Introduction
If you like to smoke your weed in a bong or pipe, you know the importance of keeping it clean.
Being a reusable smoking accessory, a bong or smoking pipe can be used to smoke your favorite weed again and again as long as it does not break and is kept clean. And while there are countless designs of these smoking accessories in the market, one thing that is common across all of them is the ‘bowl.’
Also known as weed bowl, it is the main part of a pipe or bong that is used to hold/ burn cannabis, tobacco, or other smokable substances.
The bowl is also connected to the mouthpiece via a tube or pipe which is used to inhale the smoke. In the case of bongs, they can also be detached or removed and hence are referred to as ‘slides.’
Now, as the buds burn up, they also tend to leave a tar-like substance that builds up in the bowl every time you use it. This can compromise the overall quality of the smoke, flavor, and the desired effects.
To avoid that and have a smooth smoking experience every time, all you need to do is clean it regularly and carry out a deep cleaning once or twice a month depending on the usage.
Speaking of which, there are certain items you’d need to be able to clean your weed bowl properly given its sophisticated design and functionality.
Materials Needed for Cleaning a Weed Bowl
- Warm water– to rinse the bowl and loosen up any dry or stuck residue.
- Isopropyl alcohol– to soak and sanitize the bowl of any resin and bacteria. In case you don’t have rubbing alcohol at hand, you can always use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda as an alternative.
- Coarse salt or dish soap– mixed with alcohol, can work as an effective agent to clean your bowl better.
- Zip-lock bags or a sealable container to soak the pipe or bowl.
- Cotton swabs– to remove stubborn remnants and patches of the resin.
- Pipe cleaner– for basic cleaning before and after using your smoke bowl.
- Paper towel– to dry the bowl and get rid of any water or moisture.
Now that you have gathered all the supplies, let’s go through the cleaning process.
Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning a Weed Bowl
Step 1: Disassemble your Weed Bowl
Since a weed bowl is not meant to be used separately, it typically comes attached to a smoke pipe or bong. Depending on the design, it can either be permanently fixed to the pipe or can also be detached as is the case with bongs.
In any case, before starting the cleaning procedure, make sure that you have disassembled your weed bowl and emptied all the debris and ash out from it.
Step 2: Initial Rinse
Once it has been detached from the rest of the pipe and is free from any dry residue, you need to rinse or clean the bowl in hot or boiling water to remove any loose debris and loosen up the rest of the resin as much as possible.
Step 3: Soak in Alcohol and Salt Solution
After rinsing the bowl in hot water, you will see that some of the stubborn resin has already started to come out. But the job is not done yet. To remove the rest of the residue completely, you will need to soak the bowl or all the different parts of the pipe or bong in rubbing alcohol overnight.
To do that, you can either use a zip-lock bag or any other resealable and waterproof container. Also, make sure that the alcohol contains at least 90% of isopropyl in it. To further enhance its cleaning ability, you should add a couple of teaspoons of Epsom or coarse salt to the solution.
At the same time, it is important to shake the bag a few times to force the stuck resin to come out of the holes and crannies.
Step 4: Scrubbing and Detailing
After soaking it for about 12 hours, you can remove the bowl and other parts of the pipe from the alcohol and salt solution. By this time, most if not all of the stubborn residue must have come off. To further ensure that, you can use a cotton swab, q-tip, or wire brush and do a deep scrubbing of the bowl inside out.
In the absence of a pipe cleaner, you can always use a paper clip or toothpick. The idea is to scratch off any other particles or remnants of the stubborn and sticky weed resin from the bowl.
Step 5: Final Rinse and Drying
Finally, after all the soaking and scrubbing, don’t forget to rinse the bowl in hot boiling water again. This will make sure that all the remnants of the residue and the solution have come out of the device.
After rinsing it thoroughly, you need to let the bowl and other accessories dry either naturally under the sunlight or open air, or manually using a paper towel or cotton swab. Whatever you choose, the point is, there should be no moisture or water at all left in the bowl after drying.
Now, while this is the most standard and recommended method of deep cleaning a weed bowl, there are other alternatives that you can use should you have a lack of time.
Also Read : Keep Cannabis Fresh: Best Ways to Store Weed
Alternative Cleaning Methods
Boiling Water Method
If you don’t have the time or tools required to carry out a deep cleaning of your bowl but need to do it anyway, you can always use some hot boiling water to do the trick as well.
Instead of soaking it in a solution of salt and alcohol, all you need to do is pour hot water on the bowl and scrub the insides using a pipe cleaner such as a cotton swab or wire brush while you are at it.
After a lot of scrubbing and rubbing, you can rinse the bowl with hot water and let it dry naturally or manually depending on whether you want to use it immediately or not.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
Similarly, if you don’t have any rubbing alcohol at home or don’t want to get your hands dirty, you can always use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda from the kitchen to soak the bowl overnight or for 12 hours.
The rest of the procedure remains the same as mentioned above. Along with it, there are certain tips that you can use to keep your weed bowl in tip-top shape.
Tips for Maintaining a Clean Weed Bowl
1. A Regular Cleaning Routine
A Regular Cleaning Routine is utmost crucial to maintaining your weed pipe or bowl. All you need to do is do some basic cleaning every time you use a pipe and a deep cleaning as mentioned in this post once or twice a month depending on how often you use it.
To be safe, regular cleaning before and after using the bowl in itself can prevent the gradual buildup of the residue that is rather viscous. Thus, reducing the need to deep clean your bowl every once in a while.
2. Proper Storage
Proper Storage of your bowl is also crucial to maintaining its hygiene and the desired functionality. Similar to your weed, you should keep the smoking bowl or pipe in a cold and dark place away from direct sunlight and heat.
Exposing it to fluctuating temperatures and light can cause your bowl to catch mold and bacteria.
3. Using Screens
Using Screens is quite normal among bong users as it keeps the debris or ash from coming into the mouth. As something that keeps the flower and buds on the top of the bowl, screens can be used to prevent the build-up of the residue deep inside the bowl.
Along with these cheats, you need to be aware of the mistakes that most users make when using or cleaning their weed pipe or bowl.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Using Harsh Chemicals
Using Harsh Chemicals such as those found in cleaning agents and even alcohol is something that can pose a lot of risk to the quality of your weed as well as the weed bowl. This is why it is important to thoroughly rinse your pipe or bowl in hot water every time you take it through the cleaning procedure.
2. Skipping Regular Maintenance
Skipping Regular Maintenance is yet another common mistake that most users make which eventually causes the quality of the smoke to become harsher and even unbearable. The solution is a regular basic and deep cleaning of your smoking bowl.
Conclusion
To clean a weed bowl, soak it in isopropyl alcohol with coarse salt for several hours, shake gently, then rinse with warm water and let it air dry. For great deals, visit West Coast Safe Delivery . Get 30% off your first order with coupon code FIRST30!
To further reduce the need to deep clean your bowl, it is better to practice a basic cleaning of your pipe every time you use it, both before and after smoking. But if you are a frequent user, then performing a deep cleaning of your weed bowl at least twice a month becomes all the more important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans: Basic cleaning after every session and a deep cleaning once or twice a month depending on the frequency of use.
Ans: Uncleaned bowls can pose several risks such as harsh and unpleasant smoke, a bitter and strong taste, and a lack of desired effects. Too harsh of smoke can even cause coughing and throat ache.
Ans: Handle with care especially when tapping it upside down to remove the debris and ash. Also, do not use anything pointy or sharp to avoid scratching or damaging the bowl.
Ans: Yes, but it has to have at least 90% alcohol content. You can also use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda as a substitute for rubbing alcohol.
Ans: While you can use many of the homemade objects such as paper clips, cotton swabs, and whatnot, many readymade cleaning tools are designed to clean a weed bowl with much more convenience. For instance pipe cleaners, pipe reamers, and alcohol cleaning wipes.
Ans: Yes, but it would require more scrubbing and rubbing to properly clean the bowl of any residue.
Ans: By doing a basic cleaning using a wire brush both before and after using the bowl, you can reduce the chances of your bowl getting dirty too often.
