You may be aware of how nicotine can stain materials, but will vaping be the same as those infamous tobacco stains?
If you’ve ever been a smoker, you’ll know what we’re talking about. And even if you don’t smoke, you’ll be able to see the tell-tale signs of one through the yellowed finger tips and the faded yellow wall paper in the home of your lung clogged friend. Vaping could be a different matter though, and with more and more people starting the habit and moving from smoking tobacco, we may see a little less yellow in our lives. the question remains; does vaping cause the same stains as smoking did?
What causes the stains in tobacco smoke?
Tobacco smoke is made up of a wide variety of chemicals, over 300 to be more precise. And whilst each cigarette type may have a different combination and amount of these chemicals, the effects are almost always the same. These chemicals combined end up causing the stains we see, often due to the the smoke, and it is smoke rather than vapour, lingering in the air. This means that there is a fair amount of time for the cigarette smoke to interact with its surroundings.
Tar
Tar is essentially the combusted plant material from tobacco smoke. Tobacco comes from plants and this burnt matter turns into the resinous and toxic chemical tar. Often mistaken for the tar used in roads, this tar is basically burnt plant matter and can cause many harmful effects on the human body. One of the most carcinogenic chemicals in tobacco smoke, tar is also one of the most abundant and is one of the main reasons for the staining effect seen on white surfaces and on the smoker’s body. This stain is simply from the “partially combusted” plant matter, and as well as staining teeth can rot them too, desensitising taste buds in the process.
Nicotine
Nicotine stains the walls and body through association with tar. As part of the nightshade family of plants, nicotine is at its essence a by-product of plants and as tar is a partially combusted element of these, nicotine goes hand in hand. Nicotine is found in many of the same places as tar and is the addictive substance which makes people want to smoke it.
What does it stain?
Smoke from cigarettes will stain everything it interacts with. This means that you’ll see a yellow tinge to the teeth of heavy smokers, as well as the fingers and eyes in some cases. The particles from the cigarette smoke will settle on surfaces as well, so white walls and window sills could see a discolouration which is far from pleasing to the eye. The yellow colour occurs gradually and is often though of as a sign of heavier smoking. The reality is that even light smokers can see these effects, albeit over a longer period.
Do vapes stain?
Vapes, unlike tobacco, do not rely on burning plant matter and instead vaporise the e juice found within the tank or drip tip. The chemical compounds used within e liquid flavours vary in number from juice to juice but are never much more than 5 or so. This, combined with the heat not burn properties of vape juice, means that there is far less to stain clothes, the body and property interiors. Vape juice does still contain nicotine however. The reason for this is that vape juice was originally created as a smoking cessation tool and so as the addictive chemical in tobacco smoke, nicotine, in varying strengths, is used in vaping.
Nicotine will stain independent of its relationship with tar. If you look at vape gunk build up inside vape devices, the solidified caramel, this is still a result of heating up the juice. Although very little of this will come out in the vapour, we are still inhaling and exhaling nicotine, although in far smaller quantities. This means that over a longer period, we can see nicotine stain teeth and walls, especially if you vape regularly with a high nicotine content juice.
This has led to many debates about whether people should be allowed to vape indoors say, at the office. Most offices these days allow vaping at the discretion of the workers and whilst nicotine will stain the teeth or fingertips eventually, there is very little of it present in the vape exhale, most of it having been absorbed by the body. This means that there is very little chance of vapour causing stains and damage to walls and surfaces. That is of course unless you chain vape in a single spot for years on end, which would be no mean feat.
How to get rid of stains
Getting rid of nicotine stains from surfaces can be very difficult indeed, often ending up with the affected area having to be given a lick of paint.Keeping your teeth clean with whitening toothpaste my help to get rid of mouth stains whilst hand stains will eventually fade away if you stop vaping or smoking with high nicotine juices.