Do you sterilize your carts/tips?

[Bozzlite]

I've seem many threads asking when and how to clean atomizers but what about the carts and drip tips? It just now occurred to me that they could be potential breeding grounds for bacteria.

I mean, they are constantly in and out of one's mouth so, well you get the idea.

I have been using the same carts for a couple of weeks now. Should I be cleaning or sterilizing them in alcohol every couple of days or so? What do most of you do? I can see these carts lasting and being re used for a long time.

Well, gotta go sterilize them and change the filler right now. Comments please.

 

[classwife]

I wash mine just like I wash my favorite glass....soap and water...but I use a q-tip and twisted paper towel to get inside. Make sure to pop off the end caps too !

 

[Vchick]

I do the hot water (on the verge of boiling) soaks, no soap, then a little soak in some fine alchohol, like vodka. I put this into a rubbermaid drinking container, shake the heck out of it, let it sit for a while, pour it into my cup sized little colander letting the alcohol drain into another clean container, I can re-use it a few times. Then take the attys and turn them upside down on some toweling and let them sit til dry, prime them and put them into bags for storing, same for the cartridges.

I don't have any drip tips, denture cleaning tables would do the trick for cleaning without worrying about melting any of the plastic drip tips. I'd rinse well and air dry.
Or, if it's not plastic, you could try using the dishwasher, putting it into a mesh bag. This would clean, rinse and dry in 1 step.....

 

[Chameloid]

The water out of my tap is ~150° F and once a week, I usually try to run the emptied carts & tips (now that I have some drip tips) for a few minutes under a strong stream and then wipe dry with a paper towel or tissue. I have read here that some folks will run them through the dishwasher as well (am guessing you can stick in some sort of plastic mesh ball or bag so they don't go flying). If you had any grain alcohol, they could probably be dipped in that as well. Generally soap and water is good at removing most bacteria, although note that solvents like PG tend to be anti-microbial as an organic alcohol, so the microbe concentration would be somewhat limited.

 

[Nomoreash]

I'd advise getting enough to keep you in a fresh supply for a week, two weeks or ever how often you want to clean them, they are dirt cheap so it's not that big of an expense.

I throw my used supplies in a bowl and do a cleaning once a week, sometimes two if I'm lazy and have enough of a fresh supply to last me that long. Doesn't take long and I'm ready to go for the next week or two. Here's a vid on carts, what they consist of and how to thoroughly give them a cleaning.

YouTube - cozzcon's Channel

 

[AlexTM]

I clean mine occasionally with hot water, and that's it. I don't sterilize any other things I use, either. Plus, at least PG is not exactly a good breeding ground for germs, in fact, it mildly disinfects. So I am definitely not worried.

 

[banjo]

Since I'm the only one using them, I don't think sterilization is necessay. I just keep them clean. Although, I don't see anything wrong with going the extra step, so have at it......

 

[Firefly13]

i don't wash anything, and only i use my stuff so i see no point lol. Cartridges are a thing of the past, either use a drip tip or use cartomizers.

 

[Valhalla1]

i don't wash anything, and only i use my stuff so i see no point lol. Cartridges are a thing of the past, either use a drip tip or use cartomizers.

I clean my stainless steel drip tip every few days with hot water and antibacterial soap... even though I'm the only one who uses it, it still gets put in my mouth countless times during the day, touched by my fingers, put in my pocket, etc. it needs to get cleaned once in a while

 

[AlexTM]

Cartridges are a thing of the past, either use a drip tip or use cartomizers.

Drip tips have exactly the same problem (if there is one at all), and cartos may slowly be evolving into something useable, but they are by no means there. Still most on the market are plastic burners, and the few that are not have other problems.
And even if they become useable one day, I still don't see why I should give up many of the atty-cart-types I have.

 

[jj2]

I've used alcohol to clean with from the get-go. The mouthpiece, I try to clean every night. Just getting into the juice box. The tubing is going to be a toughie so I haven't yet because it's going to be a pain to remove so I'm watching to see how dirty it does get.

 

[martha1014]

I have never washed a cartridge. I usually just throw them away since they are so cheap and you get one with every atomizer you order. I usually use drip tips. I did wash them back when I was refilled carts. Those were the hard days before I learned to drip or buy cartomizers. I can't see anybody going through the process of removing filler and replacing it and filling it with eliquid. I don't usually even clean the atomizers, just blow them out or do a dry burn.

 

[RollTheBones]

I have been doing the Isopropyl Alcohol bath for attys and it has been working well; even on the plastic drip tips it doesnt seem to harm them. One time I forgot about it and they sat in it overnight and came through unharmed.