How to Clean a Clogged Vape Cartridge

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An easy guide on what to do when your vape isn’t hitting, plus how to prevent it from clogging

Co-authored by Lauren Forsch and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: December 9, 2024 Fact Checked

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Fixing Clogged Carts

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Reasons Why a Vape Clogs

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Preventing Clogged Carts

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Video

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Expert Interview

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Tips

Ugh! Isn’t it a bit of a buzzkill when you want to vape but there’s a clog inside the cartridge? How did it even get clogged in the first place? You’re most likely dealing with an oil buildup, but the good news is that it’s really easy to clear out without any tools. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through how to unclog any ceramic or cotton-wick vape and what you can do to stop clogs from forming in the first place.

Things You Should Know

Try to melt the oil causing the clog by gently breathing in or blowing out through the mouthpiece.
Warm up the clogged oil in your cartridge by preheating your vape or heating it for 30 seconds with a hair dryer.
Scrape the clog out of the vape cart with a paper clip.
Clean off oil buildup around the cart’s air holes with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol.

Section 1 of 3:

Fixing Clogged Carts

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1
Try breathing in slowly when you hit your vape. If there’s a button on your vape, hold it down to warm up the battery. Then, gently breathe in through the mouthpiece to heat the oil buildup. After a few short, slow inhales, the oil clogged in your vape cart will thin out and clear the blockage.^{[1]
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- Taking slow breaths also prevents oil from coming through the mouthpiece and into your mouth.
- This fix works for any type of vape, whether it’s a reusable battery or disposable. It doesn’t matter if you’re using CBD, THC, or a standard e-cig.
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Blow through the mouthpiece to force the clog out. Press the button down on your vape pen, but gently blow into the cartridge instead of inhaling. The force of your breath will help push any excess oil back towards the heating coil so it warms up and vaporizes.^{[2]
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- If you have a buttonless vape pen or a disposable e-cig, gently blow into the end of the battery that doesn’t have the mouthpiece. The battery will still activate and warm up the oil to clear the clog without the risk of breathing in oil residue.
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Preheat your cartridge before you hit it. If your vape has a button, hold it down for a few seconds before you inhale so the clogged oil has time to melt away. If your vape doesn’t have a button and turns on when you inhale, breathe in through the mouthpiece gently so the battery can heat up.^{[3]
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- Some vapes have a preheat setting if you quickly press the button 2 or 3 times.
- Preheating works best for THC and CBD vapes that have thick oil.
Turn your hair dryer on to the “Hot” setting on full power so you can unclog your vape quickly. Hold your vape cart about 6 inches (15 cm) in front of your hair dryer and heat it for about 15–30 seconds. Once it’s warmed up, try hitting it to get a smooth pull.^{[4]
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Scrape oil out from the mouthpiece with a paper clip. Straighten out a paper clip so it can reach inside your vape cart. Unscrew your cartridge from your vape pen and insert it into the mouthpiece. Scrape away the oil on the inside of the mouthpiece to break up the clog. Then, put the paper clip into the hole at the bottom of the cartridge to pull out any buildup.^{[5]
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- Avoid putting the paper clip any further than ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) into your cart so you don’t damage the internal components.
- Wipe the clip on a napkin or paper towel to clean off the oil residue and keep it from spreading around.
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Clean around the air holes with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol. Unscrew your vape cart from your battery. Dampen the end of a cotton swab with the alcohol, but make sure it isn’t dripping wet. Look for the circular air holes on the bottom of your cartridge where it screws onto your battery. Run the cotton swab around the holes and threadings on your cart to get rid of the excess oil.^{[6]
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- Check your vape pen’s battery for any residue as well. Look at the circular center pin where the cartridge screws in, and use your cotton swab to clean off any oil. Just avoid pressing down on the center pin so you don’t damage it.

Section 2 of 3:

Reasons Why a Vape Clogs

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1
Repeated back-to-back use If you’re only taking 3–5 seconds in between each vape hit you take, the oil in the cartridge gets hot and could pull through the mouthpiece. When the oil hardens back up, then it blocks the airflow.^{[7]
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- This is also known as “chain vaping” and usually happens if you’re sharing your vape in social settings.
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Condensation buildup After every hit you take from your vape pen, some of the moisture and oil collect on the inside of the mouthpiece. As the oil starts to build up over time, it creates a blockage inside the top of the mouthpiece.^{[8]
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- If you taste an unpleasant flavor when you hit your vape, it’s a sign condensation has built up.
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Thick oil When you have pure oil in your vape cartridge, it’s more viscous than if it was mixed with other additives. Since the oil doesn’t flow as easily, it might feel more difficult to pull through your vape.^{[9]
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- Always use vape carts that are from trusted sellers to ensure you’re getting high-quality oil.
If your vape is ever left in a room above 70 °F (21 °C), it could make the oil inside your cart leak, where it could harden around the air holes when it cools back down. Similarly, cold temperatures that are below 60 °F (16 °C) could make the oil more viscous and harder to pull through your vape.^{[10]
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Chamber flooding When you don’t use your vape for a long time, the oil inside your cart thickens and builds up around the heating coil in the inner chamber. As the oil thickens even more, the coil won’t be able to heat up to the proper temperature or create any vapor.^{[11]
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- If your vape has a burning smell or taste, then it may be permanently damaged. It’s best to throw it away instead of trying to clean it.

Section 3 of 3:

Preventing Clogged Carts

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When you take a lot of long hits and breathe in forcefully, more oil will pull into the mouthpiece’s chamber and form a clog over time. Gently breathe in for 3–5 seconds when you take a hit, and then let your cartridge cool down for about 30 seconds before you take another.^{[12]
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When you lay your vape on its side, there’s more of a chance that the oil could build up around the heating coil or even leak out of the cartridge. Stand your carts up when you’re done using them so the oil doesn’t go into the mouthpiece. Either use the original packaging that your carts came in, or put them in a cartridge holder.^{[13]
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Keep your vape cart in a cool, dry place. Find a spot for your vape carts where there’s a consistent temperature without any direct sunlight. Avoid anywhere that has a lot of moisture or high humidity since they could make your carts leak.^{[14]
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- Oil hardens up when it gets cold. When oil gets too hot, it thins out and pulls into the heating chamber to form a clog.

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Tips

Clean your vape cartridge every 20 drags or when you charge the battery to help prevent buildup and clogs from forming.^{[15]
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