A Better Way To Clean Your Bong
 

Okay, so this probably won't qualify for the GFY Educational Series, but...

I clean my Roor bong with denatured alcohol (rubbing alcohol basically), and coarse grain kosher salt (to add abrasive scrubbing action to the alcohol. I use a cleaning brush with the alcohol for the glass stem and bowl stem, then the alcohol / salt mixture in the main pipe, shaking vigorously to remove the internal funk. Rinse all of it afterward with cold water and dry.

Works flawlessly and produces glassware that looks brand new.

But it's kind of a pain in the ass.

Anyone got a better method?

Haven't used a bong in a while but that is the master method. A variation uses rice instead of salt.

Should note for the noobs that rubbing alcohol will shatter acrylic. Which would give you a good reason to buy a proper glass bong.

I clean my Roor bong the same way.

My uncle showed me this when I was 17. It's nuts how well it works.

No need to bother with those cleaners from the head shop.

I use an Orange Citrus cleaner from the local shop... great stuff... just load it up let it sit for a bit, and it's clean, no scrubbing or shaking. The cleaner liquid is also reusable (although not pretty after a few rinses), just strain the crap out, recap the cleaner and save till next cleaning cycle.

grunge off does great for me!

I've tried every cleaning agent under the sun including your method...

Hands down the very best stuff I've ever come across is called "Purple Power".

I keep my glass very clean (I have some pieces that set me back over $800).

They have stuff for shaking and stuff for soaking... Buy an extra bowl keep one soaking and one for use. 24 hours and you can just rinse the glass and EVERYTHING rinses right off. No shaking, no scraping, no scrubbing. I use the shaking stuff for larger pieces, works like a charm.

Yes, this!

I must admit, it never occurred to me to simply buy a 2nd stem and bowl and just rotate them in a soak like that. The glass gets funky very fast around here. :)
I feel like a dumb ass for not thinking of that.... lol thanks

That is pretty smart, have 2 bowls in rotation. This is wht Eric makes the big bucks. He thinks of ways to make things cleaner and easier for people:) :thumbsup

Actually 3 is a good number, buys you more time, and gives you more options as one starts to get funky but (not quite there yet to clean) you can start on the second and alternate, then clean 2 and use the 3rd. Also handy in case one of your glass pieces has an unfortunate meeting with gravity and a hard floor.

420 Cleaner but your method sounds about the same and is homemade.

I'll have to try. I'm very protective of Doris. =)

Purple Power puts 420 cleaner to shame, I used to 420 cleaner all the time but made the switch as soon as I tried this stuff :P

bwahhahahah :thumbsup

All us pros know this already, but a nice heads up to the newbies :thumbsup

side note - I had a girl thatw orked for us a couple years ago tell me she would wash her pipe EVERYDAY with oxiclean... got it all sparkly... But she told me after a almost a month of doing it... she seen holes wearing into the glass itself...

so she quit using oxiclean...

Serious? I put that shit in my laundry! Well, not any more.

you might be ok...

Do you wear glass clothes?

Well, I figure if it can eat holes through glass, it's probably not much of a leap to think it would do the same to some flimsy fabric. What the fuck is in that stuff anyway? Hydrochloric Acid doesn't even eat through glass.

Glass is nearly invulnerable to chemicals, it's why they use it for just about everything :P

Was she using a diamond dust scrubbing pad? LOL

from what i was told... just making a solution fromt hat and water and shaking...

i dunno... I wasnt there. Women DO lie...

But like hydrchloric acid... some things eat through certain materials or elements rather than other unexpected materials.

I would assume it dosnt eat clothes since its being used in mass all across the country...

The only thing I know of that can 'eat' through glass is volcanic lava.

Hydrofluoric acid will but if they put that in Oxiclean there would be a whole world of problems, hahaha

Castrol Super Clean (I have a Volcano now, no more need for cleaning glass)

I'm pretty sure a flamethrower can eat through glass too if you do it long enough. But I could be wrong.

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/boley011/arc...amethrower.jpg

Good tips for pakalolo lovers :thumbsup


.

Man I haven't heard that term in years :P That and mealele...

nice to see so many glass heads around :)

I used to have an ultrasound tank. That thing was the best. No agitation , no scrubbing nada just put it in and turn it on.

But now... Just hot hot water every few days.

When I use an agent it takes forever to rinse that smell out.

I have some citrus cleaner that works great, just let it sit in there for a couple days, then wash it out.
I have a few big pieces, the giant bubbler I have is the hardest to clean, so it has to be cleaned often to keep up on it

It sure does.

I knew there would be a GFY Chemist... lol

Oxyclean does NOT eat through glass. Trust me.

In fact, mixing Oxyclean, salt, and 91% rubbing alcohol will give you a pretty close copy of the store bought cleaners. Works even better than just the alcohol and salt.

No it doesn't...

Hydrochloric Acid Handling and Storage

*
Avoid contact with zinc, brass, galvanized iron, aluminum, copper and copper alloys since violent reactions occur.
*
Hydrochloric acid is not compatible with strong bases (such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide) and organic materials (such as wood).
*
Store cylinders at temperatures under 125° F (52° C).
*
Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated area away from water and oxidizing agents (such as perchlorates, peroxides, permanganates, chlorates, nitrates, chlorine, bromine and fluorine).
*
Hydrochloric acid ignites on contact with fluorine and metal carbides.

I know it can be stored in plastic because I've bought & used the stuff for my pool.
I was reasonably sure it could be stored in glass as well, and it can and is.

You sir, are wrong.

Hydrofluoric acid eats through glass, cannot be stored in glass, and is used in glass etching.

Hydrochloric acid is stored in glass containers.

Do you actually believe oxiclean ate through glass? :1orglaugh

Fluoride is awesome. :upsidedow

I like to use the Grip Solvent I use for putting on golf club grips, Its got a nice orange smell and is 100% organic.

Its just like agent orange. Takes off any sticky gums or resins.

Good tips in here. I'm definitely gonna get a spare set of bowls and stems and try out some of these cleaners everyone mentioned. :thumbsup

the Jury has never been in...

As my words say... I chick that worked for us said....

Good times GW :thumbsup

Salt and alcohol has always been the best way and safest to clean a bong. :thumbsup It's painful but works.

I just roll the joints..much easier

Sounds like the stuff I have at home. Chronic, or something like that.

I roam the streets for plastic bottles and steal my neighbour's hose pipe if my current bong gets filthy.

Only joking, I don't do drugs. :thumbsup

im a big fan of purple power, but will try your method next time :)

nice to see several other north carolina tokers up in here !!

I use formula 420 which is essentially the same thing. :thumbsup

Orange Chronic?

That stuff is awesome, I let it soak in a thick plastic (freezer) bag for an hour, take it out and rinse it off. I strain off the goop and the solution is good for 2-3 more uses. I kinda like how a clean piece takes on different colors with use.

:thumbsup

I'll have to try it