How to Clean a Bong - The Proper Way
Table of Contents:
Beaker Bong
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Recycler Bong
$ 224.95
Bong
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Bong XL
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Here's what you'll need and how to clean your bong. Also, a few pointers because we want to help you with your cleaning process.
Cut cleaning time in half with our Cleaning Kit $29.95
When and How Often Should You Clean Your Bong?
Taking 5 minutes to clean your bong every 2 weeks will change your life for the better juxtaposed to scrubbing and rinsing once every 2 months. That's probably a tough pill to swallow but it's the truth.
You should thoroughly clean your bong a few days to a week, depending on how much you use it. Additionally, it is recommended to change the bong water after each usage, or at the very least after a few bowlfuls. You know you need to clean your bong if a small ring begins to form around the typical level of your water or if you notice some floating particles when it's just been filled. In general, you can also tell by the color of the fresh water in the bong; if it appears a little cloudy, it's time to clean the bong since it's collecting debris from the inside.
Things You'll Need
Before starting your bong cleaning, gather the following:
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Isopropyl Alcohol - really, the higher the percentage the better, but anywhere above 90% is ideal.
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Coarse Salt - it does not matter what kind of salt; table salt, Epsom salt, coarse salt, or Himalayan salt, you just need a rock salt. It helps scrub the bong glass clean.
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Big Zip-Lock Bag - Make sure your whole bong will fit.
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Dish Soap
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Bottle Brush/Pipe Cleaners - to get down into the harder-to-reach places.
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Sponge
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Paper Towels
Follow the cleaning process below to clean your bong and restore its shine.
How to Clean Your Glass Bong
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Disassemble Your Dirty Glass Bong
Remove the bong's bowl, stem, and any other removable parts (such as the mouthpiece), breaking it up into separate parts. If there is any remaining bong water, drain it and rinse it out. If at all possible, place the dirty bong water in a sealed bag and dispose of it in the garbage as you should try to prevent pouring it down the drain.
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Half-Fill it with Alcohol(Rubbing Alcohol)
Place the dirty bong inside the zip-lock bag after opening it, standing it up so you can fill it with isopropyl alcohol until it is about halfway full.
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Add Your Salt
Fill the glass bong with a couple of teaspoons of coarse salt. The salt provides the combination with some roughness and helps in the removal of more difficult-to-remove material while the alcohol performs the disinfection function.
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Seal and Shake
Now zip-lock the bag closed. Make sure you cover the opening of your bong with your hand before shaking the rubbing alcohol and salt mixture. If you can, try to hide the areas for the mouthpiece and stem as well. Shake it quickly, being careful to move the mixture up and down the bong.
You may either do it over your sink or even just use a standard garbage bag with some extra caution if you don't have a zip-lock bag.
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Leave it to Sit
Let the bong cleaning solutions in the bong sit for around 30 minutes. Even while you might not actually need to, it's still worthwhile to do if you have the time.
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Take Your Bong Out
Keep the used alcohol and salt in the zip-lock bag as you remove your bong from it. Moreover, you can zip up the bag and dump it in the trash without ever opening it. You shouldn't actually just throw this down the drain, though.
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Clean it with Warm Soapy Water
To get rid of any remaining alcohol and to give your bong an extra thorough cleaning, rinse it with warm water and soap. Make sure to completely cover the bong's inside and exterior surfaces. Grab a sponge, bottle brush, or pipe cleaner and scrape the entire inside of your bong. At this point, paper towels are also quite helpful for cleaning and drying the bong.
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Soak the Bowl and Stem in Alcohol
To remove any buildup from the bowl and stem, simply soak them in isopropyl alcohol. A zip-lock bag works well for this as well; simply place the items inside, cover the bag with alcohol, close it, and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
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Rinse the Bowl and Stem
As before, all you have to do is take out the parts, zip up the bag, and discard it. Rinse all of your pieces with warm water and use a pipe cleaner to get into the small parts if some still have residue.
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Leave Everything to Dry
After completing this, you can dry the stem, bowl, and bong if needed before using them again. Reassemble them after they have dried, and you're ready to go.
Reminder when Cleaning Acrylic or Plastic Bongs
The traditional isopropyl alcohol approach shouldn't be used if your bong is made of acrylic or plastic because it could damage the bong's surface and create more harm than good. Therefore, in this case, you'll need to understand how to clean without rubbing alcohol. Cleaning it using a bottle brush, warm water, and dish soap is the best recommendation. Until the water you rinse through it is clear, you can fill it, clean it, and then drain the water. Although this requires a bit more work than using alcohol, it often produces similar results.
How do I clean the glycerin chamber (all pieces) or the original Freeze Pipe?
What you will need:
Any store-bought or homemade cleaning solution. To make your own cleaning solution simply mix Coarse Sea Salt and 99% isopropyl (rubbing alcohol).
Follow these steps:
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Put the glycerin chamber in a plastic bag and submerge it in the solution.
Fill the bag with a cleaning solution so that the glycerin chamber is completely submerged.
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Make sure the solution runs through each end of the glycerin chamber multiple times.
Slowly tilt the zip-lock bag back and forth so the solution passes through each end multiple times.
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Let the glycerin chamber sit submerged in the plastic bag for at least 10 minutes.
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Rinse thoroughly with warm water and LET DRY before using or placing it in the freezer.
*This method can be used for any of the glycerin chambers from our bubblers, bong, recyclers, the original Freeze Pipe, and any of the bowls for all our products.
Here are Some Other Ways to Clean a Dirty Bong
The above cleaning method is pretty easy and super effective, but there are more ways to clean at your disposal. Here are a few more cleaning methods to try out:
Boiling Water
Not the most ideal method due to the drastic temperature change that may break your glass bong. Nevertheless, it's up to you to give this method a try, here is how:
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Put the bong in a pot
Remove all accessories and put the bong inside a stovetop pot. Put the bong on a canning rack so there is no direct contact with the bottom of the pot. This will prevent the bong from getting scratched or broken.
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Cover the bong with water
Using cool water, cover the bong, filling it directly into the pot. Make sure that your water gets into the bong chamber.
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Turn on the heat
Start with low heat. This slow shift in temperature should help prevent the bong from cracking. Bring the water to a simmer and let it sit for 30 minutes.
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Remove the bong FROM WATER
Take the bong out of the water and let it cool off.
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Rinse
When the bong is cooled down completely, use warm water and rinse it.
**For deeper cleans we recommend plugging your sink or bathtub and letting the bong soak fully submerged in hot water for anywhere between 30 minutes to a few hours and then proceed with the steps above.
With Baking Soda and Vinegar
Try out an eco-friendly easy-to-make bong cleaner, this is a good alternative to isopropyl alcohol or acetone. Keep in mind that this is not the best for disinfecting and removing stains, but works well for between a few sessions.
This method uses the same steps from above. But instead of alcohol, use baking soda and vinegar. Grab ½ cup of baking soda to the chamber of the bong, then enough distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to fill most of the chamber. Don’t panic about the fizzing! That’s a good sign. It will calm down after a few seconds.
Tips for Keeping Your Bong Clean
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Never let your bong water sit
Make sure to dump out your dirty water after every session. It's best to clean your bong immediately when the bong water becomes dirty.
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Keep your bong out of sunlight
If you leave dirty water in your bong, it causes bacteria and algae to grow. Keep your bong out of direct sunlight, if you ever do forget to clean your bong, this will slow down the growth build-up.
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Salt is your friend
When you are cleaning your bong with salt, it acts as an abrasive to help tough stuck-on grime.
Conclusion
ALWAYS make sure to rinse each part thoroughly with water when you're done and let dry.
Now go enjoy a soothing high and all the lovely cannabinoids that were hidden by your unclean bong now that it is clean.
Make sure to clean your bong frequently to reduce the need to entirely replace it or, worse, having to perform a much more time-consuming deep cleaning. Cleaning your bong more frequently will reduce the need for spot cleaning and provide you peace of mind that mold won't develop.
You don't need an unpleasant bong that makes your house seem bad from the dirty bong water. You may smoke with confidence because your bong is clean and ready to use right when the mood strikes.
