Bongs are an excellent way to get high. But if you want consistently good highs with your bong, you better be keeping it clean.

Having persuaded you to clean that filthy bong of yours, here is what you’ll need and how to do it. In addition, you will know the things you need to clean your bong.

When Is It Time to Clean Your Bong?

You know it’s time to clean your bong if a ring starts to form around the waterline of your bong or when you pour purified water into it and see some little floaters of weed, resin, or residue in there,” explains Reyna. Those particles, combined with bacteria and mildew, “is what results in that really specific bong smell.

Both experts advise cleaning your bong or pipe once per week. “A lot of connoisseurs clean their bong every day,” says Reyna. “Simply empty the water out of your bong after each use to keep it clean and avoid issues like this.”

While we clean bongs it’s important to reflect on all the sacrifices made by Black and Brown people in order to achieve legalization. The legalization makes it worry-free to clean your bong!

How Often Should You Clean a Bong?

Following a few days to a week of use, according to the majority of experts, you should clean your bong. To prevent mold, you must also frequently replace the water in your bong, ideally after each use. Mold can grow in any water that is left to sit in a water pipe.

“You’re literally inhaling through your bong and mold can grow in as quickly as 24 hours,” says Baum. “Why would breathing in mold be acceptable if you would freak out if you had mold in your home?”

Actually, pneumonia and lung infections can result from breathing in the mold and bacteria found in contaminated bong water. Additionally, any resin that gathers inside the bong can create a biofilm environment, which can serve as a home to dangerous bacteria that you definitely don’t want to breathe in.

Your bong’s watercolor will best tell you when it needs a thorough cleaning. Even if it’s clean, the resin that has been stuck to the glass of a dirty bong will make the water appear brownish-green. It’s past time for you to clean out your bong if the sky is dark or almost black.

The experience is enhanced by using fresh water and spotless glassware. Cleaning your bong will extend its life and increase its value over time, and you’ll be able to taste the flavor profile of your cannabis more clearly.

What Do You Need?

• Isopropyl alcohol: 91% to 99% isopropyl alcohol works best
• Morton’s table salt, Epsom salt, rock salt, or Himalayan salt are some examples of salt. Salt is soft enough not to scratch glass but coarse enough to scrub off the resin that has become stuck to the surface.
• A large resealable plastic bag
• Pipe cleaner
• Dish soap
• Disposable gloves (optional)

How to Clean a Glass Bong?

It always works when using this simple and powerful technique. If you want to prevent getting any sticky substance on your fingers, you can put on disposable gloves before starting these steps.

1. Get rid of the stem and bowl. You place your cannabis on the portion with the stem and bowl. This component can be removed, which makes cleaning the bong much simpler. When you pour the bong water out, ideally you don’t want to get the bowl wet.
2. The old water should be discarded. If at all possible, avoid pouring bong water down the drain because it is resinous and sticky. If you have a trash bag that is properly sealed, you can pour it into the trash, or you can pour it into a sealed container to throw away. You can also expel your bong water outside, but avoid using it to water any plants. Your plants will suffer from the same bacteria and mold that can harm you.
3. The bong should be put in a zip-top bag. The mess can be contained by using a sizable gallon-size bag, which should be big enough. The following steps can be completed inside a trash bag or over your sink if you don’t have a zip-top bag on hand. Just be cautious because the bong resin might adhere to the sink’s sides.

1. Add isopropyl alcohol to the inside of the bong. Fill the top of the bong with your isopropyl alcohol. Use approximately 16 ounces, or just enough alcohol to fill the bong halfway, depending on the size of the device. Pour that into the bong if you’re using an isopropyl solution designed specifically for cleaning bongs. If you don’t want to use isopropyl alcohol, you can also use baking soda and white vinegar; just give it more time to soak.
2. Add salt to the bong. This salt aids in gently cleaning the resin out of the bong’s interior. The salt removes the buildup from the bong’s sides, but alcohol alone only cleans it to a limited extent. Use a sufficient quantity to make sure the salt can scrub the resin away.
3. Shake the bag after closing it. To shake the alcohol and salt mixture inside the bong, seal the bag because this part can get messy. Make sure the substance enters each chamber of your percolator bong if you have one. To get all the crevices, you might need to tip the bong over several times.
4. Give it 30 minutes to soak. 30 minutes should be given for the alcohol mixture to brew in the bong. Depending on how dirty you allowed your bong to become, you might not always need to do this step, but soaking it does increase the alcohol’s ability to clean your glass.
5. Clear the bag from the bong and discard it. The bag is essential because you can easily seal it up with dirty bong water and discard it. The resin mess in the sink is prevented as a result.
6. Rinse the bong with warm water and soap. It’s best to remove all of the salt and alcohol from the bong before using it, especially considering that alcohol is flammable. Any remaining oil on the glass can be broken down using dish soap and warm water.
7. Alcohol should be used to clean the stem and bowl. Scrub any resin that has become stuck to the stem with a pipe cleaner. Before using it with cannabis, thoroughly rinse it with hot water and let it dry completely.

How to Clean Latex Or Acrylic Bongs?

Cleaning latex, plastic, or acrylic bongs requires extra care, unlike cleaning glass bongs. Use a pipe cleaner or a sizable straw brush only with hot water. This is because certain acrylic and latex materials can degrade and be stripped by alcohol.

Fill the bong with hot water, then rinse it over the sink. Repeat the process of rinsing and repeating until the water is clear. Other bong cleaning options are available that are safe for latex or acrylic.

How to Clean a Silicone Bong?

Silicone bongs are incredibly robust and simple to maintain. However, the conventional techniques for cleaning glass bongs can sometimes be a little too abrasive for silicone.

Here are several methods for cleaning a silicone bong and keeping it in perfect shape:

• Dishwasher method: if you have a dishwasher, you can take apart your bong and place the pieces on the top rack. Then just put it through a wash cycle. Cleaning those separately is necessary if you have any breakable attachments, like a glass bowl. After removing the item from the dishwasher, give it a quick rinse to get rid of any remaining dish soap.
• Soap and water method: A safe and efficient way to clean silicone is with warm water and mild dish soap. Take out and reserve any fragments that are too small. After thoroughly cleaning it with hot water, fill the interior of the bong with dish soap. Scrub any resin from challenging-to-reach areas using a bottle brush. After giving the bong a thorough rinse with warm water, let it air dry on a dish rack.
• Freezer method: You can get rid of accumulated gunk and resin by freezing your bong. Start by giving your bong a thorough rinse under running water, letting the water soak into the surface. Put your silicone object in the freezer for a while. When you remove it, bend the silicone to help the frozen gunk come loose from the sides, then dump it out and throw it away. To make sure it is thoroughly cleaned, you can do a cycle in the dishwasher or rinse it with soap and water after this.

What is the Fastest Way to Clean a Glass Pipe?

Add salt and isopropyl alcohol to the pipe. Pour about a teaspoon of salt into a pipe that is four inches long, and then almost completely fill it with alcohol.

• Shake the pipe vigorously for up to two minutes while covering the holes with your fingers. …
• Pour the mixture out.
• Soak the piece.
• Let it dry.

What Are the Best Bong Cleaning Products?

We’ve rounded up some of the best bong cleaning products, drawn from the advice of our experts, whether you want to avoid making a trip to the head shop or would rather restock from the comfort of your own couch.

1. Solimo 99% Isopropyl Alcohol

“I would suggest a 99% as it cleans everything,” says Reyna. Lower percentages of alcohol “can leave other bacteria somewhat dormant if not left in for a certain amount of time.”

Formula 420 Pipe Cleaner

“The first product I ever used to clean my pipes and bongs was from Formula 420, so I still use a lot of their cleaning accessories because they have worked so well over the years,” says Reyna, the brand’s cleaner formula is non-toxic, biodegradable, and secure for metal, glass, and ceramic surfaces.

Member’s Mark 91% Isopropyl Alcohol

During the pandemic, isopropyl alcohol, the potent component of homemade sanitizers and rubbing alcohol, ran out. Reyna advises that 91% alcohol will still work if you are unable to obtain 99%. “Just soak it longer to be safe,” she recommends.

Formula 420 Universal Cleaning Caps and Plugs Set

A spill-free cleaning session is guaranteed with these Formula 420 reusable soft plugs and caps. “I really like to use their accessories when I dump all the salt and alcohol in so nothing can come out when I’m shaking it up,” says Reyna.

Summerland the Land Yacht

The lead-free, food-safe ceramic and glaze are used to create this sleek, glossy white bong by Summerland. The handmade piece comes with a high-grade silicone grommet “to ensure clean hits and airtight carbs,” says the brand.

Large Straw Brush

A straw brush can be used to remove any grime that is difficult to reach for those areas that are difficult to scrub.

Higher Standards Heavy Duty Beaker

Reyna suggests that using low-quality materials may be the cause of any persistent stains on your bong. “Regardless of how tempting it may be, avoid using cheap glass and avoid smoking resin. Cheap glass is more porous and the sticky icky gets stuck in and never comes out,” she says.

We like the stylish glass bongs from Higher Standards if you’re looking for a high-end upgrade. It resembles a beaker and is constructed of sturdy glass.

If You Care Organic Unbleached Cheese Cloth

“If you’re running low on alcohol, which is still kind of hard to get at stores, depending on your location, you can save it in a mason jar to reuse,” suggests Reyna, fastening cheesecloth over the jar with a rubber band or a metal lid band and pour your used alcohol through to filter out any impurities.

Public Goods Dish Soap

Reyna and Navarro advise using regular dish soap to clean your bong and mouthpiece; just make sure to thoroughly rinse everything off.

Organic Chlorine- and Plastic-Free Organic Cotton Swabs

“Cleaning your bowl on each side with a Q-tip after every other use really helps keep your bowl fresh and easier on the cleaning process as you will have less junk to clean up,” Reyna says. “It really helps because the alcohol is less soiled and can be used again, as a friend once suggested, and I’m glad she did.”

Can I Use Regular Salt to Clean My Bong?

lighting a glass bong or pipe on fire (i.e. – right after you clean it) is never a good idea! That being said, the best salt to use is Iodine-free table salt. Some smokers favor rock salt, which is typically bigger and may not get into every crevice of the most intricate glass bongs or pipes.

What Can I Use to Clean My Bong Other Than Alcohol?

If you don’t want to use isopropyl alcohol, you can also use white vinegar and baking soda — just allow it to soak for longer. Add salt to the bong to help remove resin by gently cleaning the interior with the salt.

Conclusion

Your health and enjoyment depend on maintaining your bong. While you can purchase mixtures that claim to quickly and effectively clean your bong, you can also use salt and isopropyl alcohol to clean your bong just as effectively.

You must employ a less abrasive technique, such as hot water and dish soap, to clean other types of bongs, such as silicone or acrylic ones.