How to Clean a Bong with Household Items

Posted on by Brian Bernstein

If you enjoy smoking herb or tobacco from a bong, you know how important it is to keep it clean and fresh. A dirty bong can ruin the taste of your smoke, harbor bacteria and mold, and even cause respiratory infections. Fortunately, you don’t need to buy expensive or specialized products to clean your bong. You can use some common household items that you probably already have in your kitchen or bathroom. Here are some easy steps to clean your bong with household items.

What You’ll Need

  • A bong
  • Warm water
  • Coarse salt, rice, or baking soda
  • Isopropyl alcohol, vinegar, or dish soap
  • Cotton swabs, pipe cleaners, bottle brushes, paper towels, dry cloths, or earbuds
  • Lemon juice or white vinegar (optional)

Step 1: Empty and Rinse the Bong

The first thing you need to do is to empty and rinse the bong with warm water. Pour out the old bong water and remove any spent herb or tobacco from the bowl and stem. Then give it a good rinse with warm water to remove any remaining solid particles. You can also use a cotton swab or pipe cleaner to gently scrub the inside of the bowl and stem.

Step 2: Disassemble the Bong

The next step is to take apart the bong so that you can clean each piece separately. Remove all movable parts, such as the bowl, stem, mouthpiece, and percolator if your bong has one. As you take your bong apart, check for any damage such as chips or cracks. You’ll need to replace any damaged pieces before using your bong again.

Step 3: Add Coarse Salt and Rubbing Alcohol to Your Bong

Now you need to add an abrasive and a cleaner into the base of the bong so that they can work together to clean the inside. Coarse salt and isopropyl alcohol typically work best for this, but you can also use vinegar and rice or baking soda. The stronger the rubbing alcohol, the better. Ideally, you would use one over 90%. Alternatively, you can use dish soap and warm water if you don’t have alcohol or vinegar.

Pour enough salt or rice or baking soda into the bong to cover the bottom. Then pour enough alcohol or vinegar or dish soap into the bong to fill it about halfway. You can also add some lemon juice or white vinegar to enhance the cleaning power and remove any water marks.

Step 4: Plug the Holes and Shake It Up

Use your hands, fingers, and thumbs to plug or block the open holes of the bong so that your abrasive and cleaner don’t cause a big mess. Shake it for about five minutes to get the best possible result. You can also use a bottle brush or a pipe cleaner to reach into any hard-to-clean areas.

Step 5: Rinse and Repeat

Empty the cleaning solution into a sink and rinse it out completely with clean water. Repeat the cleaning process as many times as you need to until your bong is sparkling clean. You can also use a cotton swab or pipe cleaner to remove any last little stains.

Step 6: Clean the Other Parts

You can use the same method to clean the other parts of your bong, such as the bowl, stem, mouthpiece, and percolator. Just put them in a ziplock bag or a small container with some salt and alcohol or vinegar or dish soap and shake them well. Then rinse them with water and dry them with a paper towel or a cloth.

Step 7: Reassemble and Enjoy Your Bong

Once all the parts of your bong are clean and dry, you can put them back together and enjoy your smoke. You’ll notice a big difference in the taste and quality of your herb or tobacco when you use a clean bong. To keep your bong in good condition, try to clean it regularly after every few sessions.

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