6 Bong Cleaning Hacks to Keep Your Pieces Fresh
Few things in the life of a cannabis enthusiast are as inconvenient and disgusting as a nasty bong. Beyond the hassle of a necessary cleaning interrupting your sesh, inhaling dirty water can also pose a risk to your health.
We don’t want that for you. At Hemper, we’re all about enjoying safe, quality seshes either on your own or with friends. To help you keep your bongs clean, sparkly, and always ready, we’ve compiled a list of some simple bong cleaning hacks and tips that you can use to maintain your favorite pieces with little to no hassle.
Before we dive in, though, let’s look at some signs that your bong is overdue for a cleaning.
Signs It’s Time to Clean Your Bong
A Ring Forms Around the Waterline
If you notice a ring of discoloration around your bong’s waterline, this is one of the telltale signs that it could use a cleaning. The ring can be faint, or it could be dark and highly visible.
Typically, this is one of the first indicators that you should wash your bong. The ring will become darker and more apparent if you let it go unwashed.
Floating Particles
Ever fill up your bong and notice little bits of residue floating around? That dirty water is what you’re using to smoke with. Instead of saying, “who cares?” and lighting up, take a few minutes to clean the inside of your bong to ensure a cleaner hit.
That Bong Water Smell
Even if you can’t describe it, you know that dank and musty smell that a dirty bong can give off. You can change the water every time, but the smell persists.
If you’re someone that likes to smoke discreetly, a dirty bong smell will let everyone around you know that you’re lighting up. Old bong water can also become contaminated with bacteria which can make smoking out of your piece a risky situation.
Visible Mold or Mildew
We hope you never arrive at the point where you are actively smoking out of a moldy or mildewy piece. This can both harm your health and will continue to contaminate any water that you fill it with.
Look for gray or black spots throughout your piece. They could also have a fuzzy appearance to them. These large splotches indicate the presence of microbes and require an immediate cleaning.
6 Bong Cleaning Hacks for When It’s Time to Give it a Wash
1: Don’t Use the Salt and Alcohol Method
If you look up how to clean a bong online, you’ll see many articles that promote a method using rubbing alcohol and salt. This highly abrasive and harsh method is tough on your glass and requires a lengthy prep time.
With so many other cleaning options designed specifically for bongs and other glass pieces, you can clean more thoroughly, effectively, and conveniently using other products.
2: Pick Up a Cleaner Designed for Bongs
With so many options for bong cleaners on the market, you can find one that fits your preferences and budget.
The remarkably affordable Klear Kryptonite Cleaner is considered one of the gold-standard cleaning agents for glass pieces. Using it s simple: just add the proper amount of cleaner to the inside of your bong, plug the openings, shake it around, let it sit for about 30 minutes, and rinse with hot water. Then, you’re ready for your next sesh!
If you prefer a faster-acting cleaner, you can also try the original Formula 420. Designed for glass, metal, pyrex, and ceramic, you just pour it, shake it, and rinse it with hot water. You’ll be done in a matter of minutes and ready to enjoy your freshly cleaned piece again.
So, how do you choose between Klear Kryptonite and Formula 420? Think of the Kryptonite cleaner as a deep-cleansing option, while Formula 420 is a more-than-excellent cleaner for regular use in between.
3: Use a Quality Scrubbing Tool
Scrubbers allow you to reach deep down into the bong without having to figure out a way to shrink your hand so it can fit inside. Look for one made with quality silicone so that it can offer enough abrasion to clean sticky residue without scratching the surface.
For an additional hack, you can also wrap a bong cleaning wipe around the head of your scrubber for an additional layer of sanitizing.
4: Keep the Openings Sealed with Cleaning Caps
Cleaning plugs and caps are silicone pieces that are designed to fit in a bong’s openings and keep it sealed while the cleaning formula goes to work.
While some glassmakers will offer caps specifically designed for their products, we recommend choosing universal plugs and caps designed to fit most if not all opening sizes on glass pieces. This will provide the most value for your cleaning ritual, especially if you’re a bong collector like we are.
5: Keep Up with a Consistent Schedule
Depending on how frequently you use your bong, your cleaning schedule can vary.
Bongs that are infrequently used should be cleaned right after smoking. This will prevent any chance of mold or mildew from accumulating while your piece rests on the shelf.
For pieces that receive use daily or every other day, clean them once every 48 to 72 hours. You do not have to deep-clean them every time, but try to give them a thorough washing once a week if you’re able to.
6: Don’t Forget to Clean Your Bowls
Once you’ve finished cleaning your bong, you need to also make sure that you’ve given some love to your bowls and bangers. With a solution like the Plugs + Caps Pro, you can place a bowl or banger or other similar small piece into the reservoir and shake it with your cleaning solution to remove any stuck-on residue.
What About Silicone Bongs?
So now that we’ve covered glass, you silicone bong lovers might feel left out. We didn’t forget you. How could we?
Many silicone bongs can be cleaned with warm water, dish soap, and a gentle scrubber. However, some also are labeled as dishwasher-safe. When you’re shopping for a new silicone piece, look at any directions from the manufacturer for proper cleaning to check if you can wash yours with your dishware or if you need to do so by hand.
Find that Perfect Bong and Keep it Clean with Hemper
Our team at Hemper loves nothing more than shiny, fresh glass pieces that stoners everywhere can enjoy. To help you always have a quality sesh, we have you covered with unique bongs and quality cleaning accessories to keep them looking and hitting their best.
Find your new favorite piece today. Shop the full collection or get in touch with us to learn more about a product you have your eye on.
