It’s no secret that bongs are one of today’s most popular pastimes. But as great as they are while you use them, the troubles come when you have to clean them. Everyday use of a water pipe without properly clearing it can end with it becoming dirty.
Not only do filthy bongs look uncared for, but the taste is awful too. A true smoker wouldn’t want to influence the flavor of their weed, so it’s crucial to clean your bong regularly. Whether with a quick rinse with soap and water or isopropyl alcohol, taking proper care of your bong guarantees its longevity.
This detailed guide will teach you all the tricks necessary to keep your bong neat. Let’s get right into learning how to keep your bong spotless.
Signs That My Bong is Dirty
Don’t wait until you can’t see through your glass bong to know it’s dirty. Plenty of other warning signs can indicate that your water pipe is ready for cleaning. The most common ones are residue build-up, dark spots on the glass, and muddy water.
No matter what, you must make a habit out of cleaning your bong and rinsing it after every session. To save it from quick ruin, immediately throw out the bong water. Taking a puff of leftover water from previous sessions can harm your health.
With time, used bong water gathers bacteria and cancerous components, so reusing it could lead to breathing difficulties, coughing fits, and even lung damage. A great indicator of whether your bong needs a clean-up is to look at the color. If your bong was once green, and now it’s turning brown, then it’s probably growing mold.
Mold can start reproducing as early as 24 hours, and its perfect breeding ground is water. This is why changing the water after your smoking session is crucial.
Another telltale that your bong needs cleaning is if you notice brownish-green spots on the glass, silicone, or other material your bong is made of. That is the stuck-on resin from your marijuana, and you’ll need a more effective cleaning solution than water to get rid of it.
Finally, watch out for one last imperative sign – your bong turning black as coal. In this case, it’s best to say your goodbyes and purchase a new one.
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How Often Should You Clean The Bong?
If you prefer to stay on the safe side, you should practice cleaning your bong after every session. That doesn’t just mean every day, but every time you consume cannabis.
However, there rarely is time to clean your bong right after hitting it, so the second-best advice is to clean it once a week. However, this isn’t the most sustainable option, as it could lead to rougher hits and a lot of chain coughing.
Cleaning your bong as early as 24 hours gives you peace of mind that you don’t have to do a full-blown wash-up later. Using isopropyl alcohol daily as a cleaning product might be too much, but replacing your water after every session is a must.
A daily clean-up involves rinsing, soap, and water, while detailed scrubs need either bong cleaners or a cleaning solution like isopropyl alcohol. Experts suggest that cleaning your water pipes or glass bongs needs less attention, whereas silicone ones require more patience.
If you’re a regular smoker and use a silicone bong, make sure that you give your water pipe a middle-of-the-week scrub – and that’s on a less-intense week.
Since silicone bongs have more edges and curves, mold can get stuck in their folds, so it’s best to throw out the hemp water after the use, rinse it with mild water and soap, and then wipe the bong with a washcloth. Never leave your silicone bong dirty for more than two weeks, as this could lead to lung infection or pneumonia.
Smoking from contaminated bongs can have dire consequences to your health, such as Typhoid diseases like strep throat, hepatitis A or even malaria.
Benefits of Cleaning Your Bong
Just as you want your weed to be fresh, your smoking device must be too. One of the most significant upsides to cleaning your bong on time is getting an incredible taste and fuller, smoother hits. These combined are guaranteed to give you better health outcomes and a more authentic smoking experience.
Another massive advantage to cleaning your bong is not getting resin build-up. After every smoking session, a little marijuana resin is left in your bong, which could attract bacteria and microorganisms. Cleaning it will eliminate these germs, and in return, you won’t have any unpleasant smells.
Washing your bong after every use also makes your cannabis consumption experience more long-lasting. For pricier bongs, it’s highly recommended that you clean them daily and not only when you see them decaying, considering that you won’t always have the chance to replace them as fast as cheaper ones.
A clean bong also means no danger to your lungs or throat since the hits are softer. All in all, the general benefit of cleaning your bong is having peace of mind while smoking. Simply put, a clean bong won’t place you in danger, so that you can enjoy this activity without worry.
Daily clean-ups also mean that you’re not postponing a ton of work. Wash it today, and you can immediately start using it tomorrow.
Can You Boil a Bong To Clean It?
Bong-boiling should be your last resort – only done after you have put all other cleaning methods and products into use. Boiling your bong requires great precaution, especially if you have a glass bong because these are very delicate.
Namely, glass cracks are usually followed by breakage at around 302–392°F. Because of this, you always need to check the boiling water temperature before putting your glass water pipe in.
So how do you boil a bong? Here are the simple steps to cleaning your water pipe with this method:
- Your first step is to disassemble your bong into its constructing parts. Be careful with this action because some components are integrated into the bong and can’t be removed.
- Put a pot with cold water on your stove and power it on medium heat. You can place the dirty bong inside the pot before pouring the cold water, so you don’t cause breakage by direct contact.
- Make sure the bong is fully submerged under the water.
- You should have the water simmering and not boiling hot. Leave your bong inside for at least 25 to 35 minutes, depending on how dirty it is. If you haven’t cleaned your bong in a while, leave it for around 40 minutes to thoroughly cleanse it.
- Finally, carefully take your bong out. Place it somewhere aside and let it cool off. After that, you can reassemble its parts and enjoy the following smoking session in a clean bong!
Best Products To Clean Your Bongs
There are plenty of cleaning solutions that you can use to wash your bong. Most weed smokers go for the daily rinse with water and soap, whereas some use vinegar or baking soda. Before cleaning your bong, see if it’s dishwasher-friendly, as this can ease the process by a mile.
However, when you have a water pipe that hasn’t been cleaned for several days, you should try stronger options such as isopropyl alcohol.
Following are some common options to give your bong a refreshing makeover.
Baking Soda
To use this method, you will need a baggy or container to add the soda-water mixture to use this method. Put your bong inside, close it and shake it gently. Make sure the solution covers up your bong entirely.
You can go further and add vinegar or strong alcohol into the bag. Leave the bong inside the container for half an hour, then take it out, rinse it with water and let it air dry.
Isopropyl Alcohol
If you’re looking for the best maintenance product for your bong, look no further than the good, old rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. There’s no better solution than 99% isopropyl alcohol to give your bong an evenly clean. Even the 91 or 70% isopropyl would do, as it provides the deepest clean-up.
Dishwash Soap
If you don’t have isopropyl alcohol lying around, dishwasher soap is the next best thing to use. You only need lukewarm water, dishwashing soap, and a pot or a container for this method. Add the water with a small amount of dishwasher soap inside the container and let the bong soak inside for at least an hour before starting the drying process.
Other Solutions
Aside from the solutions mentioned above, there are many other options to clean your bong. One way is to purchase Epsom Salt, also known as organic chlorine, or another method many cannabis smokers use is lemon juice.
The utilization process is simple – mix together boiling water and lemon juice. Then pour this mixture inside the bong and give it a shake. After at least 5 minutes, you will notice the lemon acid getting rid of the leftover weed gunk in your bong.
Finally, spill the mix out of the bong and retake it through warm water. Please leave it to air dry for half an hour, and you’re good to go.
Pros and Cons of Bond Cleaning
Bong cleaning is a responsibility that takes time, and because of that, you might not want to do it as often. However, it is highly important that you clean your bong.
The advantage of regular bong cleaning is practicing a healthy and helpful habit. You’ll also gain the right taste of your strain and a good smoking experience.
Another benefit of owning a clean bong is that you’ll save yourself from embarrassment when friends come over, or you attend a party. By keeping your bong in a pristine condition, you can swiftly take it and start smoking – no need to fuss around cleaning it before the use.
Regular bong cleaning has many pros. But we can’t say that there are only advantages; disregard the cons. Although these disadvantages do not outweigh the pros, seeing that the main one is connected to your health, it is good to know both sides.
Here we’ve listed both pros and cons of cleaning your bong.
Pros:
- Tastier smell
- Purer flavor experience
- Enjoying your bud without wasting it
- Smoother throat-cross
- No bacteria and mold
- No debris
- Ultimate, clean high
Cons:
- You have to do it every day.
- If you skip the cleaning, the condition might get worse.
- You need materials
Can You Clean Your Bong With Alcohol?
When applying this method, note that you can only use alcohol that’s not meant for consumption. The rubbing alcohol every family utilizes for home cleaning and some salt will make your bong spotless.
Not only will it regain its shine, but it will return your bong to its original, store-bought look. Whether it’s isopropyl 91 or 99%, both will give your bong a tremendous makeover.
But you should know that isopropyl of 91% and 99% are different. The isopropyl 99% polishes everything to the core in minutes. On the other hand, isopropyl 91% is more diluted, so it won’t do the same job in the same time frame, meaning you’ll have to soak the bong in it longer.
Isopropyl alcohol is found in hand sanitizers too, but for a more thorough clean, you should use pure rubbing alcohol.
The first step towards adequately cleaning your bong with alcohol is the same as any method – take it apart. Put the mouthpiece and tube into the alcohol, add Epsom salt, and stir. Depending on how much your bong needs cleaning, you can leave it to soak. After 5 to 7 minutes, take it out and rinse it (you can even add a bit of soap in this step).
Can You Clean a Bong With Hydrogen Peroxide?
If you notice your bong smelling a little funky, you know it’s time to clean it with something strong. Every time you grind and smoke, your bong gets clogged with resin and tar, which might influence the hit. This moment is your wake-up call to clean your water pipe.
One way to clean your bong if you don’t have isopropyl alcohol or Epsom salts and vinegar but still want a thorough clean is by using hydrogen peroxide. Cleaning with hydrogen peroxide is very similar to cleaning with isopropyl alcohol, starting by taking the bong apart.
One important thing for this type of washing is not to forget to use gloves, as hydrogen peroxide can react with the skin and leave a temporary mark (depending on the dosage). When you have this step cleared, you can add a few drops of it into the bong, but make sure to get it from top to bottom.
Close the bong’s opening with your gloved hands and shake it to remove stubborn stains. You can add a pinch of salt if the spots aren’t coming out. Finally, let the cleaning peroxide sit in your bong for at least 12 hours.
Once done, give the bong one last rinse with warm water and dry it using Q-tips. If you let your bong air dry, ensure there’s no leftover moisture, as this could lead to mold. After that, you can continue with your next smoking session.
Can You Clean a Bong With Acetone?
One widespread way to clean a bong is by using acetone. The best one that might help you with your bong cleaning is the one used as paint thinner, usually sold at hardware stores. Acetone solutions sold on the market are also known as nail-polish removers.
If you have settled on this method, ensure you rinse the bong thoroughly after the acetone application. A 100% acetone is meant for deep cleaning.
Pour the acetone into every part of your bong, and shake it quickly. After that, rinse it with lukewarm water, leave it to dry, and you’re good to go.
How To Clean a Bong: Final Word
To sum up, you don’t need to do much to keep your bong clean. But you must always be consistent and regular at it. That way, you’ll have no problems at all.
The best and fastest way to clean your bong is with isopropyl alcohol, while the second best thing to use found in every household is a dishwasher soap.
Make sure to follow instructions correctly, be patient with the cleaning process, and do it habitually. Finally, always remember to get rid of the bong water every time you finish smoking.
