How to Maintain Your Vape Pod
Maintaining your vape pod helps to ensure a smooth and flavourful vaping experience, and cleaning it is one of the easiest ways to keep your device performing at its best.
If your vape pod is starting to leak, deliver muted flavours, or give you a burnt taste, it might be in need of a little maintenance. Regular cleaning can help prolong the life of your pod and improve its performance, saving you money and enhancing your vaping experience in the long run.
While refillable pods are designed for simplicity, they can still suffer from e-liquid residue build-up or occasional leaking if not cared for properly. In this guide, we’ll take you through how to clean both fixed-coil and replaceable-coil pods, offering some useful tips to help keep your pod system in great shape.
Key Takeaways
Cleaning your vape pod regularly can help extend its lifespan, enhance performance, and prevent leaks or burnt hits.
Fixed-coil pods can be cleaned, but pods with replaceable coils are generally easier to maintain.
Cleaning helps reduce leftover flavours when switching e-liquids, but for the freshest taste, using a new pod is the best option.
What Are Refillable Vape Pods?
Refillable vape pods are a popular choice for their versatility and convenience. Unlike disposable vapes or prefilled pods, refillable pods let users choose their preferred e-liquid, offering more flexibility and long-term savings. Refillable pods typically fall into two categories:
Fixed-Coil Pods ("Closed Pod System"): These pods have the coil built directly into the pod, which means you’ll need to replace the entire pod once the coil is burnt out or loses efficiency. While they offer simplicity, fixed-coil pods shouldn’t be exposed to water as it can damage the coil. This makes cleaning a little more challenging.
Replaceable-Coil Pods ("Open Pod System"): These pods allow you to swap out the coil when it starts to degrade while keeping the pod itself for longer use. This gives you more control over maintenance, and cleaning is generally easier since you can remove the coil before cleaning the pod.
Both types of pods can benefit from regular cleaning to prevent e-liquid residue from building up, helping maintain good flavour and vapour production.
Why Clean Your Vape Pod?
Regular cleaning can help ensure your vape pod continues to deliver a satisfying experience. Over extended use, e-liquid, dust, and debris can accumulate inside the pod, leading to several issues:
Prevent Leaking, Diminished Flavour, and Burnt Hits: Dirt or residue can cause uneven e-liquid flow, leading to leaks, poor flavour, and burnt hits. Cleaning helps keep your vape smooth and consistent.
Extend the Life of Your Pod and Coil: While all pods and coils have a finite lifespan, regular cleaning can delay the wear and tear, granting your pod and coil a little more life and saving you money.
Maximise Flavour and Vapour: A clean pod means better flavour and vapour production. Residue can clog the pod and diminish the taste, so regular cleaning ensures every puff is as flavourful as it should be.
Note: Vape Coils, whether fixed or replaceable, are not designed to be saturated in water. If the cotton wicking inside the coil becomes soaked with water, it can ruin the coil and worsen issues like weak flavour or dry hits. However, the pod chamber itself can still be cleaned using the methods outlined below.
How to Clean Fixed-Coil Pods
Although you can’t remove the coil in a fixed-coil pod, you can still clean the pod chamber to improve performance between refills. However, avoid getting the coil itself wet, as it can be damaged.
Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Fixed-Coil Pods:
Disassemble the Pod: Remove the pod from your device and take off any detachable parts like the mouthpiece. If the pod has a side-fill or top-fill feature, open it to allow airflow during cleaning.
Wipe with a Damp Cloth or Cotton Swab: If accessible, gently clean the inside of the pod with a lightly dampened cloth or cotton swab. Be cautious to avoid moisture near the coil.
Blow Out Excess Residue: After cleaning, blow through the pod to expel any remaining debris. This will help maintain airflow and performance.
Dry Thoroughly: Let the pod air dry in a well-ventilated area for several hours, ensuring all moisture is gone before reusing it. Avoid exposing the coil to water.
Prime the Pod (Optional): After cleaning, refill the pod with e-liquid and allow it to sit for a few minutes to saturate the coil before vaping.
How to Clean Replaceable-Coil Pods
With replaceable-coil pods, cleaning is more flexible since you can remove the coil and focus on cleaning the pod itself.
Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Pods with Replaceable Coils:
Disassemble the Pod: Remove the coil from the pod and set it aside if it’s still in good condition. Be careful not to damage the coil.
Rinse the Pod: Rinse the pod with warm water to remove any e-liquid residue. Open the top-fill or side-fill mechanism to let water flow through.
Use Isopropyl Alcohol (Optional): For stubborn build-up, you can use a little isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab to clean the inside of the pod. Be sure to rinse it thoroughly afterward.
Dry the Pod: Let the pod air dry for at least 24 hours in a well-ventilated space. Ensure all moisture is gone before reassembling the pod.
Wipe the Coil (Optional): If the coil is still usable, gently wipe away any residue with a slightly moist cloth. Do not rinse the coil in water.
Reassemble and Prime: Once the pod is dry, reassemble it and refill with e-liquid. Allow the coil to prime for a few minutes before vaping.
How to Switch E-Liquid Flavours in the Same Pod
When switching to a new flavour, it’s normal to taste remnants of the previous e-liquid. While cleaning helps reduce to reduce this somewhat, completely removing the old flavour is difficult. Here’s how to handle flavour transitions:
Clean the Pod Between Flavours: Follow the cleaning steps above to reduce flavour crossover when switching to a different e-liquid, especially one that contrasts with the previous flavour.
Be Realistic About Residual Flavour: Even after cleaning, some residual taste may linger, especially in the coil. It might take a few puffs for the new flavour to come through fully.
Use Separate Pods for Strong Flavours: For strong flavours like menthol or tobacco, consider using separate pods to avoid flavour contamination.
Prime the Coil with New E-Liquid: Let the coil soak in the new e-liquid for a few minutes before vaping to ensure a smooth transition to the new flavour.
Additional Tips to Extend Pod and Coil Life
Prime Your Coils: Always prime your coils before use to avoid burnt hits and ensure even saturation of e-liquid.
Avoid Chain Vaping: Give your pod time to cool between puffs to prevent the coil from burning out too quickly.
Use the Right E-Liquids: Match your e-liquid to your pod’s coil resistance. Nic salts, 50/50 and high-PG and are best for high-resistance coils, while high-VG liquids suit low-resistance coils.
Refill Before It’s Empty: Running your pod dry can damage the coil, so make sure to top up before your e-liquid runs out.
Conclusion
Cleaning your vape pod regularly helps maintain its performance and extends its lifespan, allowing you to enjoy better flavour and vapour with each session. By following these simple tips, you can keep your vape pod in top shape, save money on replacements, and enjoy a smoother vaping experience.