end of its life (or you’re just ready for an upgrade), you can always come to DIRECTVAPOR to shop the top-rated vape tanks on the market – browse our products now!

Image credit: ArkadyB