One word you will always hear in the vaping community – especially when the subject of improving vape juice is being discussed – is “steeping.” Experienced vapers recommend it as the best way to revamp your e-juice flavor and taste. In truth, steeping vape juice is a widespread practice amongst pro vapers. And just as you will see in this article, steeping is a simple process that you can carry out anytime.
Steeping e-juice allows it to mature for a better taste and a more pronounced flavor. There are many ways to achieve this (as discussed later in this article). The main idea behind steeping is to allow the e-liquid ingredients and flavors to blend and remove any volatile compounds such as alcohol.
Steeping e-juice may be a norm for some vapers, but there are reasons they do it. Generally, steeping is highly recommended if your e-juice gives off an alcoholic or perfume taste. Steeping e-liquid allows the PG and VG concentrates to blend and allows you to mix e-liquids or flavors without ruining them. It is also known to neutralize harmful effects such as coughing or throat burn, allowing for a better vaping experience.
No. Steeping vape juice isn’t mandatory. However, certain situations call for it. Here are some instances where you’ll have to steep your e-liquids:
Steeping and breathing are two terms in the vaping world that sometimes get confused for each other. However, these two processes are entirely different, even though they both improve the vape liquid.
Steeping entails allowing the vape liquid to mix thoroughly and then mature. You can achieve this by settling the vape juice in a cool, dark place, preferably a cupboard for some time, or by other quicker steeping methods.
Breathing, on the other hand, is all about oxidation. To breathe e-juice, you take off the cap of the e-liquid bottle and allow oxygen to come in contact with the juice for a certain period. Breathing is usually done when some unwanted chemicals need to be released from the vape juice.
Here’s a summary of the differences between breathing and steeping.
| Steeping | Breathing |
| Can be done in different ways | It Is done in just one way – exposing e-juice to air |
| Requires shaking the e-liquid bottle | Doesn’t require shaking |
| Can last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks | Can only last a few hours |
| Main goal – for better mixing of chemicals | Main goal – for evaporation of chemicals |
| Heat is necessary | Heat is not necessary |
Streathing is a combination of steeping and breathing. While steeping, it may be necessary to allow vape juice to breathe so that volatile chemicals and unwanted odors can evaporate. To breathe e-juice, you apply heat, shake the bottles, and take off the cap to breathe. Finally, you store it safely away from sunlight.
The simplest and best way to steep e-liquid is by storing it in a cool and dark place for a few weeks while shaking the bottle at regular intervals. This could be once a day or every few hours. For this method to be truly effective, the bottles must be kept away from light and sit for about two weeks.
However, there are several other preferred methods we will share on how to quickly steep e-juice. Here are some of them and their procedures.
You need some hot water, a pan, sink, or bathtub for this method. The hot water should preferably be between 120 degrees and 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you have this all set, follow these procedures:
If you feel the juice isn’t properly steeped, you can add some warm water after the first bathwater has cooled. However, ideally, this process shouldn’t last more than 5 hours.
In this method, you utilize the slow, steady heat slow cookers to steep your e-liquids. Here’s how it’s done:
This slow cooking method shouldn’t exceed 4 hours. You can also shake the bottles mid-process for better results.
For this method, you only need a microwave.
As an alternative, you can set your microwave to the highest heat possible and allow the bottles to heat up for about 15 minutes. Afterward, you open them up to breathe, shake and use.
You’ll need a substantial quantity of dry, uncooked rice and an oven for the hot rice method. The rice volume isn’t specific but what matters is that it should be able to submerge your vape juice bottles.
You can repeat the process if you feel it needs further steeping. Remember, the rice should be hot enough to allow you to touch it for a few seconds but not hot enough to burn your hands.
If you have an ultrasonic cleaner for jewelry or electronic cigarettes, you can use it to steep your vape juice. Here’s all you need to do.
You can repeat the process if you’re unsatisfied with the results.
Note: To ensure that your e-liquid doesn’t get diluted or contaminated, endeavor to seal the cap tightly before starting any of these steeping methods.
For steeping e-juice fast, the recommended methods are;
These methods can get your vape juice well steeped in 2 hours or less.
Time is the most crucial factor when it comes to steeping vape juice. However, the steeping time will depend on the steeping method used. For the simple, regular method of storing vape juice in a cool and dark place, the process should last for at least two weeks.
Quicker methods like those stated above should only last a few hours. However, bear in mind that some e-juice may require you to steep for longer times depending on the freshness and the flavor.
Yes. This is why you should test your e-juice after steeping for a while. Doing this will let you know whether to continue steeping or abort the process.
Steeping e-liquid makes a difference and is everything to some vapers. Although, to others, it’s unnecessary. It all boils down to how experienced you are in vaping and the kind of juice you vape. Vape juice that has been on the store shelf for a long time has naturally steeped. Steeping these juices further won’t produce any significant results.
However, freshly-made e-liquid will show changes in flavor, taste, and sometimes color when steeped. Hence, you must know how to steep vape juice, just in case the e-juice at hand needs an upgrade.
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