5 EASY WAYS TO CLEAN A SQUONK BOTTLE

Sometimes (like when wanting to switch flavours in your squonker) you may find that there can be a lingering trace of the previous liquid tainting your vape. Occasionally you may notice a slight  funky or “off” taste, perhaps ruining for you entirely that bottle of premium high end (and expensive!) eliquid you’ve saved yourself  for a “treat”. This is something that drives me completely bananas, and I genuinely have rage quit squonking more than twice, reaching out for an RTA or Dripper instead.
Why is this? Am I just  manky? Well, yes, but that’s not wholly and entirely to blame. You see, there’s loads of reasons why your vape just isn’t right, ranging from old liquid and bacteria trapped in your 510 and squonk tube, to “suck back” (oo-er) of microscopic cotton fibres down into your bottle. The list is as long as your arm. More often than not though, and through no fault of our own, e liquid can just make your bottles smell. Usually rather quite a lot like the e-liquid inside. And no matter how many quick rinses under the tap you give them, sometimes it seems like it’s never, ever going away. Shout out to Red Astaire and Heisenberg right here.
DON’T PANIC !!
A rage quit and squonk flounce really isn’t needed. Just try these simple methods below. Whilst none are 100% guaranteed (some liquids just never go away) each will give you the best chance of extending the lifespan of your bottles, and will hopefully save you money and  much gnashing of teeth on the way.
OPERATION: CLEAN SQUONK
1: Washing Up Liquid and Warm Water
Yes. It’s obvious. But you’d be surprised how many people just don’t seem to bother. A good washing up session every three days is the first line of defence in keeping those whiffs at bay. Whilst our Goldilocks squonk bottles are made to FDA and LFGB Certification standards (and therefore leeching is not a concern), we recommend giving your bottles a thorough scrub every three days (perhaps with a small bottle brush) in washing up liquid and warm water, then a damn good rinsing under the tap. Allow to air dry in a well ventilated area, and your bottles will be staying fresher for longer than if you didn’t. Fact.
2: White Vinegar
The next level up in the stench removing scale is that staple of cleaning everybody should have, the magical stuff known to the experts as ” White Vinegar”. This stuff is great for cleaning all sorts, and squonk bottles is definitely no exception. Simply fill your bottle (or a container if you’re doing several) ¾ full with the vinegar, and top off with warm to hot water. Leave to soak or stand overnight, then rinse and wash as above. Most often this will be enough to bring your squonk or squonk refill bottle back to their initial fresh tasting glory and delight.
3: Bicarbonate/ Baking Soda
Again using something you may already have in your household, this method can be relatively easy and quick to deploy. Simply mix a solution of baking/ bicarbonate of soda (2-3 teaspoons per cup) with warm water, fill or soak your bottles overnight. Again, unless you like the taste of bicarb, wash, rinse and air dry until all’s good. This one is particularly handy if you don’t have any of the last two method ingredients to hand.
4: Vodka/ Isopropyl Alcohol
Alcohols, in purer forms, are  well established disinfecting agents, with Isopropyl (especially when mixed to 70/30 % with distilled water) being a particularly effective cleaning and disinfectant solution (p8-13; https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5116.pdf).
 If you don’t have any Isopropyl to hand, then cheap vodka will suffice, with both being capable of shifting stubborn odours. Simply wash, rinse and then fill or soak your squonk bottles with your alcohol of choice (don’t whatever you do drink the Isopropyl) and leave it to work wonders overnight. Then wash, rinse and dry as above. Simple.
5:Baby Bottle / Denture Sterilising Liquids and Tablets
An excellent way to disinfect and clean your squonk tubes and bottles, but be sure to wash and rinse thoroughly at the end. Simply fill a container with the requisite amount of tablets/ liquid  (according to manufacturer’s instructions) and let your squonk items soak in it for as long as the labels instruct. As always, wash, rinse and dry thoroughly prior to use, and before long you’ll be bang at the #squonklyfe once more.
 I’ve found denture tablets to be a great “travel option” when going to Expos and Vapefest, as these are small,  portable and really easy to acquire. You need never be caught short in a socially embarrassing squonk based scenario again.
As well as the above tried and tested methods, there’s a few other more left field ideas I’ve seen people swear by, such as Mouthwash mixed with 3 teaspoons of english mustard. An interesting combo, and perhaps a good idea for a liquid, but I think I’ll just stick to the Milton or Sterident tablets for now ….
But sometimes, after all of the above, a bottle just isn’t coming back to its glory. At this point we must say our farewells and move on. But when it comes to new bottles, I like to play it safe, and want something that at least gives me some kind of head start. Stealthvape Goldilocks bottles, as mentioned above, are made to FDA and LFGB Cert standards, and not only this, are sterilised in a medical grade autoclave at 134 °C for 10 minutes before being sealed in an airtight packet. This ensures that the bottles reach the customer in the cleanest possible state, meaning contaminants are kept at bay right up to the point of initial use. With good care and “hygiene” these bottles last long, so try them yourself and see if others compare.
Above all remember: Cleaning is cool. Being a bit manky isn’t. Fact.