TLDR: Like all electronics, if you want your vape kit to last then you need to take care of it and perform regular vape maintenance. This is the simple guide to vaporiser care.
How to take care of your vape
When you first get your new device, you will likely be keeping it fully topped up with juice, using the charger it came with and handling it with care. Few months down the line you might find yourself tossing it in your bag, leaving it in the car, using any charger that’s close and letting the juice run dry.
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All of these habits can reduce the life of your vape, your battery and coils.
Performing regular vape maintenance and not getting slack with how you treat your device can help you to keep your tech in great shape.
In this blog, I am going to share some different ways to take care of your vape. Doing this will help to preserve the atomiser, vape battery and overall life of your e-cig kit.
6 Golden Rules of Vape Maintenance
- Take care of your battery
- Don’t over or under fill e juice
- Keep it clean
- Don’t screw the parts too tight
- Store your e liquid correctly
- Store your vape correctly
- Take care of your battery
Your battery needs to be looked after properly in order to last. This means using the charger the kit came with (not your laptop or mobile phone charger) and only charging it when the battery is low.
You will also want to make sure you keep your vape battery out of extreme temperatures. I’m thinking windowsills in the summer or by the pool on holiday and in a car overnight in the middle of winter. Batteries don’t like extreme temperatures.
- Don’t over or under fill e juice
Your vape tank will likely be able to hold up to 2ml of ejuice. There will be a line to indicate on the tank when it is full. You want to beware not to overfill the tank as it can cause leaks and juice to flow where it isn’t supposed to.
Letting the tank run dry is also a no no. A dry tank is going to mean that the coil is heating up without vaporising anything, causing it to burn. This will significantly reduce the life of your coil - not to mention a dry hit tastes horrible!
- Keep it clean
Keep your tank and coils clean with regular deep cleaning sessions. A buildup of gunk in your tank and coil will cause your vape to have a bitter or harsh flavour. A deep clean will help to clear out any gunk, give the coils a new lease of life and keep your vape tasting fresh.
- Don’t screw the parts too tight
Be careful not to screw your tank, battery or coils in too tight. While you want them to be secure you don’t want to damage the threading. When the threading is damaged it is going to mean paying out for a whole new device.
- Store your e liquid correctly
Taking care of your vape also means taking care of your juice. Make sure you keep it away from direct sunlight and store it in a cool dry place. Just like vape batteries, e liquid doesn’t like to get too hot.
- Store your vape correctly
When you are not using your vape, try to stand it upright. Otherwise the e liquid can leak out of air holes and cause a gunk build up places where liquid shouldn’t flow. When you lie your vape on its side you will also be more prone to getting dust, fluff and dirt inside the mouthpiece - not what you want to be inhaling!
When you are looking to take care of your vape, always store it at room temperature, just as you would with batteries and liquid.
How often should I clean my vape?
As part of your vape maintenance you should clean your vape monthly, at least. However, if you are a sub ohm vaper using very sweet, high VG juice then you might need to get your cleaning tools out as often as once a week.
The build up of juice on your tank and coils can impair your vapes flavour and cloud production. The layer of congealed gunk can cause a foul taste to a once delicious e liquid, ruining your vape experience.
If you are noticing that your flavour tastes off, it might be time for a little spring clean.
Another reason to clean your tank and coils could be if you are changing flavours and you don’t want to mix your old with the new. That being said, you might discover a pretty unique blend!
Can you clean and reuse vape coils?
You can clean and reuse premade vape coils, however, this isn’t going to bring them back to 100% health. It will get you a little more life out of them though.
There are a few different ways you can clean your vape coils, from a basic rinse to a deep clean in a cleaning agent.
How to do a basic clean of vape coils
Providing your tank and coils aren’t in too bad shape then a basic rinse should do the trick for weekly vape maintenance. To do this you need to take your vape apart and rinse them under a running tap (not the battery of course!).
Let them air dry or use a soft paper towel to start them off. If you are really impatient then you can use a blow-dryer on a cool setting. Just make sure they are completely dry before you reassemble your kit.
How to do a deep clean of your coils and tank
If your coils and tank are gunked up to the high heavens then it might be time for a deep clean. A deep clean will require grain alcohol, vinegar or a baking soda and water solution.
Just keep in mind that if you use vinegar the smell can linger a little longer than desired and will require a good rinse off!
Here’s how to deep clean your coils as part of your vape maintenance.
- Disassemble your vape kit
- Wash the coil head and tank under the cold tap
- Brush the coil with a toothbrush or cleaning too - be gentle!
- Cover the coil in your chosen cleaning agent and leave it to soak for 12 hours
- Notice the colour of the solution starts to change as it pulls the gunk and residue from the atomiser
- Rinse the coil to remove any vinegar, alcohol or baking soda solution
- Dry it with a paper towel and blow it to get rid of some of the water
- Leave it to air dry overnight, making sure that it is bone dry before you reassemble your kit.
- When it is time to put your kit back together allow your coil to soak up the eliquid to avoid a dry hit
- If your coil isn’t tasting any fresher then it’s life is up. Time for a new one
How to maintain a rebuildable vape
When it comes to rebuildable coils you absolutely should clean them as part of regular vape maintenance. When your coils are full of gunk you’ll notice that the flavour and vapor is really lacking from a once flavourful and cloudy vape.
You can dry burn the gunk, however, this won’t work if your coil is well and truly gunked up. When a dry burn doesn’t do the trick it is time for some deep clean vape maintenance.
- Remove the wicks from your coil
- Lightly dry burn the coils
- Remove the atomiser and rinse under cold water
- Gently brush the coil with a toothbrush or cleaning tool
- Rinse under the cold tap again
- Dry burn to dry the coil ready to vape
How long does a coil last in a vape?
A coil could last in a vape for 1-2 weeks. However, this will largely depend on how often you vape and your vaping style.
If you are using high VG e-liquids and sub ohm vaping regularly through the day then you will notice the coils may not last so long.
If you are using a low wattage device with high resistance coils and PG e liquid, then chances are you will get a little more life out of your coils.
Other factors that reduce how long your coil lasts in a vape is high wattage and if you are allowing your juice to saturate the coil before taking a puff.
Can I make my coil last longer?
You can make your coil last longer by reducing how much you vape, or if this isn’t an option, you can play around with the wattage settings.
When it comes to wattage, the coil you install will have a recommended wattage setting. You might reduce this by 10% which shouldn’t impact your vape, but will help to make the battery, coils and juice last 10% longer.
You can also make your coil last longer by cleaning them and performing regular vape maintenance. This will save you money in the long run as you are able to prolong the life of your coils.
What vape maintenance should I be doing?
To maintain your vape in good working order you should be doing regular vape maintenance.
This includes:
- Cleaning your coils
- Cleaning your tank
- Allowing your battery to fully charge
- Using the correct charger
- Allowing your vape juice to saturate before taking a puff
- Keeping the tank topped up with eliquid
That's it, that's how to take care of your vape and make things a world easier when it comes to using your quit kit.
Where now?
How about a little juice-spo?