Does Vaping Damage Walls?

As you may already know, smoking indoors can result in the accumulation of stains on walls and surfaces. Over time these can build up and get worse, and before long your once pearly white walls are left with a rather unsightly yellow tinge! With this in mind, it’s logical to wonder, does vaping damage walls too?

To answer this question, let’s take a quick look at the science behind vaping (don’t worry, nothing too technical or boring!) and we’ll also look into how vaping compares to smoking when it comes to staining walls. You might be shocked by what you learn!

If we want to know the impact vaping can have on our home and in particular our walls, first we need to understand what’s going on when we vape. 

When we use our vape kits, we release millions of tiny droplets of moisture into the air. According to a 2018 study which looked at the differences between exhaled cigarette smoke and vapour, much of this moisture evaporates immediately, although some does get trapped in the air.

Inevitably, some of this trapped moisture settles on its surroundings, and after a while this can start to gather and form a residue. If nothing’s done about this residual build-up then over time it can result in the discolouration of walls and ceilings and eventually anything white will turn slightly beige.

does vaping damage walls? explained

How Does the Damage Caused by Vaping Compare to Smoking?

Now we know that vaping does have the potential to stain walls, let’s see how it stacks up against smoking. After all, the vast majority of us vapers are ex-smokers so it’s always logical to compare the two. 

The staining caused by smoking is often linked to the nicotine found in cigarettes – in fact it’s commonly referred to as “nicotine staining”. But while it’s true some of the staining is caused by nicotine, there are other compounds found in cigarettes which also contribute.

Tar is one such culprit, and this brown, sticky, cancer-causing substance is undoubtedly responsible for much of the damage caused by cigarette smoke. Another one is carbon monoxide which is also known to leave a yellow/brownish hue on walls and other surfaces. 

Thankfully, neither of these chemicals are present when we vape – which is why vaping is so much safer than smoking as tar and carbon monoxide are responsible for the vast majority of smoking-related illnesses.

So does vaping damage walls? The short answer is yes, it does have the potential to cause staining. However, with that said, as people vape to help them quit smoking, it’s beneficial to also look at the damage caused by smoking. When we compare the two, we can see that smoking causes much more damage to walls than vaping, so if you’ve replaced conventional cigarettes with an e-cig then you’ve certainly made a step in the right direction.

does vaping damage walls -- how to prevent it

How to Prevent Walls From Being Stained

If your walls do become stained due to your vaping, it’s really nothing to worry about as you can simply paint over the discolouration. With that said, painting can be a time-consuming affair, so if you’d rather avoid it then there are some things you can do to prevent your walls from becoming stained.

  • Vape outside It might seem obvious but if you want to avoid any surfaces from becoming stained then perhaps it’s best to avoid vaping indoors all together
  • Open windows – If you vape indoors, opening windows will allow some of the vapour to escape which will prevent it building up so quickly
  • Clean surfaces frequently – Stains will only take hold once enough residual vapour has built up, so giving your walls and surfaces a wipe down every once in a while will stop it from collecting
  • Avoid coloured e-liquids – Whether it’s walls, curtains or even your teeth, coloured e-liquid is known to cause staining so these are best avoided
  • Vape zero nicotine liquid Much of the staining is caused by nicotine, so vaping nicotine-free e-juice would reduce staining significantly (we know this isn’t a viable option for most people but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless)

So that’s pretty much all there is to know about the impact vaping has on walls and surfaces. If you came here because you were wondering does vaping damage walls, hopefully you now have all the info you need to answer your question. Have you recently quit smoking or are you reading this post because you’re weighing up whether making the switch is worth it? If so, take a look at our ‘What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Smoking?’ blog post which should give you all the encouragement you need!

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