Bong / Pipe Cleaning

[Smoke_A_Lot]

How do you guys usually clean your pieces? I've tried "Formula 420", 90% ISO with either table or Epsom salts. My last try last night was with paint thinner which seemed to work the best. I'm gonna give my bong another round with the paint thinner again once I find the "plugs" to block the holes on my bong, they're some where in my house . Obviously hot water helps too to rinse after cleaning. I let my bong get pretty grimey with resin and I don't think I'm ever gonna get it crystal clear.

 

[Rosinallday]

I boil some water and run it through my water pipe to get it hot, dump out the hot water. then i use just a little iso and shake it around. rinse with hot water. the heat makes a big difference. I wouldn't use paint thinner, the iso and heat gets it done. hope it works out

 

[Amarok]

I run hot water through until the piece is warm, empty it, then iso and salt, shaken well, then adding some more hot water and continuing to agitate.
Rinse well and repeat if needed.
I only vape now, but this worked when I was smoking too.

Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable using paint thinner. Unless you are getting the piece absolutely spotless, any remaining debris could conceivably hold residual thinner, which could become part of your hit. It just doesn't seem worth it.

IMO, keeping water pieces clean is vital to health. Water should be drained after each use, or daily at the absolute minimum, and they should be disinfected/sanitized regularly

 

[Amarok]

I boil some water and run it through my water pipe to get it hot, dump out the hot water. then i use just a little iso and shake it around. the heat makes a big difference. I wouldn't use paint thinner, the iso and heat gets it done. hope it works out

Looks like we are on the exact same page. 👊

 

[Bodean]

I agree with the fellas above, I use the chunky kosher salt shake it like a Polaroid picture!

 

[DemonTrich]

Acetone. I've tried iso (99%), simple green, blue max, hot water, boiling water. Acetone works the best. It's what we use in the lab to clean our short path distillation glassware.

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

I boil some water and run it through my water pipe to get it hot, dump out the hot water. then i use just a little iso and shake it around. the heat makes a big difference. I wouldn't use paint thinner, the iso and heat gets it done. hope it works out

I usually wouldn't use paint thinner either, the fumes are wicked. When I was reading on the subject paint thinner was mentioned, and there was a fierce debate on it. Some people said don't do it and there were others who used it successfully. Chances are I'm just gonna throw my bong out and buy a new one, because I let it get way too dirty. That's $60 down the drain, but what else can I do lol.

 

[Bodean]

I usually wouldn't use paint thinner either, the fumes are wicked. When I was reading on the subject paint thinner was mentioned, and there was a fierce debate on it. Some people said don't do it and there were others who used it successfully. Chances are I'm just gonna throw my bong out and buy a new one, because I let it get way too dirty. That's $60 down the drain, but what else can I do lol.

There's the positive vibes, excuse to shop for a new piece! ✨️

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

Keeping water pieces clean is vital to health. Water should be drained after each use, or daily at the absolute minimum, and they should be disinfected/sanitized regularly

Oh I change the water between use. But a couple times I left water in there not thinking about it when I had no flower to smoke. A dirty bong is a breeding ground for mold.

 

[Amarok]

That's $60 down the drain, but what else can I do lol.

Like Bo said, you get the fun of picking a new piece. (I find that bringing a bud for the person at the glass store usually makes it even better)

Seriously, starting fresh is probably the healthiest option so good on ya.
I always justify these purchases by thinking of how much I'm saving by growing my own.

 

[Willie]

Usually iso and salt. Something that's real dirty might get an acetone soak. Make sure you have rubber plugs for all the holes in the pipe, so you can shake it hard. But they come back to new looking with one of those 2 methods.

 

[RookieBuds]

I soak the bowl and stem in hot water & use wooden shishkabob skewer to scrape off resin as i rinse. Any heavy residue, I use a drop of dish soap on a piece of green-scrub & use that to yo get the bowl & stem squeaky clean.

The bong itself i usually just shake with hot water to get the chunks out, then a couple oz of ISO swished around with some rock salt.

I rinse the bong between all sessions, it gets a full cleaning at least twice a week.

 

[Caddis]

I agree with the fellas above, I use the chunky kosher salt shake it like a Polaroid picture!

There’s a memory, wiping it down with the applicator, waiting as it develops before your eyes!

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

I couldn't find those plugs around my house so instead I cut nitrile gloves and put elastic bands around the ends to hold it in place. I put 90% ISO alcohol and table salt then shook the crap out of it.
I let it set for 15 mins and boiled a kettle of hot water to wash out any remaining residue.
I think this is the cleanest I'm gonna get it guys.

 

[RookieBuds]

WHY did it take me 20+ yrs to figure this out 🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️ i bought an extra bowl & stem, now I rotate them out daily and let the dirty one soak in a cup of hot water. CRAZY the bowl and stem in this pic is after only one day of use after cleaning 😖 yikes

 

[Gatorbackbob]

Hot water and oxy clean soak 30 minutes it'll pull the resin right off. Some heavy funk may require a second soak or brush touch up

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

Hot water and oxy clean soak 30 minutes it'll pull the resin right off. Some heavy funk may require a second soak or brush touch up

I've used the powdered oxy clean before and can say it definitely does work.. I screwed up though by putting too much powder so I had to re-wash it again.

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

View attachment 192768
WHY did it take me 20+ yrs to figure this out 🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️ i bought an extra bowl & stem, now I rotate them out daily and let the dirty one soak in a cup of hot water. CRAZY the bowl and stem in this pic is after only one day of use after cleaning 😖 yikes

That's exactly what I need, some extra bowls and stems. I only have one stem and it's a bitch to clean, you need a cup long enough to hold it and that means dumping almost the whole bottle of ISO to cover it.

 

[RookieBuds]

That's exactly what I need, some extra bowls and stems. I only have one stem and it's a bitch to clean, you need a cup long enough to hold it and that means dumping almost the whole bottle of ISO to cover it.

I do have some chipped/broken and other ill-fitting parts as backups. But it like NEVER dawned on me to have an extra set to rotate out daily. And just when I thought I was gona be able to shake the "Rookie" moniker, lol!!

I pretty much don't use ISO on my bong parts anymore, but I will use it to swish the bottom of the bong unreachable by brushes & swab parts that aren't otherwise getting clean with a hot water soak.

 

[Amarok]

I do have some chipped/broken and other ill-fitting parts as backups. But it like NEVER dawned on me to have an extra set to rotate out daily. And just when I thought I was gona be able to shake the "Rookie" moniker, lol!!