How to clean and look after your vape, from pod kit to tank

Vapes live in pockets and bags, and they pick up fluff, condensation and tiny amounts of liquid that seep from the pod. Over time that builds up on the contacts where the pod meets the battery, and in the airflow channels that feed the sensor and coil.

The result is a list of symptoms that look like faults: the vape fires weakly or not at all, it gurgles, it tastes faintly of last month's flavour or it leaks. Most of them disappear with a two-minute clean. The diagram shows the parts that need attention most, and none of them requires tools or taking anything apart.

Do this once a week, or whenever you change a pod. It needs a dry tissue or cotton bud and nothing else. The aim is to remove the condensation and liquid that collect in the pod cavity, because that is what eventually upsets the sensor and the electrical contacts.

Never pour water into the device body or push anything sharp into the charging port. The battery and electronics are sealed, but they are not designed to get wet. If you are using refillable pods, this is also a good moment to check the pod for cracks and the coil for signs of wear, covered in our guide on when to change a coil or pod.

Pod kits and tank setups need slightly different care. A refillable pod is mostly plastic with a built-in coil, so a gentle rinse of the mouthpiece and outside is enough. A tank comes apart into glass, metal sections and a coil head, which makes a deeper clean easier and more worthwhile.

When cleaning a tank, take the coil head out first, as soaking it ruins the cotton. Glass can crack if dropped or tightened unevenly, so it is worth having spare glass in the drawer if you use a tank. Removable mouthpieces can be swapped for fresh drip tips if yours get scratched or stained.

Warm tap water is all you need for pods, tanks and mouthpieces. Hot water from the kettle can warp plastic and crack cold glass, and washing-up liquid can leave a taste that takes a few fills to clear, so keep to plain warm water unless something is really gunked.

The step people skip is drying. Water left in the airflow channels or on the contacts causes exactly the gurgling and misfiring you were trying to fix. Shake parts out, pat them dry with kitchen roll, then leave them on a tissue for several hours, ideally overnight. A second, spare pod means you can keep vaping while the first one dries.

Leaks and gurgles are the most common complaints about pod kits, and they are rarely a sign of a broken device. Usually the cause is how the pod was filled or how it is being puffed. A hard draw pulls liquid through the coil faster than it can vaporise, and an overfilled pod has nowhere for the pressure to go.

Tap the symptom closest to yours for the most likely fix. If a refillable pod still leaks after you have tried everything, the seal or the coil may be worn, and replacing the pod is the reliable answer. Our pod range covers replacements for most popular kits.

Looking after a vape is less about big cleaning sessions and more about small habits. Charge it before it is completely flat, keep it upright when you can, and store it out of extreme heat, such as a car dashboard in summer, which can make pods leak and is bad for the battery.

Tick off the habits you already have. If you use refillable pods, our guide to prefilled and refillable pods covers filling technique, which prevents a lot of the mess before it starts. A well-kept kit will usually outlast several cheaper replacements bought in frustration.