Do you prep cotton balls for wicking??

[GratefulVaper]

Do I need to boil cotton balls or just processed cottons???

 

[MiamiMom63]

Some say yes, and some say no. I tend to prefer boiling my sterile cotton roll, but I do have some in my desk at work that is not boiled for emergencies and it tastes fine also. It also may depend on what type of cotton you are using but I am guessing that if it is sterile, it's probably not bad. But then again, I'm not an expert. lol.

 

[Jonathan Tittle]

Do I need to boil cotton balls or just processed cottons???

Do you have to? No. Should you? Yes .

Non-Organic Cotton is often sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals and while it may not kill everything when boiled, it will sterilize it. I'd even boil sterilized cotton just as a secondary measure.

I've not had the chance to try Organic Cotton, but I have tried "Peached & Creme" brand 100% Cotton Yarn (sold at Walmart and probably most craft stores) and if you'd prefer not to roll it up on your own, this stuff works amazingly well.

This what you'd want to look for:

http://www.peachesandcreme.com/assets/files/yarn-files/01005-l.jpg


It'll range from $2-$8 depending on how much you want, but trust me, the smaller 120 yard roll is more than enough for a LONG time. That's roughly 360' and if each tank takes a 1/4 wick, that's enough for 1,440 wicks which is enough to change 1 wick per day for 4 years.

 

[Rule62]

I use sterile cotton balls. I've tried boiling them, just to see if there was a difference in flavor. I didn't notice any; so I don't bother. I just use them right out of the bag.

 

[Susaz]

Again... try cotton gauze. Just one square gives me a lot of material to go with. It withstands temps much better than simple cotton and if you use the sterile kind no need to boil it before usage...