Glass is arguably one of the safest, easy to use, and most widely used materials for manufacturing smoking devices such as bongs and pipes. It is the premier way of smoking your bud, and there is simply no way around that. Therefore, it is imperative to know how to clean your bong, although it is easier said than done. If you are a veteran bong or pipe user, you might be familiar with the fact.
There is nothing more disappointing than drawing a milky hit only to find it is tainted due to resin buildup and other impurities. On the other hand, one of the best experiences you can get is taking a hit from a bong that has been freshly deep cleaned. But, how do you clean your bong? There are various ways to do so. However, as in most cleaning, the options all boil down to soaking, shaking, and rinsing. Here are a few easy steps to teach you how to do it.
Disassemble the Bong
This step might seem quite easy, but for first-timers, it may be easy to overlook. When cleaning your pipe, dab rig, bong, or any glass accessory, you have to detach the downstream and bowl. If there are any other removable parts, detach them, too.
Gather the Smaller Parts for Soaking
After disassembling your bong down to its parts, get the smaller pieces into a bowl, Ziploc baggie, or any other container for soaking. Once in the container, add your preferred cleaning product. There are numerous options in the market, but, basically, isopropyl alcohol in high percentages is perfect, as well as some salt. Get one that best suits your needs and budget.
Let Them Soak for a While
When soaking these small parts, ensure you use enough cleansing products for them to be submerged. After that, all you have to do is just wait as the alcohol works its magic. It is not advisable to remove them after a short time. The longer they soak, the better. This will make it easier for you to completely remove all deposits in the steps that follow.
Clean the Inside of the Bong
While the little pieces are soaking in their alcohol bath, you can now focus on the inside of the entire bong. Using the cleansing solution, slowly pour a good amount into your bong’s chamber. You can do this through any opening. Avoid filling the entire bong to the brim. Pour just enough to facilitate a nice shaking in the next step.
Shake It Well
After pouring a reasonable amount of the cleaning solution into the chamber, you will want to cover up all the openings of the piece. You can use your hands, a wine cork, or any other stopper you can find. Now comes the good part. You can now go ahead and give the bong a good shaking. Do this for as long as you can and as hard as you can. The longer and the harder, the better. As you do this, you can observe as resin and other deposits start to dissipate. Also, do not worry if some residue remains after shaking the bong vigorously. This will be taken care of in the next step.
Wipe the Bong Down
Once you are satisfied that the shaking was the hardest and the longest you could give, then it is time to pour out the cleansing solution. But do not rinse it out with water just yet. This is your chance to capitalize on the solution you poured out since it still has its powerful cleansing properties.
You can use a paper towel or rag to wipe down the largest holes of the bong to get rid of any remaining goo. If the openings on the bong are a bit longer, a drumstick or a cleaning tool with a rag wrapped over it will do the trick. Depending on the size of your bong, you might have even smaller openings. For this, you can use a toothpick, paperclip, pipe cleaner, or any other thing that fits into the opening.
After completing this, now do the same with the small pieces that were soaking in alcohol all this time. Depending on the time you let them stew in the cleaning solution, most of the residue will have dissipated. However, not all of it may have. You will have to use a cotton swab or a piece of rag to wipe the pieces down thoroughly.
After this, all the small parts and the main piece should be free of residue and have a polished look. Yet this is not the final step.
Time to Rinse
This step is essential and should not be overlooked. One of the properties of isopropyl alcohol is that it evaporates very fast, so you should not worry about it remaining on the surface. However, the chemical odor will be present. For this reason, thorough rinsing with water is crucial. You can empty the container used to soak the smaller parts and refill them with rinsing water. With the larger glass chamber, just repeat the steps mentioned above, only this time, use clean water. It is always advisable to rinse them a couple of times to get rid of any residue from isopropyl alcohol. After all, you do not want your smoke to have funny flavors.
Give Them Time to Dry
At this point, you are at the finish line. If you are the patient kind, you can let them dry on their own, or if not, just wipe them down with a dry rag. Once you are contented that everything is dry, you can finally put the pieces back together and get ready to enjoy the freshest hit of your own making.
In Conclusion
Most veteran stoners will tell you that it is good practice to always clean your glass bong or pipe after each use. This not only ensures you get a fresh hit every time but also prevents bacteria and residue buildup. Also, remember not to leave water in your bong unnecessarily for prolonged periods and never to submerge any electronics.
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