How to Clean a Bong with Household Items

If you enjoy smoking herb or tobacco from a bong, you know how important it is to keep it clean and fresh. A dirty bong can ruin the taste of your smoke, harbor harmful bacteria and mold, and damage your health. Fortunately, you don’t need to buy expensive or specialized products to clean your bong. You can use some common household items that you probably already have in your kitchen or bathroom. Here are some easy steps to clean your bong with household items.

What You’ll Need

A bong
Warm water
Coarse salt, rice, or baking soda
Isopropyl alcohol, vinegar, or dish soap
Cotton swabs, pipe cleaners, bottle brushes, paper towels, dry cloths, or earbuds
Lemon juice or white vinegar (optional)

Step 1: Disassemble Your Bong

The first thing you need to do is to take apart your bong as much as possible. Remove all the removable pieces, such as the mouthpiece, the pipe, the bowl, and the downstem. Check for any cracks or chips in the glass and replace any damaged parts before using your bong again. Empty out any old water and herb residue from the base of the bong and rinse it with warm water to get rid of any loose particles.

Step 2: Add an Abrasive and a Cleaner to Your Bong

The next step is to fill your bong with a combination of an abrasive and a cleaner that will work together to remove the stubborn stains and gunk from the inside of the glass. You can use coarse salt, rice, or baking soda as an abrasive and isopropyl alcohol, vinegar, or dish soap as a cleaner. The stronger the alcohol or vinegar, the better. Ideally, you want to use one that is over 90% alcohol or 5% acidity.

Pour enough abrasive and cleaner into the base of the bong to cover the bottom and reach the sides. You don’t need to fill it all the way up, just enough to create a slurry that can move around when you shake it. For example, you can use 1/4 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of alcohol for a medium-sized bong.

Step 3: Plug the Holes and Shake It Up

Now comes the fun part. You need to plug or block the open holes of the bong so that the abrasive and cleaner don’t spill out when you shake it. You can use your hands, fingers, thumbs, or some rubber stoppers or corks to do this. Make sure you have a good grip on the bong and shake it vigorously for about five minutes. You should see the slurry turning brown or green as it dissolves the resin and tar from the glass.

Step 4: Rinse and Repeat

After shaking your bong for a while, you can empty the cleaning solution into a sink or a bucket and rinse it out thoroughly with warm water. You should see a noticeable difference in the clarity and cleanliness of your bong. However, if there are still some stubborn stains or spots left, you can repeat the cleaning process as many times as you need to until your bong is sparkling clean.

Step 5: Clean the Other Parts

Don’t forget about the other parts of your bong that also need some attention. You can use the same abrasive and cleaner mixture to soak them in a ziplock bag or a container for a few minutes. Then use some cotton swabs, pipe cleaners, bottle brushes, paper towels, dry cloths, or earbuds to scrub away any remaining residue from the mouthpiece, pipe, bowl, downstem, and any other accessories.

Step 6: Give Your Bong a Final Rinse and Polish

The last step is to give your bong a final rinse with warm water and soap to remove any traces of abrasive or cleaner that might affect the taste of your smoke. You can also add some lemon juice or white vinegar to the rinse water to give your bong a nice shine and a fresh smell. Dry your bong thoroughly with a soft cloth or let it air dry before reassembling it.

Step 7: Enjoy Your Clean Bong

Congratulations! You have successfully cleaned your bong with household items and made it look as good as new. Now you can enjoy the smooth and flavorful smoke that your bong deserves. Remember to clean your bong regularly to prevent the buildup of bacteria, mold, and resin that can ruin your smoking experience and your health. Happy smoking!

References

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