Download Article
Plus, how to keep your bong clean and avoid stains
Download Article
Nothing ruins the taste of a good smoke like a dirty bong. Fortunately, there are some pretty easy and reliable ways to clean your bong both generally and extensively. To make and keep your bong clean, do a basic cleaning, get those tough areas and stains, and take good care of your bong.
Best Way to Clean Bongs
Empty your bong and take the pieces apart, then give them all a rinse in warm water. Add some coarse salt and rubbing alcohol (90% or stronger) into the base of the bong and plug up all the holes. Shake the bong for 5 minutes for the best results, then rinse and repeat until fully clean (if needed).
Steps
-
Gather supplies. Before cleaning your bong, you'll need to round up some supplies, including: a sink or basin; coarse salt, rice, or baking soda; rubbing alcohol, vinegar, or another cleaner; clean water; and latex gloves. [1] X Research source- Glass cleaners work great as well. You could use Aqua Glass Works Cleaner or Wellcann Glass Cleaner.
- You can also buy cleaning solutions specifically made for bongs from Headshop. Options include Pink Formula.
-
Empty the bong and rinse and fill it with warm water. While wearing your latex gloves, empty out your bong as well as you can. Pour out old bong water and remove any spent herb. Then give it a good rinse with warm water to remove any remaining solid particles. Finally, fill the bong part way with some of the warm water you're using.Advertisement -
Disassemble your bong. Take it apart so that the individual pieces can be cleaned. Remove all movable parts, including the pipe and mouthpiece. As you take your bong apart, check for any damage such as chips or cracks. You'll need to replace any damaged pieces before using your bong again. [2] X Research source -
Add coarse salt and rubbing alcohol to your bong. Next, you'll need to add an abrasive and a cleaner into the base of the bong so that they can work together to clean the inside. Coarse salt and isopropyl alcohol typically work best for this, but you can also use vinegar and rice or baking soda. The stronger the rubbing alcohol, the better. Ideally, you would use one over 90%.- Alternatively, you can use something like Formula 420, in which case skip the salt. Pour it in and proceed as normal.
-
Plug the holes and shake it up. Use your hands, fingers, and thumbs to plug or block the open holes of the bong so that your abrasive and cleaner don't cause a big mess. Shake it for about five minutes to get the best possible result. -
Rinse and repeat. Empty the cleaning solution into a sink and rinse it out completely with clean water. Repeat the cleaning process as many times as you need to, but once is usually enough. [3] X Research source
Advertisement
-
Presoak your bong in warm water and dish soap . If your bong is especially dirty, it might be best to soak it in a sink, basin, or bathtub full of warm water and just a squirt of dish soap. Let your bong soak for about an hour or two before you start the cleaning process. [4] X Research source- Be very conservative with the dish soap. If you use too much, your bong might produce an unpleasant soapy aftertaste the next several times you smoke.
-
Soak small pieces in plastic bags . Put all of the small pieces of your bong into resealable bags with about a tablespoon of coarse salt. Fill the resealable bag with enough rubbing alcohol to completely submerge the pieces. Shake the bags for a few seconds and then let the pieces soak for several minutes. Then, rinse them off with clean water. [5] X Research source -
-
Get rid of water stains with lemon juice. To easily remove water stains in your bong, put some warm water and lemon juice in the base and swish it around. Then, rinse your bong out with cold water. [7] X Research source
Advertisement
-
Use filtered water in your bong. The minerals in tap water and unfiltered spring water can cause water stains to form in your bong. To prevent this, always use filtered water when you smoke. It's also a good idea to use filtered water when cleaning your bong, or at least rinse it with filtered water after cleaning. -
Change out the water in your bong daily. If you change out your bong water each day, your bong will stay much cleaner. When old water sits in your bong, mold can form. This is pretty gross on its own, but mold also means mold stains, which can make cleaning your bong a more extensive process. [8] X Research source -
Clean your bong once a week. This is another way to keep mold from forming and ultimately avoid getting mold stains. Try to do at least a brief cleaning weekly to keep your bong squeaky clean. [9] X Research source -
Store your bong in a bong bag or hard case. Since your bong is made of glass, it's susceptible to cracking and breaking if you aren't careful. When storing and traveling with your bong, consider keeping it in a protective bag or case to keep anything from happening to it.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Video
Tips
- Also try using baby bottle brushes, nipple brushes, or cotton swabs to get resin out of hard-to-reach places.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Best way to clean a downstem is with a fairly sturdy straw, like a McDonald's straw. Scrape the straw off the insides of the downstem and push all the resin out the bottom, then just toss the straw because you can get another one as they are highly accessible.
- Old toothbrushes are fantastic for this and amazingly resistant to alcohol and many other solvents.
- Don't use salt on glass as it scratches it (I learned from personal experience).
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Be careful if you're cleaning it in a sink. The resin can coat the sink and it can be hard to clean.Thanks
- Most cleaners are flammable, so never use them when you're smoking.Thanks
Advertisement
Things You'll Need
- Latex gloves
- Clean water
- Plastic resealable bags
- Cleaner: Isopropyl alcohol, vinegar, or Formula 420
- Abrasive: coarse salt, uncooked rice, or baking soda
- Dish towel
- Pipe cleaners or plastic q-tips
- Liquid dish soap
- Bowl, basin, or sink large enough to submerge all parts
References
- ↑ https://cbdoracle.com/cannabis/how-to-clean-your-bong/
- ↑ https://cbdoracle.com/cannabis/how-to-clean-your-bong/
- ↑ https://potguide.com/pot-guide-marijuana-news/article/how-to-clean-a-bong-or-pipe-isopropyl-alcohol-vs-specialty-420-cleaners/
- ↑ https://www.insider.com/guides/home/how-to-clean-a-bong
- ↑ https://cbdoracle.com/cannabis/how-to-clean-your-bong/
- ↑ https://potguide.com/pot-guide-marijuana-news/article/how-to-clean-a-bong-or-pipe-isopropyl-alcohol-vs-specialty-420-cleaners/
- ↑ https://www.tripboba.com/article_how-to_how-to-clean-a-bong-a-step-by-step-instructions-you-can-follow-to-clean-a-bong.html
- ↑ https://youtu.be/PkmDWNUAB24?t=100
- ↑ https://cbdoracle.com/cannabis/how-to-clean-your-bong/
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To clean a bong, start by emptying it and rinsing it out with warm water to remove any solid particles. Once the old bong water and any spent herb is gone, fill the bong part way with some warm water. Next, take your bong apart and add an abrasive, like coarse salt or rice, and a cleaner, like isopropyl alcohol or vinegar, to the base of your bong. Then, plug the holes and shake it, allowing the abrasive and cleaner to scrub away any grime. After 5 minutes, rinse the bong out and repeat the cleaning process if necessary. To learn how to clean stains on your bong, keep reading!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,650,743 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "So simple! See so many terrible "bong cleaners" on the market that are ridiculously over priced and don't work nearly as well. Don't waste your money people, this is the way! Successfully done 2 down pipes, 5 bowls and a bong today, having 99.9% makes it easy." ..." more
Advertisement
88%
of readers found this article helpful
.
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
"So simple! See so many terrible "bong cleaners" on the market that are ridiculously over priced and don't work nearly as well. Don't waste your money people, this is the way! Successfully done 2 down pipes, 5 bowls and a bong today, having 99.9% makes it easy."
..."
more
"I used some Handy Andy and boiling water and soaked it for about 20 minutes. Repeated the process using a pen insert and rinsed it with boiling water. Then I smoked one last little crumb section."
..."
more
"I love this website, it really helps, but now I have that "shake shake shake senora, shake your body line" song stuck in my head, ha ha. Definitely playing that song when I do this."
..."
more
"I learned more than I thought I would! Very thorough and helpful, with easy instructions."
"I understand everything; love how you guys explain everything so plain but clear."
