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, and even pose a health risk if it harbors mold, bacteria, or fungus. 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: Disassemble Your Bong
Take apart your bong and remove all the removable pieces, such as the mouthpiece, the pipe, the bowl, and the downstem. Check for any damage, such as chips or cracks, and replace any broken parts before using your bong again. Empty out any old water and spent herb or tobacco from the bong and rinse it with warm water to get rid of any solid particles.
Step 2: Add an Abrasive and a Cleaner to Your Bong
Fill the base of your bong with some warm water and add an abrasive and a cleaner. The abrasive will help scrub away any stubborn residue, while the cleaner will help dissolve any sticky or oily substances. You can use coarse salt, rice, or baking soda as an abrasive, and isopropyl alcohol, vinegar, or dish soap as a cleaner. The stronger the alcohol, the better. Ideally, you would use one over 90%. You can also add some lemon juice or white vinegar to enhance the cleaning power and give your bong a nice shine.
Step 3: 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 the cleaning solution doesn’t spill out. Shake your bong vigorously for about five minutes to make sure the abrasive and cleaner reach every corner and crevice of the bong. You can also swirl or rotate your bong to help loosen up any stuck-on dirt.
Step 4: Rinse and Repeat
Pour out the cleaning solution into a sink and rinse your bong thoroughly with clean water. Make sure there is no trace of salt, rice, baking soda, alcohol, vinegar, dish soap, lemon juice, or white vinegar left in your bong. Repeat the cleaning process as many times as you need to until your bong is sparkling clean.
Step 5: Clean the Removable Pieces
Don’t forget to clean the removable pieces of your bong as well. You can use the same cleaning solution as before, but instead of shaking it up in the bong, you can soak the pieces in a bowl or a ziplock bag for about an hour. Then use cotton swabs, pipe cleaners, bottle brushes, paper towels, dry cloths, or earbuds to remove any remaining residue from the pieces. Rinse them well with water and soap and let them dry completely.
Step 6: Enjoy Your Clean Bong
Congratulations! You have successfully cleaned your bong with household items. Now you can enjoy a smooth and flavorful smoke from your shiny glass piece. To keep your bong in good condition, try to clean it regularly after every few sessions. This will prevent any buildup of dirt and germs that could affect your smoking experience and your health.
