How to Clean Vape Coils

No matter what type of vaping device you're using, vape coils can make or break your experience. Other than enjoying the thick clouds of vapour and the flavours, you must keep your vaping accessories in the best possible shape if you want to continue enjoying that experience. One of those responsibilities is to clean the vape coils regularly.

This will not only keep the coil working perfectly but also, it will save you time and money. You should know, that coils from different types of vaping devices are handled differently when cleaning, so you don't compromise the functionality.

Here are a few tips that will help you clean your vape coil and make the most out of it.

Replaceable Coils

These are the type of coils heads that are fitted on sub ohm tanks and clearomizers. To check if your coil needs some cleaning, you check for "coil gunk" or as other people like to call it, "coil crust."  No matter what you choose to call it, that dark stuff that collects on the atomizer coil every other day needs to be removed regularly.

Most e-liquids will leave a residue on the coil unless they are unflavoured. However, the sweetened varieties are the worst offenders and form the crust more rapidly. How often you vape will also determine how quickly the residue collects.

Why not read: Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt?

Get Rid of That Bitter Taste

If you don’t want to put up with that bitter, burnt taste, you may have to replace the coil but, before you do that, giving it a nice bath can help to extend the life and postpone the replacement.

There are two methods you can use to clean the coil

1. Soaking

Water – using this method, you can soak the coil in water to remove some of the residues. While water does help to lessen the burden on the coil, it’s not recommended. That’s because, once you use water to clean the coil, you have to wait until all the water has evaporated from the wick before you can use it.

Ethanol – the more favourable alternative is ethanol. Dump the coil in ethanol and let it soak for a few hours. You then take the coil out and rinse it under running tap water. After that, use some distilled water to rinse the coil once more.

On the open side of the coil, blow air into to coil for the water to go into the wicking holes. Once the process is complete, set the coil aside until the water has evaporated.

If you don’t have access to ethanol to soak the coil, you can use other solvents like vinegar or a cheap vodka to soak the coil.

While the soaking method requires a lot more time and patience, it is more effective and gets most of the gunk out in one cleaning.

2. Quick Swabbing

If you don’t want to wait for hours to get your coils up and running again, you can go with the quick swabbing way. Using this method requires more regular cleaning but only a few minutes at a time. It effectively helps to get rid of the gunk that accumulates during the day before it hardens making it easier to remove.

If allowed to stay on the coils for too long, the residue burns and changes colour and in the end, causes the coil to burn out. To swab, all you need is a q-tip dipped in ethanol or vinegar. If you like switching out your flavours, you can swab every time you re-wick to make the switch. It is a simple yet effective process that can drastically prolong the life of your coil.

Cleaning Re-buildable Coils

Rebuildable atomizers come with a little more responsibility. Not only is cleaning the rebuildable coils a good idea but it’s something that you should do. If the coils are not spick and span, they underperform in terms of vapour and flavour production.

Fortunately, the process is not complicated. It is simple and you can restore the coils to their previous condition in no time by following these simple steps.

First, you have to remove the coils. You don’t want them to burn. For coils that are not too neglected, a quick dry burn can help to whip them back to shape.

Remove the remaining liquid by pulsing the fire button a few times. Once the liquid is drained, let the equipment cool down and then add the wicks back. This works for coils that don’t need a lot of cleaning.

For coils that have had their fair share of gunk, you need to be more thorough. The cleaning approach is slightly different but will yield the same excellent results.

• Start by removing the coils
• Dry burn the coils lightly. Try not to let them glow too much
• After the dry burn, remove the atomizer from the mod
• Place the atomizer under running water
• Use a delicate brush like a toothbrush if you don’t have a coil cleaning tool to scrub them slightly
• Once you’re done with the scrubbing rinse it once more
• Run the coil through one last dry burn to get rid of any droplets of water that might have been left behind
• Re-wick and reassemble and just like that, your rebuildable coil is ready for more action

If you have to use a cleaning agent, use a dishwashing liquid but, make sure the rinsing is thorough using hot water.

When to Replace Your Coil

Cleaning does not do away with replacing the coil.  It only helps to prolong the life of the coil. Even with the best cleaning practices, it gets to a point where only replacing the coil will work. You need to know when the time comes, so you don't waste time cleaning yet it won't change the results.

Why not read: When to Change Vape Coil?

Once the coil has permanently changed colour or produces the burnt taste even after cleaning, it is time to replace the coil. There's no point in cleaning it. The results will not change at this point.

Cleaning your vape coil can save you from having to replace the coil prematurely. It also significantly improves your vaping experience and protect you from the dreaded harsh and bitter burnt taste.