Clean your bong without alcohol

Smoking from a clean bong is one of the best ways to enjoy the full flavor of your cannabis. There are also many health concerns that make cleaning your bong a breeze. But if you don’t clean your water pipe regularly, dirt and resin build-up can be painful.
It used to be easy to buy some isopropyl alcohol to clean your bong, but this has become rarer over the past year and commercial bong cleaning fluid is not an affordable alternative for many of us. So, if you enjoy smoking from clean pipes and your bong is made of glass, here are some effective solutions to help you clean your bong without alcohol. After all, you can’t always have alcohol around to clean your bong. Therefore, it is helpful to have other options on hand to try them out.

How to clean your bong without alcohol

Rinse your bong under the sink

First off, we have a super basic cleaning method for you. Just turn on the hot water faucet on your sink and attach the bottom handle so you don’t have to remove it. Pour hot water into the bong until it overflows. Let it sit there for about 2 to 3 minutes, and while this takes quite a bit of hot water, it works amazingly if you don’t have alcohol.

Then just pour out the water, swirl it around a little, and then rinse again. This will help remove the tar from the down stem while also cleaning the walls of the bong. Then clean the sides of the walls with a little vinegar and salt. Shake the bong vigorously, then rinse it with hot water on the tap to allow it to drain out of the stem.

Avoid filling your bong with cold water afterwards as this can cause heat contraction and cracking as the glass can expand and contract quickly due to the difference in heat.

Disclaimer: If you flush your bong this way, your sink will get very dirty. Then prepare for cleaning. Alternatively, you can use a mop sink from your laundry room so you don’t mind getting dirty. Either way, make sure to thoroughly clean your sink after using it, especially if you are using your kitchen sink.

Photo by: dank.ly

Use dishwashing detergent

Open the hot water on your faucet and let it get hot before rinsing the bong. Pour two tablespoons of dish soap into your bong and fill it up so it doesn’t get out of hand. Continue filling it with water until the original detergent has completely dissolved and there are no more bubbles. Put the dishwasher tablets in for 10 to 15 minutes so they can get to work.

Then, briefly rinse your water pipe with clean water, followed by a 1 to 4 solution of baking soda and water. Shake it around to allow the device to remove any remaining residue. Rinse your bong again with clean, warm water, then take a piece of towel, turn it over, and press it through to clean the inside of the down stem.

This should leave you with a clean, fresh bong ready for your next tooke.

Photo by: maryschronicles.com

Use powder soap

First, remove the old bong water and rinse the down stem. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands as you will be using super hot water to clean your bong. Pour the soap powders into the bong first and also down the stem.

Then add some hot water and make sure the entire bong is full. Shake it vigorously for about 10 seconds, adding a little more water before soaking it, breaking down any small particles and debris on the sides.

A really dirty bong takes longer to clean, and the type of soap used also plays a role in its effectiveness, as soap with tiny cleaning beads is more effective than soap without.

Pro tip! Use a small bottle cleaning brush or an old toothbrush to get into the down shaft and clean the inside of the bong to remove any stubborn debris. After that, rinse it off again and Bob will be your uncle!

Wrapping

As you can see, there is nothing like good old hot water when it comes to cleaning your bong, and you don’t necessarily have to be consuming alcohol all the time. After a few good rinses, you’ll be left with a squeaky clean bong so you can enjoy the full nootropic effects of your cannabis, unadulterated by gunkel from previous tokens. Cleaning without alcohol and soap is also useful if you want to reuse the leftover wax from your swab. Happy 420!