Clogged Delta-8 Cart? Here’s What to Do

You stashed your vape for a while and now you have a clogged Delta-8 cart. Like really clogged—you’ve tried to pull it until you were blue in the face and it just won't budge. What should you do? Do you have to throw it out and buy another?

Don’t stress! You’ve got options. Here’s what to do if your Delta-8-THC cartridge is clogged (and how to prevent it from happening again): 

How to Fix a Clogged Delta-8 Cart

Your Delta-8-THC cart is likely filled with Delta-8 distillate or another form of hemp extract. Generally, these extracts are going to be very thick and sticky, so it’s safe to say that clogging is a normal part of the vaping process.

The vaporizer is designed to heat up, making the extract more viscous, meaning it’s thinner and flows more freely through the small parts of the vape cart. When the vape (and the extract) cool down, the oil can become stuck in these small parts causing a clog that prevents you from pulling any vapor through your pen.

If you’ve found yourself in this frustrating situation, here’s what to do:

First, try to identify the clog.

Before you can try to fix your clogged cart, try to identify whether the clog is inside the cart itself or just inside the mouthpiece.

If something is simply clogging your mouthpiece, you may be able to clear it away with a small cotton swab or a pair of tweezers. If it’s sticky inside the mouthpiece, you may need to use some sort of alcohol (we suggest a pure drinking alcohol over rubbing alcohol since drinking alcohol is designed for ingestion) on the cotton swab to rub it away.

If the clog doesn’t seem to be at the surface level (meaning you can’t remove it with a swab), continue with the following steps:

Try to take a few quick puffs.

You’ve probably already done the obvious and tried to pull the clog out by puffing on the vape. If that didn’t work, try taking a few hard, rapid puffs to “wiggle” the clog loose. If it still doesn’t budge, no worries, just move on to the next step.

Preheat or fire-up the vape.

If your vape has a pre-heat option, turn it on and let the vaporizer heat up. As we mentioned, the oil gets thinner when it’s warmed, which may make it easier to unclog. If there’s no preheat option, try pressing the firing button on your vape for 2-3 seconds at a time. (Don’t hold the button for too long or you may burn your coils, which will make your vape taste pretty bad if you do get it unclogged). Repeat this a few times, puffing on the vape in between to see if you can get the clog loose.

Use other methods to warm it up (but be careful!)

If internally heating the vape doesn’t loosen the clog, that means the clog may not be near the inner heating mechanism. In this case, you may need to carefully warm the vape up on the outside. Take the vape cart off the battery (do not heat the battery) and try to gently warm it with a hairdryer. Alternatively, wrap the cart in a warm towel for a few minutes. Then, without pressing the firing button or connecting the battery, try to “puff” on the cart to unclog it.

These methods should help you quickly unclog your Delta-8 cart so you can use the rest of your precious extract. Next time around you may want to consider taking some precautions against vape cart clogs.

How to Prevent Delta-8 Cart Clogs

Here’s how to protect your Delta-8 vape cart so that you get to use every last drop:

Store Delta-8 carts upright.

One of the primary reasons a vape cart gets clogged is because it is laid on its side or upside down immediately after use, when the oil is still warm and viscous. This allows the oil to creep into the small parts of the vape cart where it will become clogged as the extract cools down. Store your Delta-8 carts upright to help prevent clogs.

Store at room temperature.

Allowing your Delta-8 cart to get too hot or too cold (like subjecting it to freezing or critically hot temperatures) can also cause a clog. Once again, this has to do with the viscosity of the oil rapidly changing before the oil has time to settle in the bottom of the cartridge where it belongs.

Store your Delta-8 at room temperature. It will help prevent clogs and will make your Delta-8 last longer, too. Read more about how to store Delta-8.

Place a cap on the mouthpiece.

Usually, your Delta-8 cart will come with a little rubber cap on the mouthpiece. This cap is meant to repel dust and keep the cart clean. Most people throw it away, but it’s not a bad idea to hang on to it and use it to keep your mouthpiece clean after use.

Some vaporizers come with a mouthpiece cap. If you’re in a pinch and plan to travel with your Delta-8-THC pen, place a piece of tape over the mouthpiece so it doesn’t gunk up.

Don’t stow it away for too long.

You may not use your Delta-8 pen every day, and that’s fine! But try not to stow it away for too long in between uses. Over time, the oil inside your Delta-8 cart starts to change. It gets thicker (and sometimes the color even changes) as it oxidizes. The longer you store it, the more likely it is you’ll end up with a clog.

Looking for Premium Delta-8 Carts?

Buying a high-quality Delta-8 Cart is the first step to ensuring that you get the most out of your Delta-8 experience. Our Delta-8-THC carts are made with only Delta-8 distillate and terpenes, and they are 100% Farm Bill compliant. Check out our Elev8 Collection for carts, flower, and more.