A glass bong is a great way to enjoy your favorite herb or tobacco, but it also requires some regular maintenance to keep it in good shape. A dirty bong can affect the flavor, smoothness, and safety of your smoke sessions, as well as the appearance and durability of your piece. In this blog post, we will show you how to properly clean any type of glass bong using simple household materials, and how to prevent it from getting too dirty in the first place. Follow these tips and you will be able to enjoy your glass bong for a long time.
Why You Need to Clean Your Glass Bong
Every time you smoke out of a glass bong, some tar and resin from the herb or tobacco will stick to the inside of the bong, especially in the bowl, the slide, and the stem. These residues can build up over time and make your bong look brown and dirty, as well as clog up the airflow and reduce the efficiency of your piece. Moreover, a dirty bong can harbor mold, bacteria, and other harmful microorganisms that can cause infections or illnesses when you inhale them. Not to mention, a dirty bong will make your smoke taste bad and harsh, ruining your experience.
Therefore, it is important to clean your glass bong regularly to remove these unwanted substances and keep your piece functioning well. Cleaning your glass bong will also make it look more attractive and shiny, and extend its lifespan. A clean bong will give you smoother, tastier, and safer hits that you can enjoy without any worries.
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. As a general rule of thumb, you should change the water in your bong after every smoke session, or at least once a day if you use it frequently. This will prevent the water from getting stale and contaminated with tar, resin, mold, bacteria, and other impurities that can affect your health and the quality of your smoke.
As for deep cleaning your glass bong, you should do it roughly once a week if you use it moderately, or more often if you use it heavily or notice a lot of buildup inside. You can also do a light cleaning every few days to keep your piece fresh and prevent too much accumulation of residues. The best way to tell if your glass bong needs a cleaning is to look at it: if it is brown and full of tar, or if you can’t see through the glass or the water, it is time for a cleaning.
How to Clean Your Glass Bong
Cleaning your glass bong is easy and cheap. All you need are some common household materials that you probably already have at home: isopropyl alcohol (70% or higher), coarse salt (such as kosher salt or sea salt), a resealable plastic bag or a food storage tub, some cotton swabs or pipe cleaners, and some warm water and dish soap. You can also use some optional tools such as a bottle brush or a sponge to scrub the inside of the bong more effectively.
Here are the basic steps to clean your glass bong:
- Detach the smaller parts from the bong, such as the bowl, the slide, and the stem. Rinse them with hot water for 1-2 minutes to loosen any stubborn debris. Use some cotton swabs or pipe cleaners to scrub away any particularly large chunks of resin.
- Place the parts in a plastic bag or a food storage tub with enough isopropyl alcohol to cover them. Add 1-2 tablespoons of coarse salt and seal the bag or tub. Shake it gently for 2-3 minutes to distribute the salt into the crevices of the parts. Then let them soak for 4-5 hours or overnight.
- Fill the bong halfway with isopropyl alcohol and add 4 tablespoons of coarse salt. Plug the holes with some paper towels or plastic wrap and shake the bong over the sink for 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to drop or break the bong.
- Pour out the alcohol/salt mixture from the bong and the bag/tub. Rinse the parts and the bong with warm water and dish soap until they are clean and free of any alcohol or salt residue.
- Let the parts and the bong air dry for about an hour or until they don’t smell like alcohol. Reassemble the bong and enjoy your clean piece.
Some tips to keep in mind when cleaning your glass bong:
- Do not use hot water on a cold piece, as this can cause it to shatter. If your piece is cold, start with lukewarm water and slowly raise the temperature.
- Do not boil your glass bong or any of its parts, as this can also cause them to crack or break. If you want to use boiling water, pour it into the bong and let it sit for a few minutes, then drain it and proceed with the alcohol/salt method.
- If you don’t have isopropyl alcohol, you can use white vinegar instead. It may not be as effective, but it will still help dissolve some of the resin. You can also add some lemon juice to the vinegar to enhance its cleaning power and give your bong a fresh scent.
- If you don’t have coarse salt, you can use baking soda instead. It will also act as an abrasive and help scrub away the resin.
- If you have a lot of buildup in your glass bong, you may need to repeat the cleaning process more than once to get it completely clean.
How to Prevent Your Glass Bong from Getting Too Dirty
The best way to keep your glass bong clean is to prevent it from getting too dirty in the first place. Here are some simple habits that you can adopt to minimize the amount of tar and resin that accumulate in your piece:
- Change the water in your bong after every smoke session, or at least once a day if you use it frequently. This will prevent the water from getting stale and contaminated with tar, resin, mold, bacteria, and other impurities that can affect your health and the quality of your smoke.
- Use filtered or purified water instead of tap water to fill your bong. This will reduce the amount of minerals and chemicals that can deposit on the glass and affect the flavor and smoothness of your smoke.
- Use a screen or a filter in your bowl to prevent ash and herb particles from falling into the water and clogging up the stem. This will also make your smoke cleaner and smoother.
- Use high-quality herb or tobacco that is properly cured and dried. This will reduce the amount of moisture and impurities that can produce tar and resin when burned.
- Grind your herb or tobacco finely before packing it into the bowl. This will allow for a more even and efficient burn, which will produce less tar and resin.
- Don’t overpack or underpack your bowl. Overpacking can restrict the airflow and cause incomplete combustion, which will produce more tar and resin. Underpacking can cause too much air to enter the bowl, which will also produce more tar and resin.
- Don’t burn your herb or tobacco too much or too little. Burning too much can create more tar and resin, as well as waste your herb or tobacco. Burning too little can leave some unburned material in the bowl, which can also create more tar and resin.
- Clean your glass bong regularly using the methods described above. This will prevent too much buildup from forming inside your piece, which will make it easier to clean in the future.
Conclusion
A glass bong is a great way to enjoy your favorite herb or tobacco, but it also requires some regular maintenance to keep it in good shape. By following these tips on how to properly clean any type of glass bong using simple household materials, and how to prevent it from getting too dirty in the first place, you will be able to enjoy your glass bong for a long time. A clean bong will give you smoother, tastier, and safer hits that you can enjoy without any worries.
