Now that we're in the heights of spring, now is an important time to remind you to be a responsible damn adult and clean up after yourself.
Nobody's perfect and I'm not going to pretend that I am the beacon of upkeep when it comes to ensuring that all of my paraphernalia for cannabis is clean and proper. But I do want to impress just how important properly maintaining your cannabis pipes and other tools are to the whole process of getting high.
For some, this is as common as cleaning yourself, but the act of getting high doesn't help motivate many to proactively clean or do chores.
By not cleaning your bong daily or pipe every week, chances are each time you toke up it's the resin caked in the bowl piece you're tasting, not the smoke from the fresh good-good you spent your hard-earned money on. Let alone, that with bubblers and other water-based apparatuses you're risking the potential of growing mold.
Most veterans of the scrub-the-bub process will point to isopropyl alcohol as the go-to solution for your resin-eating needs, but that's ignoring the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration list the product as toxic.
There are a multitude of natural cleaning solutions you can use, both in and out of the cannabis industry. When looking for products outside of the cannabis market, look for natural products that are used predominantly on glassware.
A common practice is to combine coarse salt, glassware solution and the pipe you're looking to clean inside of an appropriately sized Ziploc bag. Let the products sit in the bag for about an hour, which will allow a proper soaking time for the pipe. After the soaking time, vigorously shake the bag, allowing a harsh and quick rinsing that the motion will cause throughout the pipe. Then take the pipe out and begin scrubbing with a pipe cleaner to get the last of the residue off. Follow that process with a thorough final rinse of water and you should have a pipe that looks near brand new.
I also recommend using fresh water when it comes to water pipes. It makes for not only a better experience while smoking, but also helps fight growing bacteria inside of your pipe. If water sits too long, the growth of gross and slimy biofilm is likely. ♦
