How to Open Vape Juice Bottles | Elux, Nic Salts, Shortfills

Most e-liquid bottles use child resistant caps that won't unscrew like a normal bottle top. You need to push down and turn at the same time, or squeeze the sides and turn. Both methods are covered below.

How to Open a Vape Juice Bottle (Push Down and Turn)

About nine out of ten vape juice bottles use the push down method. The cap has two parts inside that only line up when you press down on them.

Press down firmly on the cap
Keep pressure applied
Turn anti-clockwise
Lift cap once it releases

The cap won't budge if you try to turn it without pushing down first. That's the child resistant lock doing its job. If it still won't move after a full turn, push harder. These caps need more force than you'd expect.

How to Open Elux Liquid Bottles

Elux liquid bottles are some of the tightest caps around. Elux Legend nic salts use a squeeze and turn cap rather than push down.

Find the two raised grip points on opposite sides of the cap
Squeeze both sides firmly between your thumb and index finger
While squeezing, turn the cap anti clockwise
Keep the squeeze pressure on until the cap comes completely off

If you can't find the grip points, feel around the cap edges for two slightly raised or textured areas because they're not always obvious. Some Elux bottles respond better to squeezing higher up on the cap rather than at the base.

Elux caps are tight even by vape juice standards. A rubber glove or tea towel wrapped around the cap gives you much better grip if the bottle keeps slipping.

How to Open Nic Salt Bottles

Nic salt bottles from brands like El f LIQ, SKE Crystal, IVG, Riot, and Pod Salt all use child resistant caps. Most are push down and turn, though a few use the squeeze method.

Brand	Cap Type	Notes
ElfLIQ	Push down and turn	Standard 10ml bottle, moderate resistance
Elux Legend	Squeeze and turn	Tight caps, needs firm squeeze on grip points
SKE Crystal	Push down and turn	Standard 10ml bottle
IVG	Push down and turn	Standard 10ml bottle
Riot Bar Salts	Push down and turn	Standard 10ml bottle
Pod Salt	Push down and turn	Standard 10ml bottle
Dinner Lady	Push down and turn	Standard 10ml bottle

If you're not sure which type your bottle is, try push down and turn first. If nothing happens, look for grip points on the sides and try the squeeze method.

How to Open Shortfill Bottles

Shortfill bottles need two steps because there's an outer cap and a plastic nib (dropper tip) underneath.

Outer cap: Push down and turn left, same as a 10ml bottle. Shortfill caps tend to be bigger and easier to grip.

Removing the nib: The plastic nib plugs into the bottle top and won't pull out by hand without a fight. A vape bottle opener tool costs about three to five pounds and pops them out cleanly. Slide the groove under the nib lip and lever upward.

Without a tool, wedge a flat teaspoon handle under the nib lip and push upward. Don't use sharp knives or your teeth.

Adding a nic shot: Pour the nicotine shot into the shortfill, push the nib back in firmly, screw the cap back on, and shake hard for at least 30 seconds. Leave it for ten minutes then shake again before filling your tank. Our guide to refilling vape pods covers the filling steps from there.

Shortfill Size	Nic Shots (18mg)	Final Strength
50ml	1 shot	3mg in 60ml
100ml	2 shots	3mg in 120ml

When Your Vape Juice Bottle Won't Open

Stuck caps are usually caused by dried e-liquid around the threads acting like glue. Before forcing anything, try these in order.

Run the cap area under warm tap water for 30 seconds. The heat softens dried juice and loosens the seal.
Wrap a rubber glove or tea towel around the cap for better grip and try the push down and turn method again.
If it still won't shift, wrap the cap area in a hot damp cloth for two minutes then try again.

Don't use pliers unless you've tried everything else because they crack caps and strip the threads. Never use sharp tools, heat sources, or brute force on plastic bottles.

If the tamper ring is already broken when you buy a bottle, or the cap is clearly faulty, get in touch. Ecigone will sort a replacement.

How to Get the Last Drops Out of a Vape Juice Bottle

Stand the bottle upside down for five minutes and let gravity pull the juice toward the cap end. For 10ml bottles with narrow necks, a quick flick of the wrist while holding the bottle upside down pushes the last drops toward the opening.

Shortfill bottles are easier since the wide neck lets you tip them at an angle into your tank. Squeezing the sides of a soft plastic bottle while it's upside down forces out most of what's left.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are vape juice bottles so hard to open?

Under UK TRPR regulations, nicotine e-liquids must use child resistant packaging. They're not regular screw tops. The cap has a two part lock inside that only releases when you push down (or squeeze the sides) and turn at the same time. Once you know the method, they open quickly.

How do you open a vape juice bottle with a child lock?

Push the cap straight down with your thumb and hold that pressure while turning anti clockwise. The child lock is the two part mechanism inside. Pushing down aligns the inner and outer sections so the cap can turn. Without that downward force, the cap just spins on the spot.

Can you use a vape bottle opener on 10ml bottles?

Vape bottle openers are made for removing the nib from shortfill bottles, not for opening 10ml caps. For a stuck 10ml cap, warm water and a rubber glove work better than any tool. The cap still needs the push down and turn method. No tool bypasses that.

How do you open ElfLIQ nic salt bottles?

ElfLIQ nic salts use the standard push down and turn cap. Press your thumb down on top of the cap, keep pressing, and turn left. They're not as tight as Elux bottles so they tend to open with moderate pressure.

How do you open Crystal vape juice bottles?

Crystal nic salts from SKE use a push down and turn cap. Same method as most 10ml bottles. Press down firmly on the cap and turn anti clockwise while keeping the pressure on.