How to Clean a One Hitter with Alcohol, Vinegar & More

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Washing your chillum, grinder, and dugout with household cleaners
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Your one hitter (or “chillum”) is the perfect solution for toking on the go. But it’s all too easy to go a bit too long without giving your single-serve pipe some TLC, and sooner or later it might get a bit too gunked up to smoke. We’re here to get your trusty piece up to snuff once more. We’ll show you how to clean your one hitter with alcohol, baking soda and vinegar, or just plain boiled water for some maintenance in a pinch. We’ll also show you how to clean your grinder and dugout, so that you're never caught with crusty tools and you’re always ready for a sesh.

Things You Should Know

  • Soak your one hitter for 1-2 hours in a container filled with isopropyl alcohol and 2 tsp (7 g) of table salt, then rinse it with warm water and let it air dry.
  • Or, scrape the inside clean with a toothpick, soak it in white vinegar and 2 tsp (12 g) of baking soda for 3 hours, then rinse it with water.
  • Alternatively, soak the one hitter in a pot of just-boiled water for 1 hour, then scrape it clean with a toothpick and cotton swabs.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Cleaning a One Hitter with Isopropyl Alcohol

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  1. Perhaps the most effective (and most common) method of cleaning a glass one hitter is in an alcohol and salt bath. To start, simply fill a container large enough to hold the one-hitter, like a jar or a plastic bag, with rubbing alcohol and 2 tsp (7 g) of kosher salt. [1]
    • Alternatively, fill the container with a commercial pipe cleaning solution , which works in much the same way.
    • Or, swap the isopropyl alcohol with acetone nail polish remover or hydrogen peroxide for an even more powerful soak.
    • Avoid using alcohol, acetone, or peroxide with ceramic pipes, or pipes with any sort of glaze or paint that may dissolve in the solution.
  2. Place your little pipe into the solution and give it a swirl to release any air bubbles and make sure that the alcohol touches every surface of the one hitter, inside and out. Then, leave it to soak. [2] If your one hitter is particularly grimy, you’ll start to notice the solution getting darker, which means it’s working!
    • This same solution also works for cleaning a glass bong . Just pour the solution inside the bong, rather than submerging the bong in the solution.
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  3. Take the pipe out of the solution and dry it on a paper towel, then, swipe away any built-up grime that the solution didn’t dissolve with a cotton swab. Scrape at the more stubborn or caked-on grime with a toothpick. [3] Then place it back into the solution for another few hours.
    • If the solution is especially dark after the first soak, go ahead and make a fresh mix of rubbing alcohol and salt for this second soak.
  4. Remove the one hitter from the solution again, then run it under a warm tap for 30-40 seconds to rinse off the alcohol and salt. Be sure to get the water into all the nooks and crannies. [4] Then, wipe down the outside of the one hitter with a paper towel, and let it air dry for 1-2 hours before use.
    • Twist a paper towel into a tight corkscrew and and thread it into the one hitter to dry the inside more quickly.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Cleaning a One Hitter with Baking Soda and Vinegar

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  1. Baking soda and vinegar aren’t quite as effective as alcohol for pipe cleaning, so scrape your one-hitter first to help the solution do its job. With a toothpick, chip away at the gunk and resin clinging to the sides of the pipe, removing as much gunk as you can. [5]
  2. Find a container big enough to fit your one hitter, like a large jar, and fill it ¾ of the way with white vinegar—about 2–3 cups (470–710 mL). Then add 2 tsp (12 g) of baking soda. [6] This classic pair of household cleaners will bubble away and lift the grime from your piece.
    • This more gentle solution is ideal for cleaning ceramic or metal one-hitters, which may have paint or glaze that could be stripped away by alcohol.
  3. Pop that tiny pipe into the baking soda and vinegar solution, then jostle it a little to shake loose any air bubble inside the pipe. Let the pipe soak for at least 15 minutes, or up to a few hours for best results. Then, remove it from the solution and rinse it for about a minute under a warm tap. [7] Finally, lay it on a paper towel to air dry for 1-2 hours before you pack it up again.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Cleaning a One Hitter with Boiling Water

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  1. Cleaning a one hitter with boiling water is great in a pinch, but it’s not the most effective solution. To compensate, give that one hitter a good once- or even twice-over with a toothpick, scraping at the insides to loosen and remove any built-up ashes or resin. [8]
    • Run the one-hitter under warm water first to help break down all that sediment.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil on the stove. Once it’s roiling, cut the heat and wait a few moments for the bubbles to die down. Then place the one hitter into the pot and let it sit there for at least an hour, swirling it to dislodge any air bubbles. [9]
  3. By now, the hot water has soaked into the residue and helped to loosen it. Remove the one-hitter from the bath and go at it again with a toothpick, while also using a cotton swab to wipe away some of the gunk. [10] Once you’ve removed as much residue as possible, rinse the one hitter with warm water and lay it on a paper towel to dry for at least an hour.
    • Note that this is a temporary solution to refresh your one hitter between more intense cleaning sessions. Get your hands on some rubbing alcohol or baking soda and vinegar ASAP to properly disinfect your pipe.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Cleaning a Dugout and Grinder

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  1. To clean a grinder, first take apart and separate every piece of it. Some grinders are simple, 2-piece mechanisms, while others include other parts like a mesh screen or a secondary compartment for catching bud dust. Use a cotton swab or a toothpick to clean out all the crevices and get it as clean as you can. [11]
    • If your grinder has a mesh, use a toothbrush to dislodge any dust caught in the mesh. Just be sure to use a spare toothbrush—it’s going to have a funk afterward.
  2. Fill a dish or a jar with isopropyl alcohol and place the grinder inside. Let it soak for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then, rinse the grinder pieces under warm water, using a cotton swab again to remove any stubborn residue. Place the grinder on a paper towel to dry for 1-2 hours. [12]
    • Alternatively, use a vinegar bath with 2 tsp (12 g) of baking soda mixed in, if you don’t have rubbing alcohol.
  3. Dugouts, or containers that store both your one hitter and your weed, can be tricky to clean, since they have lots of tiny spaces inside. To give your dugout a refresh, tap out as much weed as you can onto a paper towel (to save for later), then feed the hose of a compressed air canister into the openings. Give the dugout a few bursts of air, shifting the hose as you do to hit the inside from multiple angles. Then, tap out the dislodged weed again. [13]
    • Use this method every time your dugout runs out of weed, to make sure the bud inside is fresh for your next smoke sesh.
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      Tips

      • Clean your one hitter at least once a week to keep it fresh and free of grime.
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      • Clear a clogged one hitter with a paperclip, toothpick, or pipe cleaner. That said, if your piece is clogged, it’s probably time for a proper clean, anyway.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://voiceofaction.org/clean-portable-one-hitter-smoker/
      2. ↑ https://herbceo.com/how-to-clean-a-one-hitter/
      3. ↑ https://herbceo.com/how-to-clean-a-one-hitter/
      4. ↑ https://voiceofaction.org/clean-portable-one-hitter-smoker/
      5. ↑ https://herbceo.com/how-to-clean-a-one-hitter/
      6. ↑ https://www.thebluntness.com/posts/how-to-clean-a-weed-pipe-bong-or-rig
      7. ↑ https://www.thebluntness.com/posts/how-to-clean-a-weed-pipe-bong-or-rig
      8. ↑ https://voiceofaction.org/clean-portable-one-hitter-smoker/
      9. ↑ https://voiceofaction.org/clean-portable-one-hitter-smoker/
      1. ↑ https://voiceofaction.org/clean-portable-one-hitter-smoker/
      2. ↑ https://www.insider.com/guides/home/how-to-clean-a-grinder
      3. ↑ https://www.insider.com/guides/home/how-to-clean-a-grinder
      4. ↑ https://voiceofaction.org/clean-portable-one-hitter-smoker/

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