Cleaning the Vortex couldn’t be easier, thanks to its unibody design without o-rings.
Titanium Vortex
Remove the tip, push out the intercooler, and soak the Vortex and intercooler in isopropyl alcohol (with an alcohol content of 91% or higher to protect any anodization). Use something like a glass container, instead of a plastic bag, so the pieces don’t move around and scratch each other. Rinse, dry, assemble, and vape!
You can also clean your Dynavap tip and cap, by soaking them in the same glass of alcohol.
Do not use citric acid to clean your Simrell Vortex or polishing/buffing compounds. It will remove any anodization on your stem!
Wood Vortex
Our wood stems require a different approach for cleaning and maintenance. Remove the intercooler and soak it in isopropyl alcohol, rinse and dry. Dip a pipe cleaner in isopropyl alcohol, and clear out the inside of the condenser tube, as well as the spacing between the wood and the condenser tube. The spacing shouldn’t collect any debris, but it should be cleaned out after extensive use. Dip the pipe cleaner in warm water and wipe away any alcohol left behind. Wait for everything to dry, reassemble, and apply some wood wax to maintain the finish.
Tips
Wipe smudges off your Vortex with a soft, microfiber cloth without abrasives, to minimize scuffs and scratches.
Use our wood wax to condition your wood vortex every other week, to keep the wood from drying out and bring back its original luster/vibrance.
Resist the urge to put your Titanium Vortex directly into a pipe or bubbler. Vortex stems have a natural taper that will fit a 10mm female ground-glass adapter, but this is a sure way to scratch your stem. Our Master Adapter fits 10mm, 14mm, and 18mm glass connections, and protects your Titanium Vortex from scuffs and scratches. Wood Vortex stems can be used directly with glass.
