Cleaning your bong is an important part of using it. It keeps the smoke pure and clear, so that you can feel every hit as it hits your lungs, and it helps to keep the bong watertight so that you can use it again soon after cleaning. The steps below will help you get started on cleaning up your favorite piece of glassware:
1. Gather your supplies.
Gather your supplies. You'll need:
A bong or pipe. This can be purchased at a head shop, or you can create one by using glass and aluminum foil as an improvised rig. (If you're feeling adventurous, try making it out of clay!) If it's not worth saving (and who knows how long that might take?), go ahead and toss it in the trash; if it is worth saving for later use, keep reading!
A spoon or pipe cleaner. Use this tool to remove any dirt stuck inside the bowl of your bong after cleaning has been completed!
2. Put a pinch of salt in the tube.
Put a pinch of salt in the tube.
Salt is abrasive, and helps to break down the resin that holds your bowl in place. It also makes cleaning easier because you can scrub away at it with your fingers instead of having to use soap or ice-cold water on top of the already harsh substance inside your bong (which will only result in more work for you). If you don't have any salt on hand but would like to try this method anyway, we recommend using vinegar instead—it'll still do its job just fine!
3. Add warm water and some dish soap, then close up the bong and shake it hard.
Once you've made sure the bong is empty, add some warm water and dish soap to it. You can use any kind of soap you like, but if your bong was made in the past 15 years or so it's probably safe to assume that dish soap will do just fine for cleaning purposes.
Next, close up the spout of your bong with one hand (so that no water gets in) and shake it until all of the grime has fallen out. This might take a few minutes depending on how dirty your piece is—and if there are any other pieces floating around in there!—but don't worry: shaking hard isn't going to hurt anything!
4. Rinse the bong with clear, cold water and admire your handiwork.
Don’t use hot water. Hot water can damage the glass and cause your bong to break, so don't use it.
Don't use soap or salt in a dishwasher. These products are designed for washing dishes, not cleaning pipes!
Be careful not to get any suds into the bowl (the part of your bong where you smoke). This can cause damage when you use harsh chemicals on it later on!
Your bong will shine if you follow these steps!
Cleaning your bong is an important part of maintaining it. If you don't clean it regularly, theres a good chance that dirt and residue will build up over time, which can lead to some pretty gross-looking colors on your glass piece.
Be sure to check out our previous article on how to clean a bowl before reading this one! We recommend using warm water and mild soap if possible (like dish soap), but if you're feeling extra hardcore then consider using vinegar or even rubbing alcohol instead! Just make sure not to leave any chemicals in there for too long—it'll damage the surface of your piece!
After each use: Rinse out the ashtray thoroughly with hot water and let it air dry overnight before returning it back where it belongs—the next step depends on what type of bongpiece you own!
Conclusion
And there you have it! Now your bong is clean and ready for another hit. You can leave it in the dishwasher or wash it by hand, as long as you rinse it well before putting it away. Remember that these tips are just suggestions, so don't be afraid to experiment with them on your own bong if these don't work for you!