It doesn’t take long for a new bong to change its appearance. What was once a clear, glittering jewel can quickly become a beaker full of sludge. It’s the nature of the beast, and the gunk that the bong collects is thought to be the gunk that doesn’t get into one’s respiratory system. While head shops offer an array of pricey products that they say will restore a bong to its original condition, any number of household items and chemicals will do the trick nicely.
Already In The Cupboards
The two most common items used for cleaning up a bong are isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol and salt – table salt, kosher salt, sea salt, what have you. If one is dealing with a smaller bong or pipe, one can seal it up in a plastic bag, with the salt packed into the crevices and the alcohol working as a solvent. Others swear by vinegar as a solvent, but the idea is that it will dissolve the sticky resin that forms when marijuana is burned. More salt can be added as it dissolves into the alcohol. Hot water is used to rinse the piece clean, while pipe cleaners or cotton swabs are effective at removing stubborn debris. It is a process that may require a bit of repetition. Soaking time is also a factor.
Other Methods
For those who may find this to be too labor intensive, there is always the option of cleaning a glass or metal pipe by immersing it in boiling water. This is effective but it doesn’t exactly produce the loveliest of scents. It also requires the use of energy and keep in mind that doing this over and over again can stress the glass material of your bong/pipe ( obviously, do not boil plastic ) and could create cracks that would make your bong more fragile… Although this is true, there shouldn’t be any problem when doing this with high quality glass bongs or pipes… after all , glass is a very heat resistant material, how many time have you put your cups/glasses in the dishwasher and oven etc…?
Exploring the methodology will lead one down any number of avenues, with people swearing by such diverse products as Coca-Cola or denture tablets. In Australia and New Zealand, they use rice and methyl hydrate (denatured alcohol) for a quick clean – just add the ingredients, cover the ends, shake it up and rinse it out.
As long as the bong is clean, it doesn’t matter how one goes about getting the job done. It will preserve the look and feel of paraphernalia. In an area where people definitely develop serious relationships with their paraphernalia, a little elbow grease goes a long way.