I’m a pretty novice grower, having only done one harvest so far but eager to learn from the experts on this forum.
I own a bong cleaning service in Toronto that I started in 2020 after losing my job running a cannabis lounge due to the pandemic.
I write a lot about cleaning tips, product reviews, and more. Would love to share any tips I’ve learned from cleaning 10,000 pieces over the past three years.
I know bong cleaning isn’t complicated but I’m always happy to help with specific questions around difficult percs, weird stains, and anything else cleaning-related <3
stick with ISO. Both are good solvents and acetone works in a pinch but nothing works better than >90% ISO alcohol. I even wrote a piece comparing 70% and 90% alcohol you may be interested in!
thanks for contributing, I’m sure others have wondered this
Nice article! I’m wondering now if I should use a lower grade alcohol on my mushroom grows. Do you think it stands the same for germs as it would for spores and bacteria?
91 iso and coarse salt seems to do the trick. But…. I literally have a pickle jar of bowls and one hitters soaking at all times (I had a friend who would buy them and throw them away when they got dirty) I think I saved 5 or 6 fairly nice glass pieces from the garbage man for my everyday one hitter a good ol pipe cleaner every few days seems to keep it out of the iso. Great idea with the cleaning service!
I learned something useful during the pandemic. 75% alcohol based wipes are excellent for cleaning the bong. I started by trying hand sanitizer and that worked too but not as good. I wrap a sheet around a bottle brush and in one swipe it’s cleaner than a whistle. Whistles are full of germs.
I could use some advice on cleaning a freeze pipe. It is one of those glass affairs filled with glycerin that you put in the freezer for a cooler smoke.
Can this be soaked in alcohol without damaging the pipe? It has a coil that runs from the bowl to the mouthpiece.
I would think you could. I use the 92% pure Isopropyl in my bong with a small amount of rock salt which adds some scrubbing action to the alcohol. Works like a champ. Tried some of the citrus based stuff which worked fine but was a lot more expensive.
I’ve never had an issue with Glycerine. I actually remove the glycerine when I can since I use an ultrasonic machine and am constantly worried about breaking my cutomer’s pieces but with the good ol elbow grease method you should experience no issues.
To be extra cautious i’d avoid using boiling water but If you need to I’ve done it plenty of times without issue!
Agreed, unless you have a very burnt-on stain or absolutely hate the smell of ISO there is little need to invest in anything more than >90% ISO alcohol and salt. Honestly, if you clean after every use (as you should, without sounding toom much like a dentist harping about flossing) the salt is even unnecessary at times…
Thank you! I believe I’ll use your advice below and just clean the pipe after we are done. My husband hates the smell of the ghost of sessions past, so a dip in an alcohol bath should take care of that little problem
for my everyday one hitter a good ol pipe cleaner every few days seems to keep it out of the iso. Great idea with the cleaning service!