As more countries around the world move to legalize marijuana, more and more people are becoming interested in the various ways to get their smoke on. While joints and blunts remain the most preferred option, many consumers also use bongs with E-nail to get their daily THC fix.
However, in order to have the best smoking experience with bongs, regular maintenance is key for keeping your weed flavorful. Whether you are using the classic glass bong or prefer smoking out of those aesthetically appealing prism water pipes, it is crucial that you clean it properly to avoid the bad taste, smell and built-up bacteria.
Fortunately, the process of cleaning a bong is very simple and straightforward – there are some pretty easy and reliable ways to clean your water pipe both generally and extensively. To help you along, we have created the ultimate guide which elaborates on the steps, supplies and frequency of cleaning your bong.
The supplies you need
As with anything cleaning-related, you will first need to gather the necessary supplies to clean your water pipe. Most of these supplies are products you may already have at home, although there are also products on the market meant specifically for bong cleaning.
The supplies you need include:
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- Isopropyl alcohol
- Dish soap
- Coarse salt
- Sponge
- Paper towels
- Cotton swab
- Pipe cleaner
- Straw brush
- Large resealable plastic bag
- Disposable gloves (optional)
Although isopropyl alcohol is the best bong cleaning agent, you can also use vinegar with baking soda or rice, lemon juice with coarse salt or rice or a specific cleaner for your bong type.
Steps to follow
Once you have gathered all of your marijuana bong cleaning supplies, follow these eight steps below to clean your sticky water pipe and make it shine like new.
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- Pour out the old water from your last weed smoking session
- Disassemble the bong pieces carefully
- Place each bong piece in a resealable plastic bag
- Add your cleaning agent to each of the bags
- Add salt to the base of the bong
- Shake each bag and the bong separately for at least five minutes
- Rinse with warm water and soap and assess for any residue
- Air dry or towel dry all bong pieces
It is important to note that these steps may vary depending on the type of bong you use.
How often should you clean your bong?
Most experts recommend cleaning your bong after a few days to a week of use. You should replace your bong water often, ideally after every smoke session, to avoid mold because any water that sits in a water pipe for a longer period of time is at risk of molding.
In fact, watching out for the color of your bong water is the best indicator of when to give your water pipe a deep clean. Fresh water and a thoroughly clean bong can prevent you from inhaling mold and bacteria while also improving the quality of your smoking experience as you will be able to taste the flavor of your cannabis more effectively.
Tips for keeping your bong clean
If you haven’t cleaned your bong in a long time, the process outlined above can certainly take ages. Therefore, it is advised that you engage in preventative maintenance to keep your smoking piece as clean as possible to avoid going through the long and challenging process of deep cleaning.
One important preventive measure you can take is to always dump out your water after every smoking session. In case you notice any hard water stains, you can perform a quick rinse with lemon juice, vinegar or salt to avoid mold build-up and bad smells.
For a cleaner hit, you can add two drops of lemon juice as you use your bong to make your water smell fresher.
Final thoughts
After joints and blunts, bongs are the second most commonly preferred smoking method among consumers. However, in order to have the best smoking experience, it is crucial that users clean their water pipes thoroughly and extensively. This will make the hits taste better as they are not going to be contaminated with the stench of old weed, water and resin buildup.
Although the steps to properly cleaning your bong often depend on the type of water pipe you use, there are some general cleaning tips you should follow which are briefly outlined in our guide.
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