As viscous as hot molasses, delta 8 THC distillate can be a nightmare to clean if you’re unfortunate enough to spill it.

The same goes for distillate leakages and residues in vape pens which, if ignored, can give off a nasty taste and cause problems with your device.

Once the distillate sets after a spill or leak, it’s tough to remove and leaves major stains in its wake. A damp cloth and vigorous wiping won’t help.

But with a few products close at hand and timely intervention, you can clean up spilled distillate without too much fuss. Do it right, and you might even salvage some.

What You’ll Need

Cleaning your vape pen is simple, but you’ll need a few supplies to make it as easy as possible.

Fortunately, the products you’ll need are common and inexpensive.

• Concentrated dish soap
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Cotton swabs
• Salt or baking soda
• Paper towels

How to Clean Your Vape Pen

Spills are one thing, but you’re probably more likely to encounter messy distillate problems with your vape pen.

Delta 8 THC and other cannabinoid distillates can find their way into all kinds of surprising corners. The distillate residue builds up in the tank over time and can leak into the threading, where it then dries, making it hard to unscrew from the mouthpiece.

Here are a few steps to follow if your vape pen has suffered unfortunate leakages or just needs to be cleaned out.

1. Start by activating your device to heat the distillate. This makes it easier to mop up.
2. Once it’s warm, disassemble your vape pen’s mouthpiece, heating chamber, and battery.
3. Use a Q-tip or dab tool (which may come included with your device) soaked in isopropyl alcohol to gently wipe the distillate residues inside the tank. Try to methodically stroke in the same direction so as not to spread it around until you can no longer see any residue.
4. Repeat this process for the heating coil and its surrounding area — take care as this component is extremely fragile. Use as little isopropyl alcohol on the coil as possible since any excess liquid could find its way into the circuitry and cause damage.
5. Use rubbing alcohol with Q-tips to clean out the threading and cotton balls to wipe the rest of the area. Keep doing this until you no longer see any distillate residue on the alcohol-soaked Q-tips or cotton balls.
6. To clean distillate from the mouthpiece, consult your vape pen’s user manual first and check if it’s OK to use isopropyl alcohol on it with a Q-tip. If not, warm water should also do the trick for small amounts.
7. Do the same for the female component of your vape pen’s rechargeable battery. Be careful with this step as you wouldn’t wanna break it. If you are unfortunate, you can check out our vape battery for replacement.
8. When all that’s done, it’s a good idea to wipe down each part of your vape pen with a rag dampened with more rubbing alcohol.
9. Leave each component to dry in an airy room away from direct sunlight.

Once dry, you can reassemble your vape pen and get back to enjoying smooth, clean hits of delta 8!

How to Clean Your Mouthpiece

There’s nothing worse than a dirty mouthpiece — but cleaning this part of the device is simple and only takes a couple of minutes.

First, remove the mouthpiece and let it soak in some isopropyl alcohol for about 10 minutes.

Give it a few wipes with a paper towel and use some cotton swaps to get into the crevices or hard-to-reach places.

Now give it a rinse under warm water with some dish soap and set it aside to dry. Avoiding this problem is as easy as being clean and careful when taking a hit.

How to Clean a Vape Cartridge

Unlike the mouthpiece, you should never submerge or soak your cartridges in rubbing alcohol. The alcohol can seep inside the device and contaminate your cartridges. Only apply a small amount of alcohol to the outside of the device.

First, use a paper towel or cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol to gently rub the outside of the cartridge. Apply consistent but gentle pressure and keep rubbing until all the distillate is removed.

Once finished, you will clearly see the distillate residue as it has a distinct color. Give the cartridge another wipe with a dry paper towel to remove any leftover solvent.

How to Clean Your Vape Battery

Keeping the connections on your battery clean is important for using these devices safely. If there’s a leak or spill, it’s important you take the time to clean your batteries before you continue using them.

Using a cotton swab soaked in isopropyl alcohol, gently clean the connection of the battery until all the grease, dust, and distillate have been removed.

Wipe the terminal with a paper towel to remove any leftover solvent and set it aside to dry entirely before using it again.

Easy Steps on How to Salvage Spilled Distillate

If you’ve spilled a large amount of distillate and want to try and save some of it, you must intervene as fast as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it’s going to be to recoup any of it.

Additionally, once you’ve mixed it with dish soap, alcohol, or whatever else, it’s no longer usable.

And if you spilled distillate on a carpet or could contain broken glass, it’s over. It’s no longer safe (or pleasant) to consume and if you have a four-legged friend, you better keep them away from the spillage as delta 8 is very unsafe for our pets to consume.

The only way to salvage some of the distillate is if it spilled onto a smooth, hard surface, like a kitchen counter or a (very) recently cleaned laminate floor.

1. Act quickly. Dust, dirt, or any other impurity will soon find its way into the distillate and make it taste bad.
2. Have a clean receptacle ready to pour the salvaged distillate into.
3. Warm up the spilled distillate. This makes it easier to handle. You can try doing this with a hairdryer, but make sure the fan is clean, so you’re not blowing impurities onto it.
4. Use a metal knife or razor blade to scrape up as much of the distillate as possible and add it back into the container.

If you’re in any doubt about whether the distillate is still safe to consume, then it’s probably wise to just write it off and buy more.

Methods to Cleaning Up Spilled Distillate

The salt from your tears might help, but there are more effective ways to clean up distillate. Accidents happen to us all — no need to dwell on what can’t be changed.

Dry your eyes, forgive yourself and clean up the mess. Here are a few ways to do it.

Use Concentrated Dish Soap

At room temperature, delta 8 distillate sticks and stains its color to just about anything like its life depends on it.

The most straightforward way to start tackling a distillate spill is to prepare a bucket of hot, soapy water with concentrated dish soap.

While water and oil (which is what distillate is) don’t get along well, dish soap is a powerful surfactant.

Its chemical properties allow the water to bond with the oil so that it can be washed away, in much the same way as you use dish soap to degrease a frying pan coated in bacon fat.

Meanwhile, the heat from the sudsy water solution makes the distillate less viscous, so it becomes more like olive oil and thus easier to clean up.

Soak the entire area of spilled distillate with your hot, soapy water and gently pat it with a rag or cloth. Once it starts to loosen up, you’ll find it easier to scoop up the distillate’s sad remains.

Use Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol, is an effective alternative to concentrated dish soap.

As a solvent, the alcohol essentially liquefies the distillate into smaller particles that are easier to clean up.

So, take your trusty rag, soak it in isopropyl alcohol and start dabbing (not that kind of dabbing) and the distillate should quickly become more manageable.

If neither the alcohol nor dish soap is quite getting the job done, you can use both approaches together. Soak the affected area in isopropyl alcohol and leave it for a few minutes before working with soapy water.

Washing Your Hands of the Guilt

If you get spilled distillate on your hands, try to remove as much excess distillate as possible using agitators like salt and baking soda.

Coat your hands in either or both of these, then rub your hands together. Slowly but surely, little clumps will form that you can easily get rid of. Then finish off the process by cleaning your hands with dish soap.

Conclusion: Cleaning Spilled Distillate, Tear-Free

It’s a loss that’s hard to swallow — we get that. However, it’s important to save what you can (IF you can) and clean it up quickly.

Warm water, a rag, and acetone (fingernail polish remover) can help you get the job done. If it ends up on your hands, use baking soda and salt. If you’re super stressed, use more — turn it into a body scrub and wash away your pain (you really could, but it’s a little weird).

If you need more, we have you covered. Place and order your vape of choice, and we’ll get it out to you ASAP, just like always.