A burnt hit on a disposable vape can just about ruin your day. Most of the time, it’s caused simply by an empty disposable that should be thrown away. But there are other times when the device isn’t empty, yet you’re experiencing a burnt hit. What gives?

This guide lays out the reasons your disposable vape tastes burnt and the ways that you might be able to fix it.

Before we dive into the fixes, let’s identify what the problem could be. Because technically, the burnt hit is a symptom of a problem. Inside every Elf Bar or any disposable vape, is a battery, a coil (heating element), and a material saturated in vape juice. Assuming it’s not a dud or empty, a burnt hit is a malfunction. Here’s what’s causing it.

The three reasons your disposable vape tastes burnt:

Considering the various reasons that your vape might be tasting burnt, these are universal steps to trying to solve the problem, though it’s most likely about the liquid being too low.

Note: this could get a little messy. Bring out a paper towel or a clean rag to work on. Latex gloves are advisable.

Disposable vapes do a lot of traveling inside pockets and purses. If debris gets down into the chimney of the mouthpiece, it can cause a nasty hit.

Look closely inside your mouthpiece and swab it with a rolled-up tissue or napkin. You might be surprised what you pull out.

Okay, this might be more about hygiene than a burnt hit. Still. It’s step one.

Disposables like the Elf Bar BC5000 can be disassembled. With a bit of elbow grease, pry the top off with your fingers. Shimmy it back and forth till you start to see some separation. Don’t pull too hard once it starts to give a little. Use your nails to work it off once it’s clearly coming off.

Notice how the pieces are assembled so you can reassemble it properly. Do NOT detach any wires. Pull out the internals as a single unit. Lay it on the work surface.

With your finger or a dry tissue, pat the cotton-like material and see if it’s wet. If feels dry, take a bottle of your favorite liquid. You can drip juice into the polyfill until it stops accepting liquid without dripping a little.

While you have the mouthpiece removed, take the opportunity to clean it. You can use a cotton swab or tissue to wipe away any dirt or debris.

If you just filled the cotton, let it soak for a few minutes before taking a puff. If it looks like it can take more juice, add a little more. These disposables hold a lot of liquid. Give it a few minutes to soak through.

Once you have soaked the cotton wick, it’s time to reassemble the vape. Make sure that everything is properly aligned before screwing the mouthpiece back into place.

Primer puffs are just light hits to get things flowing. You want to avoid starting out with a big hit. Take it easy. Notice the aroma and taste. If it smells and tastes right, you can start taking bigger hits.

Just like with your health, prevention is always easier than fixing. With your disposable vape, there are a few things you can do to help prevent a dry or burnt hit from ever occurring.

Disposable vapes are great for many reasons. The ease of use is likely their biggest pro. Just take it out of the package and start vaping.

Having to fiddle with a disposable vape because it’s tasting burnt is unfortunate because they’re not designed to be tinkered with. Still, if you’re industrious enough and want to get your dollars’ worth out of the device, you now know what you can do to fix that burnt hit and prevent it from happening again.