My cartomizer cleaning method

[shortyjacobs]

This works pretty quickly and easy, and at least for me I didn't have to buy anything extra. This might not work if it's full of burned on gunk - there you'd need a solvent flush, or at least boiling water - but to clean em out, it works great.

To flush with water, I take my veggie sprayer on my sink. The base on every vegetable sprayer I've seen unscrews, so unscrew it and set the handle-sprayer part aside. BE careful right now...with the handle removed, as soon as you turn on the water, it will spray out the hose in your hand....it "defaults" to ON.

Turn the water on gently, and increase until you have pretty strong flow. Go as hot as you can stand. Place the carto tip, (either side, either thread or mouth side) against the end of the hose. It takes a few seconds to get the hang of it so you don't soak your kitchen, but once you get it lined up well and can wrap your hand around it, you can turn up the flow on the water and really blast hot water through it. I ran a liter or two of water through it in one direction, then back flushed it in the other direction.

To dry it, I have a bunch of old aquarium air pumps. The air hose is about the same diameter on the threads, so I just used a bit of vinyl electrical tape to connect the carto to the air hose. After 15 or 20 minutes, it's bone dry.

All told, in less than 30 minutes, with only about 3 or 4 minutes of work, my carto is clean.

 

[r77r7r]

I like the sprayer idea, thanks. Might come in handy for other things too. I think to dry it though, I'm going to try the "letting it sit on a lightbulb" idea. I currently dry mine on the vent of an aircleaner nowadays.

This might be a great idea for the big EDMCC cartos.

 

[Mike.geezee]

Hmmm I'm definitely going to have to try that

 

[oojimmyflip]

I use the steam output nozzle on my frothy coffee maker seems to do a great job of steam cleaning cartos, attos on the other hand I clean with vodka.

 

[shortyjacobs]

I use the steam output nozzle on my frothy coffee maker seems to do a great job of steam cleaning cartos, attos on the other hand I clean with vodka.

Genius. I bought a nice espresso machine for my wife because she wanted a jewelry cleaner, (a steam one that costs $100). For $150, I got a espresso machine that has the steam option which I can use for her rings, and also makes espresso as a happy side effect.

 

[kyriakos]

the best way to clean cartos is to put them in jar of milk for a day
blow them from drip down . clean with lots of water and let dry on a napkin for a day
that works for me

 

[Bwilly]

My way of cleaning cartos. Tried the boiling method didn't work so well for me. Don't know maybe didn't let em dry long enough or maybe didn't boil long enough. Anyway my way takes a little more time but works well for me. Take the filling out of carto by using a needle. Rinse both filling and carto in the hottest water you can stand. Get all of old e juice out of filling. Lay filling flat on paper towel. Stand carto straight up battery end down. Let dry for 24 hrs. Now to get the filling back in carto. Use a straw the small ones they use for kids "juice boxes" open up the end of straw with scissors make small cuts to bottom of straw so it opens a little. Wrap the filling tightly around the straw. Place the straw on the tube in the carto. Turn a little until the straw is on the tube. Don't turn too much or it'll go to far into carto. Not sure what would happen just don't want to take a chance. Start turning filling on the straw. Turn the filling on the straw keeping it wrapped around the straw. The filling will start to go into carto. Once the fill is halfway into carto take a needle and push filling the rest of the way into carto. Wala works like a charm. Just like new. As I said time consuming but for me it works.

 

[inksane]

I use a steam cleaner that I had laying around it works great. I use a pliers to hold the carto though because it gets way too hot to handle.

Kyle

 

[chemsoldier83]

I just turn the sink on as hot as I can stand. Then run water through for a minute and blow through the cartomizer. Doing this in both directions several times. To dry I just put a paper towel down and stand the cartomizer up for a couple days.

 

[smd11873]

I am looking for ideas but I'm having trouble justifying some of the methods. Most seem to time consuming or wasteful. I guess it comes down to what you are paying for the cartomizers and how much time you have. I use kr808d mini batteries with the standard style cartomizer (although I have some mini tanks on the way). For me the only process that works so far is the boiling method. You don't have to mess around and micro manage each cart. You just toss them all in a pot, boil 10 minutes, rinse with hot water, and repeat 2 more times or until the water is clear or does not appear to draw out anymore colors, or smells from the carts. This way you can be doing something else while the hot water is doing the work for you. Drying is a trickier issue. I place the cartomizers (20 to 30 or so) in a laundry (lets water pass) bag all at once and spin around in a circular motion as fast as possible to release excess water. They they need to dry ( i leave them in a window sill in the sun) for a couple of days before using but If you needed one in a pinch you could use any of the methods available to dry one out quickly.

Did I read that correctly? Soak them in milk? What does milk do?

 

[Vappa]

Maybe a silly question/suggestion, but you don't know if you never ask:
Has anyone tried using silica gel for drying the cartos?
You know those little bags that are used in packages of electronic equipment. They are there to make sure no moisture is in the package. My thought was to put those in a microwave for just a few seconds (to 'activate' them) then put them in a pot together with a bunch of cleaned cartos. I think you have to shake some of the water out of them before putting them in the pot. Wouldn't this speed up the drying process?

I will try this out, first time i have to clean a carto. Will take a little time though, since i just started using my first carto ever.

 

[r77r7r]

I hope you have more than 1 carto, or plan on getting more. Some folks go thru them daily. Most techniques take a day or so to dry well.

Fastest way may be to put on top of a lightbulb.

So, where did you come up with the idea of "activating" silica packs by microwaving? Bag of rice sounds better.

 

[Vappa]

So, where did you come up with the idea of "activating" silica packs by microwaving? Bag of rice sounds better.

Don't know exactly anymore. I saw once an article on a photography forum explaining the dry storage of equipment. The author reactivated these silica bags by putting them in a microwave for a few seconds. I have not tried this before. But it seems that it might work. Then i thought this might also work to drag the moisture out of cartos. Activate them, put them in a jar together with the cartos and wait a few hours.

 

[subtle_banter]

My method is cleaning cartos is simple. I use a turkey baster. I get a bowl of the hottest water that my tap will provide, and I put 2 full tubes of the baster through each one, then blow them out and place on a paper towel for a few days. It works great for me. I usually clean 20 cartos at a time, and I boiled before; not having much luck, and thought it must be better to use forced water pressure. The baster I use fits in the carto exactly.

 

[Royaldrunker]

If you want to dry a carto quick

Put it in a bowl cover with uncooked rice and it dries very quickly.. Works with cell phones as well


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Herennow]

At less then a buck a piece, could always order some new ones.
And save some time & money.
Just a thought

 

[pipeology]

boiling method works for me. but silica gel packs is a good idea to dry them quick.

 

[jklong03]

Guess I am lucky, but I have access at my work to 100% ethanol. I just swish mine around in that for a few minutes, blow through both ends a few times, and after about 30 minutes they are clean and dry as a bone!