If you've ever stood in your kitchen twisting a 10ml bottle of e-liquid that refuses to open, you're not alone. E-liquid bottles are deliberately hard to open. This guide explains why, how to open each common type of cap, what to do with the tamper seal and nozzle on a new bottle, and how to fix a cap that won't come off.
Why are vape juice bottles so hard to open?
Nicotine e-liquid has to be sold in child-resistant packaging. UK rules require nicotine-containing vaping products or their packaging to be child-resistant and tamper-evident, so a young child can't easily open the bottle and you can tell whether it has been opened before.
Child-resistant caps are tested under an international standard, ISO 8317, which sets requirements for reclosable packaging that children shouldn't be able to open. The testing involves young children aged between 42 and 51 months, who must fail to open the pack, and adults aged between 50 and 70, who must be able to open and close it properly. The caps are designed around a movement that adults can do once they know the trick but young children find hard: usually pushing and turning at the same time.
How to open each type of child-resistant cap
Push down and turn (the most common)
- Hold the bottle upright on a flat surface or firmly in one hand.
- Press down hard on the top of the cap with your palm or thumb.
- Keep pressing while you turn the cap anticlockwise.
- Once it starts to unscrew, you can stop pressing and unscrew it the rest of the way.
If the cap clicks or spins freely without loosening, you're turning the outer cap without engaging the inner one. Press harder and try again.
Squeeze and turn
Some caps have two flat or ridged areas on opposite sides. Squeeze those points firmly between your thumb and finger, then turn anticlockwise while you keep squeezing.
Line up the arrows
Some caps and bottles have matching arrows or marks. Turn the cap until the arrow on the cap lines up with the mark on the bottle, then push the cap up with your thumb to pop it off. Check the top and side of the cap for a printed symbol showing which method it uses.
Opening a new bottle: the tamper seal
A new bottle has a tamper-evident seal. Usually it's a ring around the base of the cap that breaks away the first time you open it, or a plastic band or shrink-wrap over the cap and neck. If the seal is already broken on a bottle you've just bought, don't use it. Return it to the shop.
Once the seal is off, open the cap using the methods above. Under the cap you'll find a narrow nozzle for dripping liquid into your tank or pod.
How to remove the nozzle on a shortfill bottle
Shortfill bottles are larger bottles of nicotine-free e-liquid with space left at the top so you can add a nicotine shot. To add one, you need to take off the nozzle tip:
- Remove the cap.
- Grip the base of the nozzle firmly with your fingers and pull it straight up. Some nozzles need a gentle wiggle from side to side as you pull.
- Add your nicotine shot, push the nozzle back on firmly until it clicks into place, and replace the cap.
Don't use your teeth to pull off a nozzle. Even unflavoured nicotine shots can irritate your mouth and skin. If it won't budge, wrap a clean cloth around it for extra grip. Our guide to mixing your own shortfill covers the whole process and our nic shot calculator can help you figure out what nicotine strength you require.
What to do if your vape juice bottle won't open
- The cap spins or clicks: you're not pressing down hard enough. Put the bottle on a table and press down on the cap with your palm while you turn.
- The cap is stuck with dried e-liquid: e-liquid that drips onto the thread can dry and act like glue. Wipe the outside of the neck with a damp cloth, dry it, then try again with firm pressure. Wipe the thread clean before you close it in future.
- You can't get a grip: a rubber jar-opener pad or a dry cloth gives more grip than bare fingers, especially on small 10ml caps.
- Nothing comes out of the nozzle: the tip may be blocked with dried liquid. Check you've removed any seal, then wipe the tip clean.
If you have arthritis or limited grip and still struggle, ask whoever sells you e-liquid for advice on easier-to-grip bottles. Don't pour nicotine e-liquid into a bottle without a child-resistant cap to make it easier to open.
Keeping e-liquid safe at home
Child-resistant caps only work when they're closed properly. After every use, screw the cap back on until it clicks or won't turn any further, and store bottles upright, out of sight and out of reach of children and pets.
If you spill e-liquid on your skin, the Royal College of Nursing's guidance on e-liquid exposure advises washing it off thoroughly with soap and water. If a child swallows e-liquid, follow the NHS advice on poisoning: call 999 or go to A&E, and take the bottle with you. If a pet swallows e-liquid, contact your vet straight away.
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my e-liquid bottle open?
Almost always because the cap needs pressing down while you turn it. Press firmly on the top of the cap, keep pressing, and turn anticlockwise.
Which way do you turn a vape juice bottle cap?
Anticlockwise (to the left) to open, and clockwise to close, the same as most screw caps.
Do nicotine-free shortfills have child-resistant caps?
Many do, even though they don't contain nicotine, so the same opening methods apply.
Can I put e-liquid in a different bottle?
We don't recommend it. Nicotine e-liquid should stay in a bottle with a working child-resistant cap, so children can't get to it and everyone in your home can see what it is.