A glass bong is a great way to enjoy your favorite herb or tobacco, but it can also get dirty and smelly over time. The tar and resin that build up inside the bong can affect the flavor and smoothness of your smoke, as well as harbor bacteria and mold. That’s why it’s important to clean your glass bong regularly and properly, using safe and effective methods.
In this blog post, we will show you how to clean a glass bong using different ingredients and tools, depending on what you have at hand and how dirty your bong is. We will also give you some tips on how to prevent your bong from getting too dirty and how to maintain it in good condition. By following these steps, you will be able to enjoy a fresh and clean bong every time you smoke.
What You Will Need
To clean a glass bong, you will need some basic supplies that you can find in your kitchen or bathroom. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Isopropyl alcohol: This is the best solvent for dissolving the tar and resin in your bong. You can use either 70% or 90% isopropyl alcohol, but the higher the concentration, the better. You can find it in any pharmacy or supermarket.
- Coarse salt: This is an abrasive agent that will help scrub away the stubborn bits of tar and resin in your bong. You can use any kind of coarse salt, such as kosher salt or sea salt. Avoid using table salt, as it is too fine and will dissolve in the alcohol.
- Lemon juice: This is an optional ingredient that will add some acidity to the alcohol and salt mixture, making it more effective at breaking down the tar and resin. It will also give your bong a nice citrus smell. You can use either fresh or bottled lemon juice.
- Baking soda: This is another optional ingredient that will create a fizzy reaction with the vinegar, helping to loosen up the tar and resin in your bong. It will also neutralize any odors in your bong. You can find it in any supermarket.
- Vinegar: This is an alternative solvent to alcohol, in case you don’t have any or want to avoid using it. Vinegar is acidic and can dissolve some of the tar and resin in your bong, but it is not as effective as alcohol. You can use any kind of vinegar, such as white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Bottle brush: This is a handy tool that will help you reach the hard-to-clean areas of your bong, such as the stem and the percolator. You can find it in any kitchenware store or online.
- Pipe cleaner: This is another useful tool that will help you clean the smaller parts of your bong, such as the bowl and the slide. You can find it in any craft store or online.
- Saucepan: This is a tool that you can use to boil water and soak your bong parts in it, if they are very dirty and need some extra cleaning. Make sure you use a large enough saucepan that can fit your bong parts comfortably.
- Dish soap: This is a final ingredient that you can use to rinse your bong parts with warm water and remove any traces of alcohol, salt, vinegar, or lemon juice. It will also give your bong a nice shine.
How to Clean a Glass Bong
Now that you have gathered all the necessary supplies, you are ready to start cleaning your glass bong. Here are the basic steps to follow:
- Separate all the moving parts from the bong. This includes the bowl, the slide, the stem, and any other removable parts. This will make it easier to clean each part individually and prevent any damage from shaking or scrubbing.
- 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, but be careful not to burn yourself or crack the glass. If your piece is cold, start with lukewarm water and slowly raise the temperature.
- Knock off any big pieces of 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.
- 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 parts. You can also use cups and bowls, as long as you can fill them with enough liquid to cover the pieces.
- Fill your plastic bags with isopropyl alcohol and salt. This is the most common and effective method of cleaning a glass bong. Pour enough alcohol to cover the pieces, then add a generous amount of salt. The alcohol will dissolve the tar and resin, while the salt will act as an abrasive and scrub away the residue. You can also add some lemon juice to enhance the cleaning power and smell of the mixture.
- Shake the bags vigorously for a minute or two. This will help the alcohol and salt mixture to reach every corner of your bong parts and dislodge the tar and resin. Be careful not to spill or break the bags while shaking them.
- Let the bags sit for some time. Depending on how dirty your bong parts are, you may need to let them soak in the alcohol and salt mixture for a few minutes or a few hours. The longer you let them soak, the easier it will be to clean them later. You can also place the bags in a warm place, such as near a heater or in direct sunlight, to speed up the process.
- Pour out the alcohol and salt mixture and rinse the pieces with warm water and dish soap. After soaking, you should see a lot of tar and resin coming out of your bong parts. Pour out the dirty liquid and rinse the pieces thoroughly with warm water and dish soap. Make sure to remove any traces of alcohol, salt, or lemon juice from your bong parts, as they can affect the taste and quality of your smoke.
- Use a bottle brush or pipe cleaner to scrub any remaining residue. If there are still some stubborn bits of tar and resin left on your bong parts, you can use a bottle brush or pipe cleaner to scrub them off. Be gentle and careful not to scratch or break the glass. You can also dip the brush or pipe cleaner in some alcohol or vinegar to make it more effective.
- Rinse again with warm water and dish soap and let them dry. After scrubbing, rinse your bong parts again with warm water and dish soap to remove any residue or cleaning agent. Then, let them dry completely on a towel or paper towel before reassembling your bong. Make sure they don’t smell like alcohol or vinegar before using them again.
Alternative Methods
If you don’t have isopropyl alcohol or want to try something different, there are some alternative methods that you can use to clean your glass bong. Here are some of them:
- Vinegar and baking soda: This is a natural and eco-friendly method that uses vinegar as a solvent and baking soda as an abrasive. To use this method, fill your bong with vinegar and add some baking soda. You will see a fizzy reaction that will help loosen up the tar and resin in your bong. Let it sit for some time, then rinse with warm water and dish soap.
- Boiling water: This is a simple and cheap method that uses boiling water to melt away the tar and resin in your bong. To use this method, fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Then, carefully place your bong parts in the boiling water and let them simmer for 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to burn yourself or crack the glass. Then, remove the pieces from the water and rinse with warm water and dish soap.
- Denture tablets: This is an unusual but effective method that uses denture tablets as a cleaning agent. To use this method, fill your bong with warm water and drop some denture tablets in it. You will see a bubbling reaction that will help clean your bong. Let it sit for some time, then rinse with warm water and dish soap.
Tips for Preventing Your Bong from Getting Too Dirty
Cleaning your glass bong regularly is important, but there are also some things that you can do to prevent it from getting too dirty in the first place. Here are
