A glass bong is a great way to enjoy your favorite herb or tobacco, but it can also get dirty and clogged over time. The tar and resin that build up in the bong can affect the taste, smell and smoothness of your smoke, as well as harbor bacteria and mold. That’s why it’s important to clean your glass bong regularly and properly, to keep it in good shape and ensure you get the best smoking experience possible.
In this blog post, we will show you how to clean a glass bong using different methods and ingredients, depending on what you have at hand and how dirty your bong is. We will also give you some tips on how to prevent your bong from getting too dirty in the first place, and how often you should clean it. Let’s get started!
What You Need to Clean a Glass Bong
Before you start cleaning your glass bong, you will need to gather some supplies. Here are some of the most common items you can use to clean a glass bong:
- Isopropyl alcohol: This is the most popular and effective ingredient for cleaning a glass bong. It dissolves the tar and resin, making them easy to rinse off. You can use either 70% or 90% isopropyl alcohol, but the higher the concentration, the better. You can find isopropyl alcohol in any pharmacy or supermarket.
- Coarse salt: This is not essential, but it helps to scrub off the stubborn chunks of resin that stick to the glass. You can use any kind of coarse salt, such as kosher salt or sea salt. Avoid using table salt, as it is too fine and will dissolve in the alcohol.
- Lemon juice: This is another optional ingredient that can enhance the cleaning power of alcohol. Lemon juice is acidic and can break down the resin, as well as add a fresh scent to your bong. You can use either fresh or bottled lemon juice.
- Vinegar: This is an alternative to alcohol that you can use if you don’t have any or don’t want to use it. Vinegar is also acidic and can dissolve the resin, but it may not be as effective as alcohol. You can use any kind of vinegar, such as white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Baking soda: This is another alternative to salt that you can use if you don’t have any or don’t want to use it. Baking soda is abrasive and can help to scrub off the resin, but it may not be as effective as salt. You can find baking soda in any grocery store.
- Pipe cleaners: These are handy tools that you can use to clean the hard-to-reach areas of your bong, such as the stem and the bowl. You can find pipe cleaners in any craft store or online.
- Bottle brush: This is another useful tool that you can use to clean the inside of your bong, especially if it has a large or curved shape. You can find bottle brushes in any kitchenware store or online.
- Saucepan: This is something that you may need if you want to boil your bong parts in water to loosen up the resin. However, this method is not recommended for glass bongs, as it may cause them to crack or shatter due to thermal shock. If you do decide to use this method, make sure to heat up your bong parts gradually and carefully.
- Dish soap: This is something that you should always use at the end of your cleaning process, to rinse off any remaining residue or odor from your bong. You can use any kind of dish soap that you have at home.
How to Clean a Glass Bong with Alcohol and Salt
This is the most common and effective method for cleaning a glass bong. Here are the steps to follow:
- Separate all the parts of your bong. Remove the stem and the bowl from your bong and set them aside. You will clean them separately later.
- Rinse out your bong with hot water. This will help to loosen up some of the bigger chunks of resin that may be clogging up your bong. Use the hottest water that you can handle, but be careful not to burn yourself or damage your bong. If your bong is cold, start with lukewarm water and gradually increase the temperature.
- Fill your bong with alcohol and salt. Pour enough isopropyl alcohol into your bong to cover the dirty areas. Then, add a generous amount of coarse salt to the alcohol. You can also add some lemon juice if you want to boost the cleaning power and add a fresh scent.
- Shake your bong vigorously. Cover the openings of your bong with your hands or some plastic wrap and shake it as hard as you can for a minute or two. The alcohol and salt will act as a solvent and an abrasive, respectively, and will dislodge the resin from the glass. You will see the liquid turn brown as it collects the dirt.
- Let your bong soak for some time. Depending on how dirty your bong is, you may need to let it soak for a few minutes or a few hours. The longer you let it soak, the easier it will be to clean. You can also repeat the shaking process every once in a while to speed up the process.
- Pour out the alcohol/salt mixture and rinse your bong with warm water and dish soap. Once you are satisfied with the cleanliness of your bong, pour out the dirty liquid and rinse your bong thoroughly with warm water and dish soap. Make sure to remove any traces of alcohol, salt, or resin from your bong. You can also use a bottle brush to scrub the inside of your bong if needed.
- Dry your bong completely. Use a paper towel or a cloth to dry off your bong, or let it air dry on a rack. Make sure that there is no moisture left in your bong, as this can cause mold or bacteria to grow. You can also use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process, but be careful not to overheat your bong.
How to Clean the Slide and Bowl of Your Glass Bong
The slide and bowl of your glass bong are usually the dirtiest parts, as they come in direct contact with the herb or tobacco. You can clean them using the same method as above, but with some modifications. Here are the steps to follow:
- Place the slide and bowl in resealable plastic bags. Put each part in a separate bag and make sure that they can seal securely. You will use the bags to contain the cleaning fluid while you soak the parts.
- Fill the bags with alcohol and salt. Pour enough isopropyl alcohol into each bag to cover the parts. Then, add a generous amount of coarse salt to each bag. You can also add some lemon juice if you want.
- Shake the bags vigorously. Seal the bags and shake them as hard as you can for a minute or two. The alcohol and salt will dissolve and scrub off the resin from the parts. You will see the liquid turn brown as it collects the dirt.
- Let the parts soak for some time. Depending on how dirty your parts are, you may need to let them soak for a few minutes or a few hours. The longer you let them soak, the easier it will be to clean. You can also repeat the shaking process every once in a while to speed up the process.
- Pour out the alcohol/salt mixture and rinse the parts with warm water and dish soap. Once you are satisfied with the cleanliness of your parts, pour out the dirty liquid and rinse them thoroughly with warm water and dish soap. Make sure to remove any traces of alcohol, salt, or resin from your parts. You can also use pipe cleaners to clean the hard-to-reach areas of your parts if needed.
- Dry your parts completely. Use a paper towel or a cloth to dry off your parts, or let them air dry on a rack. Make sure that there is no moisture left in your parts, as this can cause mold or bacteria to grow. You can also use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process, but be careful not to overheat your parts.
How to Clean a Glass Bong without Alcohol
If you don’t have any isopropyl alcohol at hand or don’t want to use it for any reason, there are some alternatives that you can use to clean your glass bong. However, they may not be as effective as alcohol and may require more time and effort. Here are
