A glass bong is a great way to enjoy your favorite herb or tobacco, but it also requires some regular maintenance to keep it clean, smooth, and functional. A dirty bong can ruin your smoking experience by producing harsh, foul-tasting hits, and harboring mold, bacteria, and toxins. Not to mention, it can also damage the appearance and durability of your glass piece. Therefore, it is important to know how to properly clean your glass bong and how often to do it.
In this blog post, we will show you some easy and effective methods to clean your glass bong using common household items or specially designed products. We will also give you some tips on how to prevent your bong from getting too dirty in the first place and how to store it safely when not in use. By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your glass bong will last longer and perform better over time.
Why You Need to Clean Your Glass Bong
Every time you smoke out of your glass bong, tar, resin, ash, and other debris accumulate inside the chamber, the stem, the bowl, and the mouthpiece. These substances can clog up the airflow, reduce the flavor and potency of your herb or tobacco, and create unpleasant smells. Moreover, they can also attract mold and bacteria, which can pose serious health risks if inhaled.
Cleaning your glass bong regularly will help you avoid these problems and enhance your smoking experience. A clean bong will deliver smoother, cooler, and tastier hits that will make you appreciate your herb or tobacco more. It will also look more appealing and shiny, which can add to the aesthetic value of your piece.
How Often You Need to 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 change the water in your bong after every smoke session to prevent it from becoming stale and contaminated. You should also rinse out the bong with warm water to remove any loose particles.
For a deeper cleaning, you should aim to do it at least once a week if you use your bong moderately. If you use it more frequently or heavily, you may need to do it more often. You can tell when your bong needs a thorough cleaning by looking at its color and clarity. If it is brown and full of tar, or if you can’t see through the glass, it is time for a clean.
How to Clean Your Glass Bong with Alcohol and Salt
One of the most popular and effective methods of cleaning a glass bong is using isopropyl alcohol (also known as rubbing alcohol) and coarse salt. These ingredients work together to dissolve and dislodge the stubborn resin and tar that stick to the glass surface. Here are the steps to follow:
- Separate all the moving parts from the bong. This includes the stem, the bowl, and any other attachments. You will clean them separately in resealable plastic bags.
- Rinse out the pieces in hot water. This will loosen up any of the bigger chunks of resin that may be clogging up your bong. Be careful not to use boiling water or cold water on a hot piece, as this could cause the glass to crack.
- Knock off any large pieces of resin with cotton swabs or pipe cleaners. If there are any visible chunks of tar or resin that you can easily reach, simply knock them off with gentle scrubbing.
- Fill your bong with isopropyl alcohol and salt. Make sure the alcohol covers all the dirty areas of the bong. The higher the concentration of alcohol (90% or above), the better. The salt acts as an abrasive agent that helps scrub away the resin.
- Plug the holes and shake it for a minute or two. Use your fingers or some paper towels to cover the mouthpiece and the stem hole. Then shake the bong vigorously to make sure the alcohol and salt mixture reaches every corner of the bong.
- Pour out alcohol/salt mixture and rinse with warm water and dish soap. After shaking, dump out the dirty liquid and rinse out the bong with warm water and some dish soap to remove any traces of alcohol or salt.
- Repeat if necessary until clean. If there are still some stains left, you can repeat the process until the bong is sparkling and clear.
How to Clean the Slide and Bowl with Alcohol and Salt
The slide and bowl are the parts of the bong that get the dirtiest, as they are in direct contact with the herb or tobacco. To clean them, you can use the same method as above, but with some modifications:
- Place the smaller parts in resealable plastic bags. Make sure they can seal effectively and that there is enough space for the alcohol and salt.
- Fill your plastic bags with isopropyl alcohol and salt. Make sure the pieces are fully submerged in the fluid.
- Shake the bags for a minute or two. Use your hands to agitate the bags and make sure the alcohol and salt mixture reaches every part of the pieces.
- Let them soak for some time. Depending on how dirty they are, you may need to let them soak for a few hours or overnight to loosen up the resin.
- Pour out alcohol/salt mixture and rinse with warm water and dish soap. After soaking, dump out the dirty liquid and rinse out the pieces with warm water and some dish soap to remove any traces of alcohol or salt.
- Repeat if necessary until clean. If there are still some stains left, you can repeat the process until the pieces are sparkling and clear.
How to Clean Your Glass Bong with Lemon and Boiling Water
If you don’t have alcohol or salt available, or if you prefer a more natural method of cleaning your glass bong, you can use lemon juice and boiling water. Lemon juice is acidic and can help break down the resin, while boiling water can help dissolve and flush out the debris. Here are the steps to follow:
- Separate all the moving parts from the bong. This includes the stem, the bowl, and any other attachments. You will clean them separately in resealable plastic bags.
- Rinse out the pieces in hot water. This will loosen up any of the bigger chunks of resin that may be clogging up your bong.
- Knock off any large pieces of resin with cotton swabs or pipe cleaners. If there are any visible chunks of tar or resin that you can easily reach, simply knock them off with gentle scrubbing.
- Boil some water and add lemon juice to it. You can use a saucepan or a kettle to boil enough water to fill your bong. Then add some lemon juice to it, about one lemon per liter of water.
- Pour the boiling water and lemon juice mixture into your bong. Be careful not to burn yourself or spill any liquid. Make sure the mixture covers all the dirty areas of the bong.
- Let it sit for some time. Depending on how dirty your bong is, you may need to let it sit for 15 minutes to an hour to allow the lemon juice to work on the resin.
- Pour out boiling water/lemon juice mixture and rinse with warm water and dish soap. After letting it sit, dump out the dirty liquid and rinse out the bong with warm water and some dish soap to remove any traces of lemon juice.
- Repeat if necessary until clean. If there are still some stains left, you can repeat the process until the bong is sparkling and clear.
How to Clean the Slide and Bowl with Lemon and Boiling Water
The slide and bowl can also be cleaned with lemon juice and boiling water, but with some modifications:
- Place the smaller parts in resealable plastic bags. Make sure they can seal effectively and that there is enough space for the boiling water and lemon juice.
- Boil some water and add lemon juice to it. You can use a saucepan or a kettle to boil enough water to fill your plastic bags. Then add some lemon juice to it, about one lemon per liter of water.
- Pour the boiling water and lemon juice mixture into your plastic bags. Be careful not to burn yourself or spill any liquid. Make sure the mixture covers all the dirty areas of the pieces.
- Let them sit for some time. Depending on how dirty they are, you may need to let them sit for 15 minutes to an hour to allow the lemon juice to work on the resin.
- Pour out boiling water/lemon juice mixture and rinse with warm water and dish soap. After letting them sit, dump out the dirty liquid and rinse out the pieces with warm water and some dish soap to remove any traces of lemon juice.
- Repeat if necessary until clean. If there are
