How to Clean Your Glass Pieces

Most seasoned cannabis users have purchased more than their fair share of glass pieces over the years, from tiny pipes to massive bongs. Those who are lucky enough to own a glass piece for a while (after all, accidents happen) eventually discover just how important it is to stay on top of cleaning them. In short, failing to clean your pieces regularly can lead to all kinds of unpleasant experiences when you smoke or dab.

The good news is that if you stick to a cleaning routine, the actual process isn’t that bad at all. And, trust us when we say that it’s totally worth it if you care about the taste and quality of your smoking or dabbing experience.

Why Cleaning Your Glass Pieces is Essential

Cleaning your glass pieces isn’t just about keeping their appearance sparkling – not that that’s not also a good enough reason to keep them clean. Think about the amount of smoke that runs through your pieces each time you use them. Tar and debris eventually start building up on the interior, which affects the quality of your experience in two ways: one is that it interferes with the flavor, as an old, stale taste mingles with the smoke or vapor, and two is that it can eventually disrupt the airflow as debris builds and builds in the inside airflow channels.

How Often Should You Clean Your Pieces?

We’re asked a lot about how frequently one should clean their glass pieces. The answer really depends on how often you’re using them, but if you’re generally a daily user, then weekly is just fine. Cleaning after each use would be perfect, but we know that most people simply don’t have time for that.

So, what about that glass pipe that sits on the shelf, that you use once in a blue moon – should you clean that before using it? Our answer is yes. The reason why is that you don’t want to be inhaling the inevitable dust that settles into your piece when it’s not being used, so we recommend giving it a solid rinse through.

The Process for Cleaning Glass Pipes, Glass Bongs, and Other Glass Pieces

Now, let’s get into the actual cleaning process, which is pretty much going to be the same regardless of the type of piece you have. The only real difference is that some pieces require being taken apart beforehand, while others, like basic spoon pipes, are only made up of one piece.

Step #1: First of all, if you have a glass piece with multiple parts, take each one apart separately. If you have a hybrid piece – that is, a piece that has electrical components or materials that aren’t supposed to soak in water, such as wood – then put those pieces aside.

Step #2: Now, it’s time to soak. Fill a basin or bucket with a solution of water, salt, and isopropyl alcohol – or, alternatively, use a pre-made cleaning solution formulated specifically for glass pieces – and place your glass piece/individual pieces in there to soak. Make sure that they’re fully submerged. Soaking them allows debris and residue to lift off from the glass more easily so that you don’t have to do as much work removing it manually. Allow it to soak for at least 45 minutes, but preferably 2 hours or longer if you’re able to.

Step #3: After your pieces have soaked enough, drain the bucket or basin, and rinse the pieces under water (any temperature is fine). Now, take a good look to see whether or not the piece is clean. If there’s still residue in there, use a microfiber cloth, cotton swab, or gentle brush to get in there and clean it out thoroughly. Give it another good rinse, and air-dry.

What Not to Do When Cleaning Glass Pieces

Now that you know the basic process for cleaning, let’s quickly talk about some big don’ts when it comes to taking care of your glass pieces.

• Don’t: Be careless when handling wet glass pieces, as it’s very easy to drop and break them. Handle pieces carefully over the sink, and make sure not to drop them too hard in the bucket or basin. Allow them to air-dry completely before using them again, to ensure that you’re not going to accidentally let them slip out of your hand.
• Don’t: Use chemical cleaning solutions lying around your house, like window cleaner or bleach, to clean your glass pieces. These products can be bad for your respiratory system when inhaled, and traces of them can linger in the glass and cause all kinds of problems later on. Not only that, but some chemicals may actually damage the glass, or at the very least, discolor it.
• Don’t: Scrub with a material that’s too abrasive, like steel wool. This can create microtears in the glass material over time, where debris will have a much easier time hiding out. If you soak your pieces properly beforehand, a gentler material can do the job just fine.
• Don’t: Go too long between cleaning sessions. The longer you wait, the harder it is to remove the buildup of residue inside, and the more work you’ll need to put into each cleaning session in order to do the work. Cleaning weekly ensures that there’s such little buildup the entire process will be easy and relatively quick.

Keep Your Glass Pieces Looking Like New!

When it comes to glass pieces, you don’t want to skip cleaning them, or else you’re likely going to be disappointed with both their flavor and the quality of the experience overall. And, fortunately, cleaning your glass pieces is quick, easy, and painless, especially if you do it on a frequent enough basis to stay on top of that inevitable gunk buildup.