If you enjoy smoking herb or tobacco from a glass bong, you know how important it is to keep it clean and fresh. A dirty bong can ruin your smoking experience, making it harsh, unpleasant, and unhealthy. Not to mention, it looks gross and smells bad.
Fortunately, cleaning a glass bong is not hard at all. You just need some simple ingredients and tools, and a few minutes of your time. In this blog post, we will show you how to properly clean any type of glass bong, using various methods and tips. Follow these steps and you will have a sparkling and shiny bong in no time.
Why You Need to Clean Your Glass Bong
There are many reasons why you should clean your glass bong regularly. Here are some of the main ones:
- Better flavor. A clean bong will allow you to enjoy the true taste of your herb or tobacco, without any interference from tar, resin, or mold. You will also be able to appreciate the different strains and their nuances better.
- Smoother hits. A clean bong will provide smoother and cooler hits, reducing the irritation and coughing that can come from smoking a dirty bong. You will also inhale less harmful substances, such as ash, bacteria, and fungi.
- Longer lifespan. A clean bong will last longer and perform better than a dirty one. You will prevent clogging, cracking, and staining of your glass piece, and avoid damaging its functionality and appearance.
- Better hygiene. A clean bong will prevent the growth of mold and bacteria in your water and on your glass surface. These microorganisms can cause infections, allergies, and respiratory problems if you inhale them. They can also make your bong smell bad and look unappealing.
How Often You Should Clean Your Glass Bong
The frequency of cleaning your glass bong depends on how often you use it and how dirty it gets. However, as a general rule of thumb, you should follow these guidelines:
- Change the water after every smoke session. This will prevent the water from becoming stale and contaminated with tar, resin, and microbes. It will also improve the flavor and smoothness of your hits.
- Deep clean your bong roughly once a week. This will remove the buildup of tar and resin that accumulates on your glass surface and inside your stem and bowl. It will also sanitize your bong and make it look shiny and new.
How to Clean Your Glass Bong
To clean your glass bong, you will need some basic ingredients and tools that you can find in your home or at any supermarket or pharmacy. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). This is the most effective ingredient for cleaning a glass bong. It dissolves tar and resin easily, leaving your glass spotless and germ-free. You should use 90% isopropyl alcohol if possible, but 70% will also work.
- Coarse salt. This is an optional but helpful ingredient for cleaning a glass bong. It acts as an abrasive agent that helps scrub off stubborn chunks of tar and resin from your glass surface. You can use any kind of coarse salt, such as kosher salt or sea salt.
- Lemon juice. This is another optional but helpful ingredient for cleaning a glass bong. It adds a natural scent and flavor to your bong water, making it more pleasant to smoke from. It also has antibacterial properties that can help kill germs in your bong.
- Bottle brush or pipe cleaner. These are useful tools for cleaning a glass bong. They help reach into hard-to-clean areas of your bong, such as the stem and the bowl. They also help loosen up any stuck-on tar and resin that may not come off with shaking alone.
- Saucepan or kettle. These are useful tools for cleaning a glass bong with boiling water. Boiling water can help dissolve tar and resin faster than cold water, making it easier to rinse off your bong. However, you should be careful not to use boiling water on a cold glass piece, as this can cause it to shatter. You should also avoid using boiling water on a plastic or metal piece, as this can damage the material.
Once you have gathered your ingredients and tools, you can follow these basic steps to clean your glass bong:
- Separate all the moving pieces from the bong. This will make it easier and safer to clean each part individually. You should separate the bong, the slide, and the stem, and set them aside to be cleaned separately. You may want to wear latex gloves, as the smell of resin can be hard to remove from your hands.
- Rinse out the pieces in hot water. This will loosen up any of the bigger chunks of tar and resin that may be clogging up your bong. The hotter the water the better, so use tongs to grip the piece if you can’t securely hold the piece. Do not use hot water on a cold piece, as this can cause it to shatter. If your piece is cold, for whatever reason, start with lukewarm water and slowly raise the temperature.
- Knock off any big pieces of tar and resin with cotton swabs or pipe cleaners. If there are any large chunks of tar or resin that you can easily reach, simply knock them off with gentle scrubbing. If a chunk resists, that’s fine. You just want to get rid of the big, easily removed chunks now. For smaller pieces with tough, thick stains, like your slide or bowl, it can help to freeze the piece for 30 minutes. This loosens up chunks of resin and makes them easier to knock off. Be sure to dry the bowl before freezing.
- Place the smaller parts in resealable plastic bags. Make sure that they can seal effectively. You’ll use the bag to contain your cleaning fluid while you soak the smaller pieces. Though you can do them at the same time, it is safest to put them each in separate bags. You can also use cups and bowls, as long as you can fill them with enough liquid to cover the pieces. However, cleaning may leave an unsavory smell to the cookware, making plastic bags the most convenient option more often than not.
- Fill your plastic bags with isopropyl alcohol and salt. Purchase 90% isopropyl instead of 71% whenever available, though both will work. They can be found in the first aid section of your supermarket or pharmacy. Make sure the pieces are fully submerged in the fluid. Alcohol reacts with the tar and resin, making it easier to remove, making it a cheap and effective home cleaner. If you don’t have iso alcohol available, there are several alternatives:
- Vinegar and baking soda. This combination creates a fizzy reaction that can help loosen up tar and resin from your glass surface. However, it may not be as effective as alcohol and salt, and it may leave a sour smell on your bong.
- Lemon juice and boiling water. This combination adds a citrusy scent and flavor to your bong water, as well as antibacterial properties that can help sanitize your bong. However, it may not be as effective as alcohol and salt for removing stubborn stains, and you should be careful not to use boiling water on a cold glass piece.
- Shake the bags vigorously for a minute or two. This will help distribute the alcohol and salt throughout the bag, and create friction that will scrub off the tar and resin from your glass surface. You should see the liquid turn brown as it dissolves the dirt from your bong.
- Let the bags sit for some time. Depending on how dirty your bong is, you may need to let it soak for a few hours or even overnight. This will allow the alcohol and salt to penetrate deeper into the stains and dissolve them completely.
- Pour out the alcohol/salt mixture. Once you are satisfied with how clean your bong is, you can pour out the dirty liquid from the bags into a sink or a trash can. Be careful not to spill any on yourself or on any surfaces that may be damaged by alcohol.
- Rinse with warm water and dish soap. To make sure no alcohol or salt are left on your bong, you should rinse it thoroughly with warm water and dish soap. This will also help remove any remaining dirt or odor from your bong. You can use a bottle brush or a pipe cleaner to reach into any hard-to-clean areas of your bong.
- Let it dry completely. Before using
