Few moments are comparable to the instant of tasting a bud. It is the moment in which we immerse ourselves in the flavors and aromas produced by the alchemy of hundreds of different compounds. For this pleasure to be possible, it is necessary not only to have good flowers on hand. It is also essential that if we use a mouthpiece, a pipe or a bong, they are not covered by a thick layer of tar.
Nor if, when you bite that particular flower, it becomes a sticky mixture of dozens of other flowers.
It not only threatens the organoleptic issues of our flowers, such as taste and aroma or aesthetics. It’s also a hygiene problem, and there is at least one documented case of necrotizing pneumonia from a disgusting dirty bong.
It is always convenient to have our paraphernalia clear for all these reasons, following a simple rule: it is faster to review after use than to deny it every six months. Let’s learn how to clean a bong properly.
THE SIMPLEST RULE OF THUMB IS TO DO A QUICK REFRESHER AFTER EACH USE RATHER THAN HAVING TO WORK HARD REMOVING IMPURITIES FOR SIX MONTHS.
When using liquid solvents such as common or isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or detergent, remember that these products can damage plastic or rubber parts. Boiling paraphernalia can also render various materials useless.
There are commercial options sold as “bong and pipe cleaners” that contain various chemicals such as acetone, rubbing alcohol, and others. They must be used following the manufacturer’s recommendations and rinsed properly.
Scissors, choppers and containers
The constant rubbing with the resin and the small pieces of sticky vegetable matter can render a chopper or scissors useless in very few uses.
In addition, the buds are wasted when a large part of the chopped remains have adhered to the chopper. And in the case of choppers with a mesh to collect resin, it is essential to keep it clean to make the most of each trichome.
Metal choppers and some plastics can be soaked in alcohol for several minutes to several hours, depending on the state.
METAL CHOPPERS AND SOME PLASTICS CAN BE SOAKED IN ALCOHOL FOR SEVERAL MINUTES TO SEVERAL HOURS, DEPENDING ON THE STATE.
If globs persist, they can be gently scraped off with wood or plastic, as the metal can damage the chopper’s teeth. Rinse with water and allow to dry.
Using the remains of the chopper is not recommended because they can be contaminated with adhesions, especially if we scrape them.
With containers, a napkin moistened with alcohol is more than enough. Rinse and let dry before closing or placing content inside.
Pipes and tuques
The paraphernalia knows all kinds of materials: coconut, metal, glass, ceramic, wood. The possibilities are endless. And the difficulty of cleaning and leaving them as new will also depend on the material they are made.
In porous materials such as wood or ceramic, we must discount the possibility of immersing them in some solvent to dissolve the resin. For this reason, traditional pipe cleaners or swabs just soaked in a suitable solvent can be used.
LESS POROUS MATERIALS ALLOW THE USE OF LIQUID SOLVENTS BUT MUST BE RINSED EXTREMELY WELL TO AVOID TOXIC RESIDUES
Care must be taken when cleaning ceramic or wood pipe ducts as they can be broken by force at the wrong angle or clogged even worse.
Less porous materials allow the use of liquid solvents, but it depends on the part and must be rinsed extremely well to avoid residues that influence the taste or are toxic.
Bongs and vaporizers
These are the most difficult pieces to clean due to their fragility and shape. It is best to keep them clean after each use, emptying them of water and cleaning the pan.
To clean very dirty bongs, buy a commercial cleaner or use hot water with a little alcohol if necessary and rinse well.
TO CLEAN VERY DIRTY BONGS, BUY A COMMERCIAL CLEANER OR USE HOT WATER WITH A LITTLE ALCOHOL IF NECESSARY AND RINSE WELL.
Some recipes suggest using rice or salt as an abrasive element in very dirty bongs. It may work, but it is not recommended.
Vaporizers, mostly electronic, should be cleaned very carefully, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
CAUTION
The black paste obtained from cleaning a pipe, tuque, or bong is NOT hashish, «wax,» or «resin,» nor is it a consumable product, but rather the accumulated remains of combustion, formed by tar, hydrocarbons and ash or cannabis remains. Please refrain from smoking them or impregnating them in a piece of paper.
