Sterilize your equipment!

[Beretta]

Let's face it. Our equipment gets dirty.

Mouthpieces? Do you ever clean those off with some Isopropyl alcohol and cottonball?
juice syringes? Flavoring gets all over the outside and inside of juice syringes. I just filled mine up with rubbing alcohol, and drew a full vial of air to dry. I actually felt juice on the needlepoint and thought surely bacteria must be growing on that! Do you want to stick that back in your main juice tank and start the bacteria growing process?
Tanks? If your only using VG, you don't have the benefit of PG below. Clean that tank out with some rubbing alcohol once a week!

I have read that PG is actually a bacteriacide, viruscide, etc, so maybe it's not such a big issue.

But seriously, sterilize your stuff at least once a week. Your thoughts?

 

[Thrasher]

i clean everything with 90% iso alcohol
shouldnt use rubbing because it contains toxic ingredients but rinsed very well should be ok

 

[Beretta]

i clean everything with 90% iso alcohol
shouldnt use rubbing because it contains toxic ingredients but rinsed very well should be ok

Ok. I checked and it's 70% Isopropyl alcohol. 30% water. Is this ok?

 

[fourthrok]

Clean my drip tips with isopropyl alcohol a couple of times a week...sometimes more depending on need. Don't use alcohol on my tanks, but do wash them every few days with hot water and soap. Syringes? Hmmm. Most of my stuff is PG or PG based, but I think you may be right about the VG syringe. I've cleaned it now and then, but proably need to step up and do it more often.

 

[HippieHermit]

Good point!
I clean my juice syringe often, it gets leaky around the screw top and I don't like it being messy. I clean the carto also for the same reason, it gets a little gooey at the bottom and I don't want to ruin my batteries. Vaping is still much cleaner than analogs...no ashes or butts to deal with!

 

[Thrasher]

it is probably ok if there isnt a whole bunch of additives on the label, since rubbing alc is such a general term it is just advisable to tell people not to use it as the ones with lots of additives can be dangerous, especially since we inhale stuff.

 

[CapeFearRipper]

I clean my stainless steel drip tip almost every day because I notice that dead skin builds up on it, i use either 90% iso alcohol or if i don't have any I use dish soap and hot water then I polish it out to removed any dead skin from it. Skin doesn't build up on my plastic tips as bad but yeah drip tips are filthy nasty things after a day in your pocket haha. I'll even wipe my batts down with iso alcohol wipes to remove prints and i mean your hands constantly put germs and bacteria on them. I find myself becoming super .... about maintaining my equipment and keeping cartos filled when i'm not using a carto tank. I cap up all my cartos with the rubber condoms they come packed with after I fill them and then put them in small tin so I always have back ups and a variety of flavors haha. My APV is a well oiled machine haha.

 

[Wondertwin]

Mine are constantly getting swabbed with the wipes I pick up at the B&M. All my former smoker friends who "only smoke when they drink" end up passing my vaporizer around. As long as I have wipes, it's cool. One of them just today finally ponied up for their own, so it's cleanliness and a public service!

 

[PickyJuicer]

I wash tanks out with hot soapy water. I boil my cartos between flavors. Every time I clean out a carto or a tank, my drip tips get cleaned too.

I use pre packaged alcohol pads to wipe things down in between as well.

While I'm not overly sterile, I do like things clean I even carry a spare drip tip that I stick in when someone wants to sample my vape - and then that gets swabbed with alcohol after.

 

[SissySpike]

I very seldom clean my stuff unless it gets noticeably dirty. I do not subscribe to germ theory. I do not obsessively wash my hands. I do not worry about germs unless its obvious. I very seldom get sick we need some dirt and germs to keep our immune system healthy.

 

[Beretta]

I very seldom clean my stuff unless it gets noticeably dirty. I do not subscribe to germ theory. I do not obsessively wash my hands. I do not worry about germs unless its obvious. I very seldom get sick we need some dirt and germs to keep our immune system healthy.

Yes, my uncle harps on me about the same thing. I'm not a germaphobe, I just like for things to be cleaned once a week.

My understanding, is that 80% of your immune system is your good versus bad bacteria in your gut (intestines, large and small). Generally speaking, the optimal ratio of good to bad bacteria is 80/20 (See the almost universal Pareto principle). The other 20% of your immune system comes from white blood cell count, derived from bone marrow.

If you get sick, most likely the 80/20 ratio in your gut is more like 20 good/80 bad, which will cause various "gastric" disturbances (i.e. cramps, vomiting, ........). You're probably within the good ratio if you're not getting sick.

My two cents vape on!!

 

[Trick]

If things get visibly dirty, I'll do something to clean them off. Otherwise, meh.

 

[Jails]

Also after reading this, a bit off topic. But if I were wanting to clean my tanks to rid previous flavors. Would it be better to use alcohol. Or distilled vinegar. Which I bought distilled vinegar. Or maybe there is something better than those two? Any answers would be greatly appreciated. Since I now have many many flavors and are new to vaping, this would be very useful information.

 

[PickyJuicer]

If you're using a true tank style system, where you can replace the wick/coil heads, then I'd just suggest a 10 minute soak in super hot water with a few drops of dishliquid in it. That's what I do.

I take the whole thing apart, remove the head. Fill a bowl with hot, sudsy water. I let all the pieces soak. Then I use a q-tip to swab around the inside of the tank. I dump the water from the bowl, throw everything back in it and fill it with hot water. I let it sit another minute or two, rinse everything well and let it air dry. I find that it gets rid of all the flavor of my previous liquids.

To clean the wick heads, I just rinse in super hot water, let it soak in hot water for a few minutes, rinse again. I let it dry for a few, reattach everything (without the tank!), dry burn, then rinse again and let it air dry. It seems to work very well for me.

I do have alot of tanks so taking one or three out of commission to clean will not affect me vaping.

Other people soak their stuff in vodka. I haven't found the need for it.

 

[JazzyTech]

Anti-bacterial soaps and wipes are can hazardous. I suggest reading on the effects of them on the immune system. As for cleaning: I generally just use soap and hot water on every thing I use every 48 to 72 hrs. Either steam and/or rubbing alcohol is used once a week. I never share a mouthpiece. I have extras for quests.

 

[Thepinfamily]

I'm new to vaping and have been thinking about this. I restore pinball machines as a hobby and use a ultrasonic cleaner to clean parts. It's a great cleaner and very gentle. You see them in tattoo shops, doctor offices, etc. and you can pick up a cheap one for $50. Soap and water and 10 min in the ultrasonic cleaner and my stuff will be sterile and sparkle all the time.

 

[PickyJuicer]

I agree with the anti-bacterial statement you made, JazzyTech. Clean is good enough for me, I'm not a germophobe. I notice that the germophobes are almost always sick. It's a cycle for them... they strip all the good bacteria, the type we need to keep us healthy, which allows the bad bacteria to take over. Makes no sense. Very simple concept, yet so many do not understand it.

It's all about money & marketing. The sicker we get, the more meds we take, the more meds we take, the more money lines big pharma's pockets. Same goes with the FDA and the e-cig... there's no pocket lining money if no one is smoking anymore. But, this is all a story for another day I suppose, lol. Don't even get me started.

 

[opal]

I use vodka to clean my gear - and rinse with hot water. My thought is that if a critter can live through a good vodka soak.. I'm ok with it.

 

[JazzyTech]

I agree with the anti-bacterial statement you made, JazzyTech. Clean is good enough for me, I'm not a germophobe. I notice that the germophobes are almost always sick. It's a cycle for them... they strip all the good bacteria, the type we need to keep us healthy, which allows the bad bacteria to take over. Makes no sense. Very simple concept, yet so many do not understand it.

It's all about money & marketing. The sicker we get, the more meds we take, the more meds we take, the more money lines big pharma's pockets. Same goes with the FDA and the e-cig... there's no pocket lining money if no one is smoking anymore. But, this is all a story for another day I suppose, lol. Don't even get me started.

Since the divide between morality and money is greater than ever, you cannot assume that Big Tobacco, the AMA, or the government is looking out in best interest. Trust no one. Do your own research. That's what I have learned so far in this world.

 

[jerseyrob]

I clean my tips every day with a little rubbing alcohol , Plus in my carry around ,kit I have those disposable prep pads .