How to Clean a Bong: The Ultimate Guide - Updated for 2023

Hey there, Bongologists! It's time for a refresher course in everyone's least favorite subject: bong hygiene. We know, we know. You’d rather be kicking back, bong in hand, taking it easy. But come on, who wants to toke from a bong that's seen cleaner days?

Believe us, your lungs and taste buds will thank you for taking a few minutes to show your bong some love. So, let’s get right into it. Grab your grungy gear, and let's learn how to clean a bong, 2023 style!

Why Clean Your Bong?

First off, let's remind ourselves why we're doing this. Dirty bongs are not only unsightly but also affect the taste of your smoke. Over time, your bong accumulates resin and tar, which can also harbor bacteria and mold - nope, that's not an extra feature! Keeping your bong clean ensures a better, healthier smoking experience.

There are a million and one different types of glass bongs, and a million and one ways to clean them. One method isn’t necessarily better than another; it just depends on how much time you have and how dirty your glassware is. It might also depend on what supplies you have handy.

Keeping your bong water fresh and the bong itself clean improves not only smell, smoke, and visual appeal, but also the health of your lungs. Do yourself a favor and give all your glassware a deep clean. Set a reminder on your phone, for every Sunday, to give it a fresh lemon water bath as described below. Your friends and lungs will thank you.

How Often Should You Clean a Bong?

How long has it been since the last time you cleaned your glassware? A month? A year? Based on experience, everyone has neglected the cleanliness of their glassware at least once in their life. Your pipe clogs up with resin, and your water bongs start to stink. These are both telltale signs that you need to clean your glassware much more frequently than you currently are. A clean bong should never smell, and should always delivery a clean pull.

You should probably get on a weekly quick cleaning schedule. Keep changing the water on a daily basis to avoid the build-up of unwanted organic material, but do a quick clean at least weekly. A quick clean shouldn’t take more than ten minutes from start to finish but can make a world of difference. A weekly bong cleanse help keeps the resin buildup at bay so that when you do decide to dig deep, the cleaning process is much smoother.

How to Clean a Bong – The Quick Way

This quick cleaning recipe is a good solution for weekly bong maintenance. It’s not going to clear away months of resin build up, but it’s a helpful routine to get into on a weekly basis. Plus, it’s such a simple process that you’ll likely already have all the ingredients on hand. Lemons? Water? You are ready to go.

Step 1:

Fill a kettle with water, and set to boil. If you have a powerful water heater, you can also turn on the hot water tap and allow to heat up. The hotter, the better, as this helps to loosen any sticky resin inside the chamber.

Step 2:

Juice two to three lemons, or add ¼ cup of pre-squeezed lemon juice into the glassware. Lemons are naturally deodorizing, and also have high acidity, perfect for combating the build-up of cannabis residue.

Step 3:

Pour the kettle of boiling water into your bong, up to the choke or higher if you’ve tapped over the choke.

Step 4:

Cover the mouth hole and shake vigorously. You may want to use plastic wrap, and hold the bong with oven mitts as it might get quite hot. After about a minute, pour the water out and run fresh water through the chamber. You’ll notice that now your bong has a lovely lemony scent and much cleaner than before.

How to Clean a Bong – With Alcohol

The Essentials

You don't need a chemistry degree for this. Here's what you'll need:

• Warm water
• Coarse salt (Epsom or sea salt works great)
• Rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol  91% or higher is your best bet)
• Ziploc bags (for smaller parts)
• Pipe cleaners or a bottle brush
• Rubber stoppers or bong plugs  ( Or use the BoroBuddy Cleaning Kit)

Step by Step: Clean That Bong!

1. Disassemble Your Bong

Carefully remove the bowl and downstem from your bong, placing them in separate Ziploc bags. If your piece is a single unit, no worries - just handle with care!

2. Rinse with Warm Water

Rinse your bong and each piece with warm water to remove loose debris. Please, avoid hot water on cold glass - we don't want any shocking experiences here.

3. The Salt-Alcohol Shake

Add a generous scoop of salt to your bong and the Ziploc bags. Pour in the rubbing alcohol until all areas are submerged. If you've got rubber stoppers or bong plugs, secure the openings of your bong. If not, just cover them up with your hands.

Now comes the fun part: shake it! The salt acts as an abrasive, scrubbing away the gunk. Note: It's your bong, not a maraca. Shake gently.

4. Rinse and Repeat

After a good shake, rinse your bong and its parts with warm water again. Repeat the process if necessary until your bong is sparkling clean.

5. The Fine Details

For any stubborn spots, dip a pipe cleaner or bottle brush in rubbing alcohol and give them a good scrub.

6. Dry Time

Once you're happy with the cleanliness, rinse one last time with warm water. Let all the parts dry completely before reassembling to avoid any trapped moisture.

Congratulations, Bong Beautician!

There you have it! Now you know how to clean a bong like a pro. Remember, regular cleanings after every few uses can keep your bong looking good and your smoke tasting fresh.

Bong cleanliness might not be next to godliness, but it's certainly next to a good, clean high. So until next time, keep those bongs clean, buddies!

FAQs

1. Can I use vinegar to clean my bong? Absolutely! If you prefer a natural approach, a mixture of vinegar and baking soda can also do the trick. However, it might not be as effective for heavily-resinated bongs.

2. How often should I clean my bong? Ideally, after every few uses. If you're a heavy user, a weekly clean might be in order.

3. Can I use hot water to clean my bong? Warm water is the safest option. Rapid changes in temperature can stress the glass, leading to potential cracks.

4. I've heard about boiling a bong to clean it. Should I? This is a controversial topic. While some swear by it, others warn against the risk of breaking or weakening the glass. If you decide to try it, proceed with extreme caution.

5. Why does my clean bong still smell? Sometimes, odors can seep into the silicone or plastic parts of your bong. Try soaking these in a mixture of warm water and lemon juice or baking soda.

Happy bong cleaning!

Do You Need any Products?

If you frequent head shops and dispensaries, you are likely pretty familiar with the many cleaning products displayed next to the glassware section. Do you actually need these specialized cleaning products to clean your glassware? In all honesty, the salt and alcohol or baking soda and vinegar methods work pretty well on their own.

But having a pre-mixed bong cleaning solution on hand can make it easier. And the easier the process, the more likely you’ll follow through. You won’t need to stock up on any other household items, like course table salt or rubbing alcohol, and bong cleaners often come with natural scents you won’t get from the do it yourself methods.

Piece Water is a two-step solution. Not only does it replace the need to use unfiltered tap water as the bong water, but it also cleans while you smoke. They have a developed a unique formula of non-toxic, all-natural ingredients which should leave your dirty bong cleaner than when you started. Just pour into the water chamber, and take a hit. Some of the ingredients in their Piece Water products include vegetable extracts, fruit extracts, and minerals.

Another bong cleaning product which simplifies the process of cleaning your bong is the Resolution Gel and Cap system. Pour the single-use gel into the dirty bong, place the provided silicon caps over the mouthpiece and shake. The caps are also helpful to help keep the foul smell from emitting throughout your room, or for keeping the bong water secure during travel.