One of the most annoying things in life is anticipating a fast hit of your favorite products and having your device out to find out that it will no longer produce vapor. Clogged cartridges are a significant problem for anyone who continuously uses distillate, live resin, or thick oils. High-quality oils tend to be very viscous/sticky, and if there’s a change in temperature, how old the product is (how long it’s been stored) or how it’s ventilated, the oils can settle in a less-than-optimal place and cause the airway to be blocked.

Knowing why your vape is working improperly is key to helping you avoid permanently damaging your vape’s hardware. By learning to spot the signs of impending blockage, you will be able to clear out a stubborn blockage in 2 minutes or less, allowing you to go back to enjoying smooth draws.

Sign 1: You experience total resistance when drawing

When an airway is completely obstructed, it can be easy to tell if it’s severe. It will feel exactly like trying to drink a thick milkshake through a pinched straw when you are trying to pull on the mouthpiece. It is very possible to pull as hard as you can, and yet nothing will flow from the chamber. Another option is for your battery to cut off due to the internal sensors not detecting any airflow.

A completely blocked airway like this usually occurs due to a thick droplet of distillate or resin escaping the heating element and cooling directly inside of the narrow metal center tube. Upon cooling, the oil will have created a solid mass of material that will act as a cork inside of a bottle. Pulling on the mouthpiece using only the strength of your lungs will not resolve the airway blockage and additionally will cause further issues by pulling additional amounts of unvaporized oil into the mouthpiece.

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Sign 2: Sticky residue spills from the mouthpiece

If you notice a bitter, sticky substance on your lips when you take a puff from your cartridge, then you have a spit-back clog. A spitback clog occurs when oil is pulled completely through the airflow chimney without heating or vaporizing. Instead of a clean, smooth cloud of vapor, you are receiving raw, unheated concentrate that is leaking out of the top of the device.

This is a huge indication that your cartridge has flooded. Flooding happens when the tiny intake holes on the ceramic coils become over-saturated with oil. This typically takes place when you store your vape horizontally or pull aggressively while taking previous puffs. Once oil passes through the coil into the upper mouthpiece chamber, it causes a sticky barrier preventing airflow and ruining the taste of your oil.

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Sign 3: A gurgling sound during your hit

An ideal vape cartridge is generally silent, making a soft, smooth hissing when the air passes over the coil from being heated. However, if your vape is making gurgling, bubbling, or spitting noises when you press the button, you are in the early stages of having a clog. This means that there is air moving through; however, it must force its way through a puddle of liquid oil on top of the heating element.

If you allow the gurgling noise to continue you will create an eventual total blockage. The bubbling noise indicates that the coil has too much excess concentrate and will cause your vapor clouds to be wispy and weak due to the lowered temperature of your hit. This excess oil must be cleared out immediately or, eventually it will cool off, solidify and completely block off your airway.

Sign 4: Burning taste without vapor production

When your cartridge is struggling with an airflow blockage, you might find that your battery is getting hot and you can smell a faint, unpleasant burning aroma, yet you are barely getting any vapor into your lungs. This happens because the air path is restricted enough to prevent the vapor from traveling upward, causing the trapped heat to bake the oil repeatedly inside the chamber.

When you continuously fire a battery against a blocked airway, you are cooking the terpenes and cannabinoids without anywhere for the smoke to escape. This not only burns out the delicate flavor profile of your live resin or distillate, but it can also permanently scorch the internal ceramic coil. Once a coil is burnt from lack of airflow, every single hit from that cartridge will taste like burnt metal for the rest of its lifespan.

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How to unclog your vape in 2 minutes

To clear any common clog without damaging your oil or ruining your hardware, you only need two minutes and a couple of everyday household items. First, look for a thin, sturdy tool like a sewing needle, a safety pin, or an unfolded paperclip. Gently insert the pin straight down into the mouthpiece hole, keeping it perfectly centered to avoid scratching the internal walls. Give it a gentle swirl to catch the hardened plug of oil, and pull it straight back up to remove the debris.

Next, you need to address the remaining residue using gentle heat. Take a household hairdryer on its lowest heat setting and aim it at the glass or acrylic chamber of the cartridge for about 10 to 15 seconds. This mild heat will instantly liquefy the hardened oil, allowing it to flow back down into the reservoir where it belongs. To finish, take a few firm, dry pulls without pressing the power button to establish a clear, open airway.

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