Cleaning your vaporizer often allows the device to work like the first day. Find out how and why to clean different types of vaporizers, such as herbal vaporizers, concentrates, and pen-type vaporizers.
If you’ve recently started using a vaporizer, your hits will still be smooth and delicious. But give it a month or two, and the quality of the steam could drop considerably. Cleaning your vaporizer frequently will prevent this common problem from ruining your experience. In addition to ensuring better performance and taste, good cleaning also prolongs the life of the device. Keep reading this complete guide on how to clean a vaporizer.
WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO CLEAN THE VAPORIZER?
The vaporizers provide a much more hygienic and purer compared to cannabis smoking experience. Since vaporization does not burn the weed, no smoke is produced, and therefore there are far fewer harmful substances than when smoking.
But, although vaping is much more hygienic than smoking, this does not mean that the vaporizer does not get dirty over time. Like when we smoke with a pipe or bong, sticky residue builds up – although it may be more slowly and less noticeably.
And as with other smoking devices, there are several reasons why you should clean your vaporizer periodically.
1. BETTER PERFORMANCE AND TASTE
The more you use the vaporizer, the more debris will stick to the various parts of the device, which will end up blocking the heating chamber and could adhere to important parts such as heating elements. This will have a negative effect on the performance of your vaporizer, and will result in a bad taste. Clean your vaporizer frequently and you can enjoy better performance and taste.
2. EXTENDS THE LIFE OF THE DEVICE
When important parts of the vaporizer are covered in a sticky mixture of resin and plant material that is not cleaned frequently, it can drastically reduce the life of the device. Even worse, it could damage it irreparably. Periodic cleaning is the best solution to be able to enjoy your vaporizer for years.
3. CLEANER VAPOR IS HEALTHIER
In addition to affecting the vaporizer’s taste and performance, excess residue is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms such as mold. These potentially harmful intruders can cause irritation and respiratory problems, which could lead to other, more serious health problems over time.
WHEN TO CLEAN YOUR VAPORIZER
There are two ways to clean a vaporizer. One of them is daily after each use. It is very easy to do and only takes a couple of minutes.
The other way is to do a thorough cleaning every 1-2 weeks. This is also recommended when changing varieties, or going from bud to concentrates / liquids or vice versa. After a thorough cleaning, you can start vaping with a clean device and no old remains.
HOW TO PERFORM A DAILY CLEANING.
Your steamer should come with a small brush for routine cleaning. If not, you will have to buy a brush like the ones that come with electric razors. Make sure the bristles are stiff, so you can remove stubborn residue. Cotton swabs and pipe cleaners also work.
Empty the herb chamber and use your brush or pipe cleaners to remove accumulated plant material and other debris. If the steamer has filters or screens, give them a good brush.
After cleaning the heating chamber and filter, use the pipe cleaner to clean the mouthpiece.
Finish your daily cleaning by wiping an alcohol wipe over the mouthpiece and outside of the steamer.
As simple as that.
HOW TO DO A DEEP CLEANING
thoroughly cleaning a dry herb vaporizer
• DRY HERB VAPORIZER
To thoroughly clean a dry herb vaporizer, such as the Boundless CFC Lite, begin by carefully disassembling the device. Although herb vaporizers may differ depending on the model or brand, they usually have common parts, such as the mouthpiece, battery, heating chamber, etc.
Be sure to check the manual for the vaporizer, as they usually have instructions for disassembling the device.
Shake and tap each piece to remove trapped plant material. Next, use the cleaning brush or a pipe cleaner to remove any residue. Pay special attention to the herb chamber and the mouthpiece, two essential parts for the proper functioning of the vaporizer.
If the weed chamber has a filter, take it out and brush it. A clogged filter is the most common reason for poor performance and a bad taste.
After cleaning with the brush, use 99% isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab or pipe cleaner to clean the herb chamber, filters, and mouthpiece. The rubbing alcohol will get rid of stubborn stains and accumulated residue.
Tip: If any part of the steamer is very dirty and cannot be cleaned well, let it soak in alcohol for about 20-30 minutes. Then rinse it off with water and dry it with absorbent paper. This works especially well for things like heavily clogged filters, and makes them sparkle like new.
Take the battery out of the device and brush it, as well as your camera. As a final step, reassemble the vaporizer and wipe the outside.
• CONCENTRATE VAPORIZER
Cleaning Hybrid Devices or Vaporizers
Cannabis concentrates are especially sticky, so cleaning devices like the Puffco Plus or hybrid vaporizers like the Fenix is very important. Concentrate residue can be stubborn enough, but not so stubborn that you can’t get rid of it with a little rubbing alcohol and a few cotton swabs.
Consult the manual of your vaporizer and disassemble the different parts for cleaning. Pull out the nozzle and open the heating chamber. Take a cotton swab or pipe cleaner and dip one end in rubbing alcohol. Be very careful when cleaning the heating chamber of a concentrate vaporizer. This chamber contains a heating coil, a very delicate part that can easily break if too much pressure is applied.
Clean the heating chamber with a cotton swab.
If necessary, use another swab and continue cleaning until no residue remains. Once the camera is ready, clean the mouthpiece. Make sure to also clean other parts of the vaporizer such as the glass tubes, filters, and wire screens, if you have them (if some parts are very sticky, clean them separately with an alcohol wipe or soak in alcohol for half time).
Then open the battery compartment, take it out and clean it carefully. Wait a few minutes for the alcohol to evaporate and reassemble the vaporizer.
• PEN VAPORIZER
If you have a pen vaporizer like the Storm, here’s how to clean it:
Start by gently tapping the device to detach and remove any remaining grass that may have stuck. Do this on a tabletop, as some pen vaporizers may contain small parts that can be easily lost. Open the device as the instructions indicate to be able to access all its parts.
Take the brush that comes with the steamer, or use a pipe cleaner, to clean the inside of the appliance. If your device has a removable heating chamber, take it out and clean it separately.
With pen vaporizers it is very important to clean the threads, as they often contain plant material and other types of residue. Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol. Take the heating chamber, turn it over, and clean the threaded end with the cotton swab. When you have passed it several times, turn the swab over and dry the thread with the other end. With the help of more swabs, clean the rest of the threads of the device.
Now comes the part that can most influence your vaporizer to work perfectly. Gently remove any glass or metal filters and soak them in a glass of rubbing alcohol for 20-30 minutes.
Then wipe them with a cloth and let them dry. They will be like new. Finally, reassemble the vaporizer. It should work like the day you bought it.