When cleaning the connection points, take a lint free cloth or smooth tissue and gently clean in and around the threads that connect your battery and your atomizer. Make sure that any cloth you use is clean and does not have a tendency to snag or tear apart. The last thing you need is random threads and paper towel particles clinging to the connection area. This not only can cause electrical current disruptions, but can also be very hazardous if any of those particles were to drift or be wiped inside the atomizer connection, into the heating coil housing. After making sure the outer connections are clean, take a fresh tissue or untarnished area of your lint free cloth and gently dab and wipe the area around the atomizer’s vent hole. Make sure not to leave any liquid or material on the connection.
Another valuable lesson in atomizer care is overnight storage and regular purging of your atomizer housing and coil chamber. While this might sound complicated, it’s something that everyone can and should do. Simply put, throughout the day, liquid is constantly draining into your coil chamber. Even if you are very careful to not overfill or flood your atomizer, some fluid will make it in there. Fluid left inside the atomizer continually can cause problems with stale-tasting vaping, as well as a buildup of un-atomized particles on and around the coil, something that can definitely cause a clog and degradation of components if left unattended.
One theory for clearing out your atomizer is to disassemble your e-cigarette, and place your atomizer, battery connection side UP (or at a slight angle) and allow the unvaporized juice to drain onto a piece of tissue paper or absorbent cloth. When left overnight, you will be able to see that liquid has collected on the tissue.
Another, more proactive way to expedite this process is to take your atomizer, place it over your cloth, battery connection side up again, and gently blow into the hole where the atomizer and battery couple. As you breathe into the hole, you will hear a light gurgling sound as the any additional liquid is being cleared from the heating coil. As you’re doing this, pay close attention to your breathing, as you don’t want to inadvertently force saliva into the coil housing. After every two or three breaths, LIGHTLY tap the atomizer onto the cloth or tissue. If any fluid remained in the atomizer from the day’s use, you will see it slowly begin to collect on the tissue. Repeat this until you’re no longer hearing a gurgling sound when breathing into the connector. After you’ve completed this, place the atomizer (standing up) on a clean piece of tissue, as additional liquid will continue to drain down the atomizer wall.
Some advocate pushing a piece of cloth or the corner of your tissue slightly into the atomizer in order to soak up any remaining liquid. I find this to be problematic, especially with individuals that are new to e-cigarettes, in that while doing this, you might be inadvertently leaving fuzz or tissue particles inside your atomizer housing. It’s probably best that you do what you can without actually placing any foreign object INSIDE the atomizer. You can effectively clean your atomizer without it, and you’ll avoid any complications.