I am just starting DIY e-liquid today.
After watching dozens of online tutorials and buying all the required gear, I am now ready to start the triel and error process of making my own e-liquid.
I am planning on mixing by volume so I got some syringes, empty bottles, measuring cups and a beaker.
As I was starting to open the syringes and empty bottles I bought, the thought of sanitizing these items came to my mind. I realized that I don't really know what I should do regarding keeping these pieces of equipment safe and clean.
I tried looking online for vaping videos about how to keep DIY equipment clean but couldn't really find any video that really went into it.
The only videos I found about sanitizing or sterilizing syringes and bottles were not vape related, so it was not clear if that level of cleaning is required.
I would like to know what is the level of cleaning that I need to do to keep my equipment at a required level. Should I sterilize the syringes before use? How do I clean them after use? Do I wash them with water or soup? Or do I need to sterilize them after each use? Do I need to wash the empty bottles before I transfer the eliquid I created to them for storage?
Thanks for the assistance :)
I'd strongly recommend to mix by weight. It's much easier and there's no need for clean up.
Get a scale that goes to 0.01g and has a max capacity of at least 300g ( for up to ~120mls, or higher max capacity if you want to make larger bottles. )
Most vendors sell flavors in bottles that already have dropper caps.
So you can just drip them right into the bottle you will vape from. Tare the scale and move on to the next flavor.
No need to clean anything, except maybe bottles if you feel like it.
Sites like ELR and ATF will give you the weight in grams so it's easy.
Thanks for the tip :) will look into mixing by weight.
Hi. It’s really easy to mix by weight and should you need help, just join our discord and we‘ll guide you through it. No cleanup rocks! Keep the syringes though. Sometimes you‘ll get flavors that aren’t in dropper bottles and they come in handy for transferring those into other bottles. Good luck!
I agree, mixing by weight is much easier.
All you need to look out for is the density of the ingredients.
Most flavors are dissolved in PG, which has a density of 1.04 g/ml, so close enough to 1. But your nicotine juice is likely to contain VG, which has a density of 1.26 g/ml. The nic does not really matter here, but if you're vaping 50/50, that base has a density of 1.15 g/ml. So you have to account for that.
But it's easy, if you mix 100 ml, just put 115 g in there.
You wouldn't have to worry about most of that stuff, if you just mixed by weight instead. Far easier and less messy.
Also, don't wash anything in soup, unless you're really into chicken broth or maybe tomato soup. Creamed Mushroom perhaps as well.
Ok joke aside.
It's always good to sterilize anything. You can get far with some boiled or distilled water for cleaning. Washing your bottles in soap can do as well, but maike sure you get all the residue out of your bottles before you start mixing.
Again, consider mixing by weight. Volume is a giant headache.
Let me just say, do NOT mix by volume. Return all that stuff if you can. It's a complete waste honestly. I just started mixing 2 months ago and it is sooooo much easier, less wasteful and less messy to mix by weight. You don't need any beakers, cylinders, extra bottles, nothing but a scale and maybe a syringe but I've never used one. It is so much easier, I promise you. I have already made 3 recipes better than anything I've gotten from a store in the last 5 years and I did not really start to succeed until I start mixing by weight because it is so much more accurate. There is no cleanup and no waste this way. You literally just put your 60/30/120ml bottle on a scale and squeeze your flavors in and then pour in everything else. You don't need 10 different syringes and pipettes for a 7 flavor recipe, you only need the 1 bottle that you'll be filling and that's it.
I started off with syringes. It lasted all of two weeks before i bought a 10 dollar jewelers scale from walmart. the scale hasnt failed me yet. its a lot easier and it saves so much time. the syringes you have to be careful to not puncture the bottles and the needles bend easy. plus keeping track of what needle youve used on what to not cross contaminate flavorings is just a pain in the ass thats really not worth the 10 dollars for a cheapo scale. also you'll eventually spend way more on syringes than you would a scale. plus if your not buying them online you have the embarassment of asking for syringes. they asked me why i wanted syringes and it was a really uncomfortable conversation i could tell they thought i wanted to use them for drugs until i explained that i want them to mix ejuice.
edit: ps its also a pain in the ass to get the right amount into the syringe and tipping the bottle you'll get flavoring on your hands and some just are not pleasant to smell.
Well, there is basic hygenie to be followed. Dont be picking the dog turds up from the garden then go striaght into mixing without washing up.
You could buy a bottle of steralizing solution used for baby bottles and put a drop of that in some warm water and rinse everything out. Placing bottles and such in natural sunlight to dry is a good way to get rid of any bugs,I cant remember why,its something to do with the UV light.
You should mix how you like it! Don't listen a stranger's advice but choose the way you prefer. When you scale up to larger bottles, mixing by volume shows it's strengts. It will also be advantageous to avoiding measurement errors, which can quickly occur, if you mix by weight. And cleaning your stuff under warm water won't take as much, as people make it appear.. It takes just some minutes. =)
I'd recommend, you get a dehydrator for drying (20-40$, only for small equipment). This way you will also have a little antibacterial effect when drying your mixing stuff. You'll find information about the proper temperatures for heat+plastic on the internet. Just pay attention on the quality of the syringes. Don't buy products from BD-Plastic, which are sold on many flavor-sites (Chef's, etc.).. because the letters on this syringes are not resistant to washing!! Get "Braun" syringes or simply buy small numbers in the beginning, so you'll see the quality of the syringes in terms of reusability. That's all you need to know.
I'd also suggest you, when mixing, to do sessions with similar flavors (bavarian cream, graham cracker, vanilla, etc.), so that you won't need to use too many syringes, but reuse some.
I use an extra canula with adesive tape for every flavor bottle. Just pay attention to get the right canula/needles with BLUNT ENDS (!!!), 40mm length and a proper diameter (not too thin - 1,2mm is good!) That is all you need to now ;-)