We all know someone affected by smelly bong syndrome.
Browning glass. Nasty odors. The dank scent of your favorite strain overwhelmed by the stench of stale bong water…
Thankfully, there are a few surprisingly simple steps you can take at home to get and keep your glass bong or pipe looking and smelling so fresh and so clean, clean.
How to Clean a Dirty Glass Bong or Pipe
Use Rubbing Alcohol and Salt
Instead of buying expensive bong cleaners (or those loaded with chemicals), consider making your own with rubbing alcohol and salt. The salt and alcohol solution works as an abrasive to the resin and residue, removing debris without risking chips, scratches, or breaks.
We recommend a strong Isopropyl alcohol (91%) for your average cleaning, though you can use 70% for lighter cleaning or 100% acetone (nail polish remover) for heavy-duty cleaning.
Now, grab a coarse salt—Epsom or sea salt, for example.
- Empty and rinse your bong or pipe with warm water to clear out as much debris as you can.
- Fill the bong or pipe with about as much Isopropyl alcohol as you would water, then add a handful of salt.
- Cover the openings of the glass to avoid spillage. You can use cotton balls, towels, saran wrap and rubber bands, or even specially designed bong caps.
- Give the alcohol and salt a moment to soak, then shake for about one minute. Hold the glass carefully while you’re shaking so you don’t drop it!
- Empty the bong and rinse again with warm water.
If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you can use a warm water and salt solution for a lighter cleaning. Just make the water a bit warmer or add a bit more salt.
Let It Soak (for Heavy-Duty Cleaning)
If the rubbing alcohol and salt mixture didn’t get your glassware clean, try letting it soak for about two hours before you give up and run to the store for a concentrated cleaning solution and a pack of pipe cleaners.
Order Specially Designed Cleaning Solutions
In a majority of cases, you simply won’t need a professional cleaning solution to get and keep your glassware pristine. If you do opt for a specially designed, pipe-cleaning solvent, look carefully at the ingredients to make sure you know what you’re putting in your pipe, and ask your budtender for their recommendation.
How to Keep Your Glass Pipe Clean
Empty the water from your pipe or bong between uses
Bong water smells bad, and it can allow bacteria to grow if left in the bong too long. Empty your water pipe, bubbler, or bong between uses and fill it up again with fresh water for a cleaner pipe and smoother hit.
Rinse with warm water every 1-2 uses
Rinsing your bong or pipe with warm water every few uses is a great way to keep the glassware clean without committing to a full “cleaning”.
Use pipe cleaners when “scraping” resin or debris off the glass
If you are doing a deep clean on an old pipe or bong and soaking just isn’t doing the trick, pick up a pack of pipe cleaners. They’re designed to clean up moisture and debris from smoking pipes while avoiding scratches, chips, and breaks.
Add a few drops of lemon juice to fight resin buildup and nasty bong odors
Just a few drops of lemon juice with each change of water can keep your bong looking and smelling nicer for longer. Be careful not to add too much, though, or you may overpower the flavor and aroma of your chosen flower or cannabis oil.
Clean Your Glass Bong At Home
What’s your go-to method for cleaning your pipe or bong? Let us know in the comments.
Stop by Karing Kind in North Boulder to browse our selection of locally produced glass pipes and other cannabis accessories.
Karing Kind is located just off of US-36, one mile north of Broadway, open daily from 9am to 10pm.
While we carry a variety of strains, concentrates, edibles, salves and tinctures, inventory and stock levels fluctuate from week to week. Check our menu and follow us on Instagram for an up-to-date list of edibles, concentrates and buds available.