Do you have a disposable vape that isn’t hitting? Believe us, we understand how annoying that is because we’ve been there ourselves.

Luckily, the solution is usually fairly simple.

Assuming that the battery is fully charged, the most common reason why a disposable vape pen doesn’t work is because it’s clogged – and in this guide, we’re going to explain how to fix it.

How can you tell if a disposable vape is clogged? A vape pen can clog in two different ways, and each of those ways has its own telltale symptoms.

• A disposable vape can clog because oil is caught in the airway. When this happens, you’ll have trouble inhaling through the device because of a blockage in the intake vents or in the chimney leading out of the mouthpiece.
• A disposable vape can clog because the oil in the reservoir isn’t absorbing into the wick. In this case, you won’t have trouble drawing air through the device but will get little or no vapor. If the wick is completely dry, you may also experience a terrible burnt flavor.

The way to fix a clogged disposable vape depends on the reason for the clog, which you have hopefully now identified based on the symptoms you’re experiencing. Now, it’s time to learn how to get your device working again.

How to Unclog a Disposable Vape Pen with Airflow Problems

As we explained above, you’ll have trouble pulling air through your disposable vape if oil is stuck in the air intake vents or the chimney. If the device is badly clogged, it may not turn on at all when you puff on it. The fix for this issue is actually quite simple, and you can get your device working again in a matter of seconds.

• Try forcing air through the device by taking a short, firm puff. If this technique works, you’ll hear or feel a “pop,” and the device will start working.
• If that technique doesn’t work, take a paperclip and bend it into a stick shape. Run the paperclip down your vape’s mouthpiece until you begin to feel resistance. The resistance is the clog. Move the paperclip in a circular motion to dislodge the clog. After you’ve done this, your device should start working. If you don’t have a paperclip handy, you can also use a sewing needle. Be careful not to scratch your vape pen’s coil.
• If oil is coming out of your vape’s airflow vents, you may be able to remove some of it using a paperclip or sewing needle as described above. In most cases, though, the airflow vents on a disposable vape are too narrow. Your device should work after you’ve cleared the clog in the chimney, but you may have to deal with reduced airflow through the intake vents until you replace the device.

Note that once a vape pen clogs, it’ll often clog again after it cools down. That’s because it’s almost impossible to remove every trace of oil from the device’s airflow path, and the oil cools and thickens after you stop vaping. If that happens, you can just repeat the steps that you used to unclog the device initially. At the end of this guide, we’ll explain what you can do to prevent your disposable vape pens from clogging in the future.

How to Unclog a Disposable Vape Pen that Tastes Burnt

If you have a disposable vape that either tastes very burnt or produces no vapor at all when you puff on it – but the light does turn on, and you’re certain that the device still has plenty of oil remaining – it means that the oil in your device’s reservoir isn’t absorbing into the wick. This is a common problem for disposable vapes that have been stored in very cool temperatures because vape oil can become extremely viscous in an air-conditioned environment. Thankfully, you can reverse this problem quite easily by simply warming the device up a bit.

• Before you do anything else, try tapping the device against your hand a few times. Sometimes, air bubbles can form over the device’s wick openings, and the bubbles can prevent the oil from absorbing properly. If that has happened with your device, tapping it on your hand should break the bubbles, and the oil should begin absorbing. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to warm your device to loosen the oil.
• The easiest way to warm a disposable vape is by holding it between your hands for several minutes. Gradually, the heat from your hands will loosen the oil and get it flowing through the device’s wick. If you’d like to try a method that doesn’t take quite so long, seal your vape in a zip-top plastic bag and run warm water over it for a few minutes. Make sure that the vape doesn’t get wet. When you begin to see air bubbles coming out of your device’s wick openings, the problem is fixed. Wait several minutes for the oil to completely saturate the wick before you start vaping.

How to Stop a Disposable Vape Pen from Clogging in the Future

When a disposable vape’s airflow channels are clogged, it can make the experience of using the device fairly unpleasant because the device almost always clogs again after it cools down. Although it’s helpful to know how to fix it, it’s even better if you can prevent the problem from happening in the first place. To do that, you should always remember these two tips.

• Puff very gently when you use a disposable vape. You only need to puff as firmly as necessary to make the device’s LED light up. The most common reason why disposable vape pens clog is because people tend to puff on them too firmly when they’re new to vaping.
• When a disposable vape pen runs out of oil, don’t try to refill it; replace the device instead. It’s common for disposable vapes to leak after they’ve been refilled. If want to use a vaping device that you can refill, use a 510-thread battery and refillable cartridges instead.