How to Clean a Glass Bubbler?

Bubblers are great! These hand pipes are a favorite among people new to smoking, due to their accessibility, affordability, and percolation. Usually made from silicone or glass, they make wonderful starter bongs and will deliver smooth hits to those who want something more portable than a traditional bong. 

When owning any smoking tool, it’s important to keep it clean. The same goes for bubbler pipes. Over time, resin and other grime can build up, making your bubbler less effective. The taste and smell of your bubbler may also be altered. In the worst-case scenario, users have even seen mold grow inside their bubbles. 

Now that we’ve established that cleaning your bubbler is important, we will take you through the steps on how to do that. Lots of people dread how time-consuming it can be, but thankfully, if you follow these steps, the work you put in will be minimal and your bubbler can live a long and happy live - mold and clog free! 

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Quick Step By Step How To Clean A Glass Bubbler

Step 1 - Rinse Out Your Boubbler 

After each use, you should be rinsing your bubbler with hot water. This will get any of the immediate particles out of your pipe and keep them from emulsifying on the pipe walls. 

Step 2 - Grab a Ziplock Bag and Start Mixing

The majority of cleaning is going to take place inside a ziplock bag. With this method, you won’t have to scrub and struggle to reach hard-to-reach spots. 

Put your bubbler inside the bag with ¼ cup of salt and 16 ounces of isopropyl alcohol. Sea salt is generally recommended as it is large and abrasive, however, any kind of salt will work. 

Step 3 - Shake it Up! 

Shake your bag for one minute. Your shaking should be quick and controlled. You don’t want to drop it obviously, but you want to shake hard enough that the salt really gets around and reaches every crevice of your bubbler. Let it rest for an hour. 

Step 4 - Repeat This Every Hour for 4-5 Hours

This may seem like a long time, but remember, it’s only a minute out of each hour that you actually have to do anything. Once an hour, shake vigorously for one minute. You should start to see grime disappearing off the walls. 

Step 5 - Drain and Dry

Remove the bubbler from your bag, preferably with gloves on. Rise it thoroughly with hot water and then let it drain out. You’re going to want to get all the alcohol off your bubbler before smoking again. 

What If I Don’t Have Alcohol In The House? 

Boiling water and lemon juice can achieve similar results to alcohol. Other people also swear by baking soda and vinegar. If you use these alternate solutions, check to make sure you are following the specific cleaning instructions for those ingredients. 

A well-maintained bubbler is like a car. If you ignore its health, you’ll eventually run into some major problems. Cleaning it out at least twice a year can help extend your bubbler’s lifetime majorly. Check out our list of thebest bubblers for sale from our online head shop.