Sooner or later, we all need to clean our bongs. And, that’s a good thing! That first hit you get when your bong is just cleaned is just better than the hits you’ll get with a dirty bong.

However, cleaning bongs can be hard and time-consuming. That’s why, here, we’ll show you how to get clean glass in the easiest, most painless ways possible. We’ll show you the products you can get to expedite the process while keeping your bong looking brand new for years to come.

Let’s get started.

Why Should You Clean Your Bong Often?

Keeping your piece clean and your bong water fresh is the best way you can ensure a consistently good smoking experience.

As you smoke, the smoke settles down and accumulates into gunk and dirty bong water. These drastically affect the taste of your herbs and increase the harshness of the hits.

Dirty bongs are also more prone to mold. Since mold grows in humid environments, it can quickly grow inside your bong water, putting you at risk of a respiratory infection. You can also be at risk of infection if the bong is dirty after someone else used it.

That’s why having a healthy bong cleaning routine is the best way to avoid resin buildups and keep your piece functional and in top shape for years to come.

How to clean your bong, step by step:

Here’s how to clean your bong, step by step:

Step 1: Gather your supplies

The first thing you need to do is to gather the supplies you’ll use to clean your bong. Although warm water and dish soap may be somewhat effective, you’ll get better results with isopropyl alcohol or a bong cleaning solution.

While you can use rubbing alcohol and Epsom salt to clean your piece, a specialized bong cleaner usually does the job far faster and doesn’t scratch the glass over time as coarse salt does. You can get started with an affordable bong cleaner powder, or go all-in with a full bong cleaning kit.

Baking soda with water or alcohol can also be used as a more gentle cleaning solution to better preserve your glass pieces.

Finally, you’ll probably need some cotton swabs, pipe cleaners, and a paper towel to dry off your pieces.

Step 2: Disassemble your bong

Dump out the water and disassemble your bong. You can dump it into the toilet instead of the sink if you want to be extra careful. If you have a removable downstem, pull it out and clear out the bowl.

Be careful while taking apart pieces, especially when cleaning a fragile glass bong or handling small pieces.

Step 3: Use your cleaning solution

Now, you’ll need to decide which cleaning method to use. You can start by rinsing your piece with hot water. Avoid using boiling water, since it can easily splash and hurt you during your cleaning process.

Then, you can add your cleaning solution inside your bong, and shake it firmly and vigorously. You’ll want to hold it carefully, ideally from the strongest parts of your bong to minimize the risk of breakage. 

Smaller bongs can be placed inside a sealable bag, so you can shake them without worrying about spills. However, it’s often easier to get caps and plugs for bongs or dab rigs, which allow you to simply seal your bong shut.

Step 4: Clean out the grime

Now that the inside of your bong is soaked in your cleaning solution, you can use a q-tip or bottle brush to clean out any buildup too big for the cleaning solution. 

While alcohol usually needs to sit for about half an hour to soak into the grime, specialized solutions allow you to start right away.

Step 5: Rinse and dry

Now that your bong is mostly clear, you can rinse it with cold water. Make sure you’re rinsing thoroughly, fully removing any leftover cleaning solution. Use your paper towel to rinse the surface, then clean the mouthpiece and remove any water stains off the surface.

Then, you can finally add some clean water, and start using your bong again. If you want to, you can also add lemon juice to your water pipe, which will keep the piece cleaner for longer while adding a citrusy hint to your hits.

How often should you clean a bong?

You can often get away with rinsing and drying your bongs and bubblers once a day to avoid any microorganisms to grow. How often you need to deep clean your bong like we showed here will likely depend on your smoking habits.

You’ll want to clean your bongs before the resin buildup gets too hard to manage. For a daily piece, once a week can be a good rule of thumb.

Ready to get started? Grab your bong cleaning supplies at Grasscity, and don’t forget to check out our collection of ash catchers to make your bong easier to clean!

Don’t feel like cleaning your bong, and want a new one? Check out our selection of acrylic bongs, silicone bongs, glass pieces, and more accessories like glass pipes and vaporizers!

Grasscity: the world’s oldest (and best!) online headshop.

 

P.S: We believe all old school smokers already knows NOT to use Isopropyl Alcohol on a Decal printed Bong. So don't rub the decal with Alcohol