The most regularly replaced part of e-cig devices are vape coils, unfortunately the heating element and wick in your e-cig is unlikely to last forever.
The most common complaint is that the coil has burnt out, stopped firing correctly or that the wick has burned, creating an unpleasant burnt taste in the mouth or dousing users with unwanted e-liquids in the mouth. The cost for replacement can add up for regular daily users. Sometimes, users will replace coils unnecessarily because they believe they’ve been damaged, when really they just need to be cleaned.
Dirty coils are much more common than burn outs, and they can make things taste burnt. Left unchecked, a dirty coil is likely to damage your wick or burn out, so regular cleaning is important to get the most out of your coils and wicks.
Dirty coils can happen for many different reasons, but most commonly it’s because old e-liquid has had a chance to congeal and build-up on your coils over time. It’s usually a problem with sugary e-liquids, which can carameliseand become sticky when heated, causing your e-cig device to eventually stop working. Another reason you might end up with a dirty coil is if you’ve left parts laying around, giving dust and opportunity to build up on your coil.
If you’re experiencing problems with your e-cig and suspect that it might be a problem with your coil, read our instructions below for cleaning.
What you’ll need
½ Cup of white vinegar or vodka
If you’ve ever dealt with sticky, caramelised sugar then you’ll know it’s not water soluable and usually requires a fair bit of elbow grease to remove from the bottom of a pan. You’ll want something fairly strong that will cleanse your equipment of any tacky substances, but it’s important that it’s safe to consume as you’ll be inhaling from you e-cig device later.
White vinegar and vodka both make great cleaning agents, and are safe for human consumption. It’s important to avoid chemicals or stripping agents like paint thinner or rubbing alcohol, as this can damage your e-cig and could make you ill. You can always purchase some quality e-cigs online, here is one of the shops but there are plenty shops on the internet.
1 cup of distilled water
You’ll want some pure water to use on you e-cig device. The reason it needs to be distilled is to avoid any potential calcium or mineral build up on your device parts which could stop it from working correctly later.
Hand towels
For drying out your device parts to stop any rust from developing
What you need to do
1. Wipe everything down
Use a hand towel or paper towel to gently wipe down your e-cig device and coil to remove any excess e-liquid. Deconstruct your device to help you get to all the necessary parts. Sometimes a slightly dampened towel helps.
2. Soak your coils in alcohol/vinegar
One you’ve given your device a gentle wipe down, drop your coil in a half cup of solvent to help loosen up the more stubborn areas of grime build up. This helps to dissolve gunk and will make cleaning your coil easier, a few hours should do the trick.
3. Rinse off
After you’ve finished soaking, remove your coil and rinse it off with tap water before rinsing in distilled water
4. Dry off
Once you’ve rinsed off your coil dry it off and allow it to sit overnight before reassembling, this should ensure than any water or dampness that could cause problems has time to evaporate. Once your device is sufficiently dry you should be able to enjoy nice smooth, delicious vapour from your e-cigarette.