Research shows that vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking conventional cigarettes. While certainly not a cure for nicotine addiction, vaping is better for harm reduction and a viable long-term substitute for smoking. However, openly exhaling vapor is generally frowned upon.
A significant portion of the public sees vaping as another form of smoking. As a result, vaping in the toilet has become a norm for those aching to get a hit discreetly. But vaping in the toilet carries the risk of dropping your vape in the toilet, which is not ideal.
So, I dropped my disposable vape in the toilet. What should I do? If you are looking for answers to this question, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn what to do if your vape fell in the toilet.
What Happens If I Accidentally Drop My Vape in The Toilet?
Vaping devices are electronics. And just like any other electronic device, dropping your vape in the toilet will likely damage it. The toilet contains water, which can get inside the components and cause the device to short circuit, rendering it unusable.
The lithium-ion battery housed inside the battery compartment of a disposable vape can also explode when exposed to water. Although these incidents are uncommon, dropping a disposable vape in the toilet can cause problems that can lead to a fire.
It’s best to avoid using a disposable vape if it has been exposed to water, just to be safe. In addition to the risk of damage and potentially exploding and catching fire, dropping your vape in the toilet can lead to massive plumbing issues, especially if you try to flush it.
As you can see, vaping in the toilet poses a safety risk, even if it seems relatively minor. You need to be extra careful when vaping in the toilet to avoid these issues.
What To Do If You Drop Your Vape in The Toilet
If I dropped my vape in the toilet, what should I do? The first thing you need to do is figure out how to get your vape out of the toilet as soon as possible. If you act quickly, you can retrieve the vape before it sustains any damage.
Don’t flush the toilet because that will only make it harder to fish out the vape. The vape will be sucked deeper into the pipes, where it can cause blockages in the future (more on that later in the article).
Can I Continue Using a Disposable Vape I Dropped in The Toilet?
If the toilet was clean and the device did not sustain any water damage, absolutely. Toilet water is the same tap water that comes out of the taps throughout your house. So, unless the water contains human waste, trash, or chemicals, you can keep using the vape after fishing it out of the toilet.
Check the battery compartment for water. If the battery is completely sealed in a box mod and you are sure the insides didn’t get wet, all you have to do is clean it and disinfect the device, then you are good to go.
In most cases, you’re better off getting a new vape. If you are unsure whether there’s water damage, it’s safer to replace it. Sometimes, fishing a vape out of the toilet is not worth the trouble, especially with the cheaper disposable vapes that are easier to replace.
How To Clean a Vape You Dropped in The Toilet
If you dropped your disposable vape in the toilet, it’s not the end of the world. If you act quickly, you may not need to spend your hard-earned dollars on a replacement. Follow these steps to safely retrieve the vape from the toilet and ensure that it’s safe to use.
1. Fish the Vape Out of the Toilet
Put on a pair of rubber gloves and grab the fallen vape from the toilet bowl in one quick motion. As stated above, you need to do it quickly to minimize the risk of water damage.
2. Dry the Vape
If you want your vape to keep dispensing the perfect puffs, start drying it using a dry cloth or a hand drier the moment it’s out of the toilet. Allowing the moisture to sit unaddressed will only lead to further damage.
3. Clean All Exposed Parts of the Vape
Use a strong chemical disinfectant to kill whatever bacteria might be clinging to the surface of the vape. Carefully scrub the entire surface area down with a disinfectant wipe.
Many vapes feature a removable battery, a tank, and a coil. If possible, take the vape apart, clean these components individually, and leave them to air dry.
- Battery. If your vape features a removable battery, take it out and let it air dry even if it isn’t visibly wet. If there’s excess moisture on the battery, use a blow drier to remove it or blot it with a towel. If the battery is too wet, take it to a vape store to find out if you need a replacement.
- Tank. Dislodge the tank and get rid of any vape juice or e-liquid inside. Wipe the inside of the tank with a clean cloth dipped in high-proof vodka to remove any residual liquid. Rinse with warm water and dry with a paper towel. Let the tank air dry for a few minutes before fixing it in place.
- Coil. The vape coil or atomizer is responsible for heating the e-liquid and vaporizing it. If you dropped the elf bar in the toilet, you can wash and dry the coil rather than replace it. Soak the coil in high-proof vodka for a couple of hours to remove nicotine and e-liquid build-up, then rinse with water and let it air dry.
Can You Flush a Disposable Vape in The Toilet?
As a rule of thumb, the only thing you should be flushing down the toilet is human waste and toilet paper. Anything other than that will most likely cause problems down the line. The same applies to disposable vapes.
So, what happens if you flush a vape down the toilet? The vape itself won’t block up the toilet. However, it will trap toilet paper and other materials passing through the drain, causing clogs. You can remove the clog with a plunger, but there’s a chance the vape will remain in place to cause further blockages in the future.
Clogs and blockages aren’t the only reasons you shouldn’t flush your disposable vape down the toilet. E-cigarette devices, e-liquid containers, and batteries contain hazardous materials. Therefore, vapes should be taken to a household hazardous waste collection site for proper disposal.
Can You Recover Your Vape If You Flushed It Down the Toilet?
If you dropped your disposable vape in the toilet and flushed it by accident, you may still be able to recover it. Most toilet drains are designed only to allow water to pass through. A flushed vape will likely be caught in the drain and retrievable with a drain snake or a wire clothing hanger.
However, it’s unlikely that you will be able to continue using a vape after it has been flushed down the toilet. The damage may be too much, and if it’s not, a vape that has been in toilet water for that long is probably not safe to use. However, retrieving it will help you prevent clogs.
Conclusion
Dropping your vape in the toilet is a bummer, but all is not lost. You can always fish it out, clean it thoroughly, and continue using it. However, you will need to act quickly. Otherwise, the water damage will render the vape unusable.
Fishing something out of the toilet is not fun. While some of these mishaps can’t always be avoided, you should always be careful around open toilets to prevent dropping stuff in there.
