Nowadays, there are a million ways that you can enjoy the herb. However, if you choose combustion, then pipes are a highly recommended route. Weed pipes come in all shapes, sizes, designs, and materials, but what unifies them all is that they all need to be cleaned. Granted that how often you indulge in cannabis will dictate the frequency of cleaning, although we can say that regular maintenance will usually mean faster clean-ups. Learn how to clean a weed pipe the fast and effective way.
Weed Pipe Cleaning Tools
If you’re going to keep up with cleaning your weed pipe, you’ve got to simplify the process. Luckily, you only need four easy-to-find tools to help you keep your gear clean. To clean a weed pipe, you will need:
- A bowl or sealable bag - The choice is yours, but the idea is that you’ll need to place your weed pipe in it to soak. That means it needs to be large and deep enough for your pipe to be fully submerged, plus it also needs to be impermeable.
- Alcohol - While you can use 140 proof vodka or whiskey, isopropyl alcohol 70% is ideal. Bear in mind that the stronger the alcohol is, the less soaking your weed pipe will require. Depending on your type of pipe, you can also switch out the alcohol for vinegar and baking soda, but this may not be safe for all materials.
- Pipe cleaners or brush - If you can’t get your hands on a pipe brush, pipe cleaners are easy to find and help remove any stuck-on resin inside your weed pipe. While alcohol helps remove ash and grime from your pipe, these tools will help you do some detailing.
- Cloth or rag - Last but certainly not least, you need a soft cloth or microfiber rag to help you finish the job. Once again, the material of your pipe may dictate the kind of cloth or rag you should use. Pipes that are prone to scratching would fare best with a microfibre cloth. On the other hand, a more robust weed pipe can handle any clean rag you have at home.
Soaking Your Weed Pipe
The first and most important step of cleaning your weed pipe is soaking it in alcohol (or vinegar and baking soda). By soaking your pipe, you help dislodge any resin or ash still stuck inside. Also, soaking helps restore your weed pipe’s natural flavour and function. Simply, place your pipe in either a bowl or sealable bag and fill it with alcohol. The pipe needs to be completely submerged in the alcohol for this step to work properly. Be sure to place the bowl or bag somewhere it won’t be disturbed, and leave your pipe soak for a minimum of 24 hours.
Getting Rid of Tough Grime
Whether you procrastinate cleaning or your gear, smoke a lot, or consume a lot of concentrates, your pipe may need some extra TLC to remove stuck-on grime. Using a bit of elbow grease and a lot of patience, take your pipe cleaner or brush to work detailing your weed pipe. These tools will allow you to get up close and personal with anything stuck in the shaft or bowl. You want to scrub until all the grime is gone and, of course, you can always repeat this second step, if necessary. Nonetheless, should you still have tough grime inside your pipe after using pipe brushes or cleaners, you’ll want to soak your pipe again for another 24-48 hours.
Drying Your Weed Pipe
Once you’ve soaked and scrubbed your pipe, it’s time to remove any leftover moisture. Not only is moisture not good for combustion, but it can also affect the taste, texture, and effectiveness of your cannabis. If you used alcohol, you won’t have much to dry as it evaporates, leaving hardly anything behind. For those using a mixture of vinegar and baking soda, you may want to rinse your pipe with water to remove the residual smell and taste of the vinegar before drying your weed pipe with a clean microfiber cloth rag or pipe cleaners. After that, you can use the same cloth to buff and shine your pipe to leave it looking fresh and brand spanking new!