For the last year or so, cotton has become the wicking material of choice for many vapers. There are several reasons why cotton makes excellent vaping wick, but there are also some misconceptions about what it offers and what it doesn’t. Recently, I was at a local vape shop and was shocked by what one of the clerks was telling a customer about cotton. Some of the things he said were inaccurate and some of them were flat-out false. With so many unknowns in vaping, I was appalled that a vape shop employee was spreading misinformation and mistruths about cotton. Let’s take a look at some of the things this vape store clerk said about cotton.
“Cotton is totally safe — much safer than silica.” — The first part of of what this clerk said is simply not true, while the second part is unknown. The employee’s reasoning was that cotton is safe because it’s a natural substance. What the employee didn’t tell the customer (either out or ignorance or out of laziness) is that the sterile CVS cotton balls used at his store are chemically treated (more on that in a sec). While its second-nature to vapers that have been using cotton wicks for a long time, newcomers have to be mindful about the wick drying up. Inhaling burning cotton is not safe, despite what the clerk said.
As for cotton being safer than silica, there are no longterm studies about the use of cotton or silica for vaping. Saying one is “much safer” than the other is misleading. The reality is that nobody knows at this time. Cotton balls, silica wick, ceramic wick, steel cable, etc. were not made with inhalation in mind. Just look at the product description for CVS sterile cotton balls: “To be used for application of antiseptics, medications and to cleanse scratches, cuts, or minor wounds.” While it’s entirely possible that cotton could be safer than silica for vaping, there aren’t any longterm studies that back up this opinion. At the very least, someone at a vape shop shouldn’t be stating a rudimentarily-researched opinion (at best) or foolish conjecture (at worst) as fact.
“Sterile cotton and organic cotton are the same.” — Saying something like this to a customer at a vape shop is just irresponsible. There are huge differences between sterile cotton and organic cotton. Again, there aren’t any longterm studies about one being safer than the other at this time, but saying that they’re the same is simply not true. In addition to being chemically treated for sterility and color, the sterile cotton balls that many vapers use were made from cotton staple that was grown with pesticides. Fear of pesticide inhalation is why some vapers choose organic cotton over the sterile version.
That isn’t to say that organic cotton is “completely safe,” but it’s certainly not “the same” as using sterile cotton. One issue with organic cotton is that it requires boiling prior to use. Ideally, this should be done with an immaculately clean pot and distilled water. Some vapers make the mistake of using tap water to boil their cotton. Almost all tap water contains minerals and some tap water supplies have been contaminated with antibiotics. Introducing these elements into something you inhale could be dangerous.
I love cotton, but… — Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not a cotton hater by any means. While it’s not my wicking material of choice, it’s certainly part of my rotation. There are many reasons why vapers love it — low cost, ease of use, clean flavor, etc. — and I totally understand why it’s so popular. That said, many vapers are under the impression that using cotton is completely safe and that’s just not true. For a vape shop employee to say this to a customer is…disturbing. There are a lot of unknowns about vaping and there’s a lot of misinformation being spread. I believe that vape shops have a responsibility to their customers and to the industry; they should be educating people about vaping, not lying to them or misleading them.
I agree. There are a lot of unknown regarding the safety of wicking materials. But I do disagree regarding the sterile cotton. I had the same concerns so I looked it up. “Cotton USP” has standards for the amount of non-cotton stuff that can be in it. It is in fact bleached and sterilized with hydrogen peroxide. But the thing about USP sterility is that the product must be sterilized in its retail package, and hydrogen peroxide isn’t terribly stable. So it’s soaked with H2O2 and then heated to sterilize it. Between the heat, and contact with organic matter the actual content of chemicals in the cotton is minuscule. I would venture a bet it is more pure than the organic stuff.
Thanks for the comment, Mark. Do note that I said that sterile and organic cotton are not “the same,” objecting to what the clerk told the customer. I did not state that organic cotton is safer than sterile cotton; the reality is that nobody knows at this time. With all that in mind, I don’t know what you “disagree” with.
Secondly, thanks for bringing up USP sterilization. I’ve seen some cotton labeled as “USP Sterile” and some without the USP label. Would you happen to know if all cotton sold in the US that’s marked as sterile has to go through USP testing?
“Almost all tap water contains minerals and some tap water supplies have been contaminated with antibiotics. Introducing these elements into something you inhale could be dangerous.” – I don’t understand your logic in that statement. THe caveat would be if you are factoring in third world countries. If not – We already consume “tap” water? Municipal water out of your faucet is safe to drink. I’m a water/waterwater engineer.
Safety for drinking and safety for inhaling are two different things. Just look at diacetyl, for example. It’s GRAS for foods, but known to cause popcorn lung if large amounts are inhaled.
Good article, a must read for every vapor. #RPadTV what is your “wicking of choice?” & where can I find it? What are your thoughts on Cellucotton?
I went through a CelluCotton phase for a few months last year. I enjoyed it, but now prefer organic cotton that’s cut into squares. For me, it’s easier to work with. This is what I’ve been using lately:
https://www.amazon.com/Cotton-Labo-ORGANIC-Puff-200pc/dp/B000TCD51A/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=rt0b3-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=S4EBEOU3GVBTRDPQ&creativeASIN=B000TCD51A
#RPadTV What can you tell me about your experience and any facts with the Cellucotton? I’m prob going to research and give it a try.
It’s super cheap, it wicks super fast, and it has a higher burning temperature than cotton. Some people say that it highlights the sweet flavors in juices, but that didn’t happen for my tastebuds. It’s worth checking out to see if it works for you. I bought a giant box at a beauty supply store for like $20.
Alright, I’ll fire sure
Thanks again and it was a pleasure to meet you. I know you hear this all the time but, I thought it would be interesting if you would interview a YouTube reviewer. Have you ever done this type of interview? I know a Youtube reviewer if your interested.