Vape Got Wet? What to Do (and What Not to Do)

Do not charge it. That is the whole of the urgent advice. Everything else can wait a day, but putting a wet lithium device on a charger is what turns a probably-fine situation into a genuinely hazardous one.

Right now

1. Do not charge it. Do not use it.
2. Dry the outside with a towel.
3. Hold it mouthpiece-down and shake firmly to clear water from the airway and the charge port.
4. Leave it somewhere warm and dry — room temperature, good airflow — for at least 24 hours. 48 if it was fully submerged.
5. Check it before doing anything else with it.

What not to do

• No hairdryer, oven, radiator or direct sun. Heat is its own hazard with a lithium cell, and you would be adding a second risk to solve the first.
• No rice. It does very little, and the dust gets into the airflow ports.
• Do not open the device to dry it faster. Prying the housing apart damages the thing you are trying to protect.
• Do not charge it to "see if it works". That is the test that causes the problem.

When to give up on it

Stop and treat the device as dangerous if you see any of these:

• Swelling, or a casing that no longer sits flush
• Heat when it is not in use
• Hissing, or a sharp chemical smell
• Discolouration around the charge port
• Firing by itself

Put it somewhere open and non-flammable, let it cool, and take it to a battery collection point — not the household bin. Tell staff it is damaged.

If it seems fine after drying

Try drawing on it before you try charging it. If it produces vapour normally and stays cool, it probably survived. If it blinks or does nothing, moisture is likely still bridging the sensor — give it another day rather than concluding it is dead.

Watch it for a few days afterwards. Water damage sometimes shows up late as reduced battery life or intermittent behaviour. The battery safety rules are worth a read if you have had a scare.

Prevention

A small zip pouch handles pockets and bags. Check pockets before laundry. Keep devices off the edge of sinks and baths — which is also where most "went through the wash" stories begin.

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