Just a quick question, I see a lot of people talking about boiling cotton wicks if they aren't sterile/organic, but does it matter which one the cotton is labeled? To clarify, does the cotton packaging need to say "sterile" or "organic" in order for them to require boiling? Does it matter which it is or are the two interchangeable?
Cotton Wicks?
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In my experience, the only ones that need boiling are the ones that have been bleached. If they use hydrogen peroxide to whiten the cotton, only an hour or two of letting them air out (leaving the bag open) is nessecary.
As a side note, don't try to use cotton that's been bleached. It's ridiculously cheap to buy the right kind of cotton balls if you don't have the right kind already.
As a side note, don't try to use cotton that's been bleached. It's ridiculously cheap to buy the right kind of cotton balls if you don't have the right kind already.
Well it is best to buy organic cotton because it "suppose" to contain less harmful pesticides, but any 100% cotton will do. Boiling the cotton will eliminate the cotton taste in the new wick break in period which is like 100 hits on your PV. I use organic cotton, I do not boil it and I just break it in when I vape. I figure if there are any germs they will die from the heat of the coil, but maybe I am vaping some other toxins in the cotton. I do not have any negative symptoms to report thus far.
I just use organic cotton from CVS, but I'd just like to be clear on the whole "organic" and "sterile" thing, I'm not sure if those two are the same thing regarding boiling.
So it seems that only cotton that has been treated with hydrogen peroxide or has been bleached would require boiling, but just simply using sterile/organic cotton (which I'm assuming is the same thing now) does not?
Uhuh, I see...so organic cotton does not require to be boiled because it's already "pure(-er)" but boiling helps reduce the cotton taste. But 100 hits is a lot though, especially considering I only get 2-3 everytime I drip...
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Yes. Agreed....
I also use peaches and cream (wally) and suger and cream (hobby stores) yarns. They do need a quick boil and dry tho to get rid of the dust and stuff due to being out in the open.
Easy peasy!
Cheers
I also use peaches and cream (wally) and suger and cream (hobby stores) yarns. They do need a quick boil and dry tho to get rid of the dust and stuff due to being out in the open.
Easy peasy!
Cheers
What would be the recommended "cleanest" cotton (and from where) that would not require boiling then? Suggestions?
Also, I just found out that boiling cotton requires distilled water and maybe doing it over 2-3 times, this seems like faaaar too much work...
Also, I just found out that boiling cotton requires distilled water and maybe doing it over 2-3 times, this seems like faaaar too much work...
Well no. Organic is nice because they use a limited number of earth and human friendly pesticides in the growing of the cotton. Sterile just means it's been removed of germs and hermetically sealed (great for first aid, irrelevant to vaping). But I (personally) would only boil bleached cotton balls, because I don't want to vape bleach. Hydrogen peroxide is destroyed very quickly by light, and only requires a light airing out of the bag, no boiling.
To recap.
Organic - good thing (but not needed)
Bleached - boil twice for ten minutes each
Hydrogen peroxide - open bag and let air out
Hope that clears things up.
I just buy a cheap bag of Walmart brand cotton balls. Open 'em up, pull off a small piece & wick. I figure even if they contained one or all three of bleach, peroxide, or pesticide, I'm still better off than what was in cigarettes.
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I drip as well and it really does not last all that long I mean it can, it really depends on what dripper you are on. It does not hurt to give it a try and that way you can see what you like as preference. I think the trouble of boiling cotton and getting kicked out of the kitchen by my wife is more of a time waste and hassle than just vaping it to satisfaction.
No Boiling ~ Easy to work with
Koh Gen Do (Japanese Organic) cotton are thicker pads and need to be split in half before cutting wick strips. Shiseido are less thick and pure white. They both taste clean and since they are flat pads with long fibers they are easy to work with.
Sephora ~ Koh Gen Do
Nordstrom ~ Shiseido
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I found this sort of informative...... just trying to help. I'm getting ready to try the cotton thing myself. I too have read so many people recommending it.
MyWikkaSite: Cotton Wick Wiki
Happy wicking.
MyWikkaSite: Cotton Wick Wiki
Happy wicking.
Everyone seems to talk about hydrogen Peroxide used in bleaching cotton and the need for boiling to "remove the hydrogen peroxide" by boiling.
From the New World Encyclopedia entry on Hydrogen Peroxide: "Decomposition
Hydrogen peroxide always decomposes (disproportionates) exothermically into water and oxygen gas spontaneously"
So, If my assumptions are correct, after cotton is bleached using hydrogen peroxide, the peroxide itself decomposes into water and oxygen, after which the water evaporates leaving nothing but dry, white cotton fibers behind. Therefore there is no peroxide to "boil out" of cotton balls.
I guess as long as one is using "100% pure cotton" i.e. cotton balls, or the roll of "sterile cotton" from CVS, no boiling would be required. Corrrect?
Now, something that contains some kind of sizing on the other hand would have to be boiled to remove this sizing. That to me would mean some kind of yarn, twine, or cheesecloth, or gauze.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong anywhere here, as that last thing any of us want to do is spread any type of misinformation.
From the New World Encyclopedia entry on Hydrogen Peroxide: "Decomposition
Hydrogen peroxide always decomposes (disproportionates) exothermically into water and oxygen gas spontaneously"
So, If my assumptions are correct, after cotton is bleached using hydrogen peroxide, the peroxide itself decomposes into water and oxygen, after which the water evaporates leaving nothing but dry, white cotton fibers behind. Therefore there is no peroxide to "boil out" of cotton balls.
I guess as long as one is using "100% pure cotton" i.e. cotton balls, or the roll of "sterile cotton" from CVS, no boiling would be required. Corrrect?
Now, something that contains some kind of sizing on the other hand would have to be boiled to remove this sizing. That to me would mean some kind of yarn, twine, or cheesecloth, or gauze.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong anywhere here, as that last thing any of us want to do is spread any type of misinformation.
I use sterilized cotton from CVS - both the roll & balls - and I don't boil it because I don't taste anything funky.
I do, however, boil all of the cotton yarns that I've ever bought (including the organic cotton & hemp blend from ModNWorld) because they all have tasted funky to me.
I do, however, boil all of the cotton yarns that I've ever bought (including the organic cotton & hemp blend from ModNWorld) because they all have tasted funky to me.
Hydrogen peroxide is use to whiten cotton balls that have a chance to be used for first aid. Usually referred to as sterile.
But there are other types of bleach used, like sodium hypochlorite, which you would not want to vape. Ubiquitously called "bleach", it's toxic in every method of ingestion.
I'm lazy and like to live dangerously. I have been using cotton balls from bag that's been in the cabinet forever. I don't remember if the bag says it's sterile, but either way it isn't now.
I bought a big cheap grocery store brand bag that says cotton balls. I don't do anything but use it. After a bunch of clearo head recoils and RDA/RBA trials, I still haven't used the first ball.
If you ever went to a dentist and had cotton stuffed in your mouth, that is the taste for a couple of puffs. Or chewed on a t-shirt.
I would worry more about the wet cotton getting moldy after you boil it.
If you ever went to a dentist and had cotton stuffed in your mouth, that is the taste for a couple of puffs. Or chewed on a t-shirt.
I would worry more about the wet cotton getting moldy after you boil it.
If you want to save some hassle, you can buy pre-boiled cotton from Kidney Puncher. $3 for 4 cotton balls. Yes, you can get a whole bag of cotton balls for $3 but each ball lasts a really long time. It's been over a month and I'm only used half of the first cotton ball. I haven't noticed any unusual taste side effects from their cotton.
+1 on the Koh Gen Do Japanese organic Cotton.
I do not boil it and there is zero cotton flavor unless you use too thick of a wick.
Here's a video I put together on it:
http://youtu.be/0vysSY3fxbc
It is in a different league of simplicity, ease of wick duplication and pureness.
I do not boil it and there is zero cotton flavor unless you use too thick of a wick.
Here's a video I put together on it:
http://youtu.be/0vysSY3fxbc
It is in a different league of simplicity, ease of wick duplication and pureness.
LOL Are you kidding?
$3.00 for 4 pre-boiled cotton balls... got to love entrepreneurship!!
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