How to Detect if Someone is Vaping in Your Home: Key Signs to Watch What Does a Vape Smell Like? Sitting somewhere when a cloud of cotton candy vapor washes over you? If you can smell the sweet scent of a vape, that's not a great sign. Malaysian The smell of vape doesn't tend to linger in the environment and it usually dissipates within seconds. Unlike cigarette smoke that sticks to your clothes, hair and even your car,