How Often Should I Clean My Pipe?
Grimy pipe water is all the evidence your friends need to know that you're an everyday toker. Some even have said that the dirtier your pipe water is, the higher you get...
However, here are some examples of why that isn't the safest gamble.
DIRTY PIPE WATER IS THE WORST!
Unfortunately, filthy pipe water is a truly unsafe practice in regards to smoking herb. The more often you smoke, the more baths your pipe gets. You should be changing the water in your pipe, or any type of smoking gadget that requires water, daily. Stagnant water is inherently unsafe.
WHY SHOULD YOU KEEP YOUR PIPE CLEAN?
The longer the water stays in a pipe after use, the more poisons and biofilm containing microbes and a great many microorganisms. In other words, a collection of "NO" that you should never be ingesting or breathing in. It's difficult to know exactly what is swimming in the water of your pipe, line, or spot rig if you allow the water to sit for over 24 hours, but it's best not to. That earthy-colored pool that rests in your number one piece might lead to serious medical problems including mold ingestion, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and numerous other respiratory-related issues. Pro Tip: If you get a migraine after torching some tokes out of your grimy pipe? You're smoking germs. Give your pipe a good cleaning and change the water!
HERE'S HOW TO KEEP IT FRESH
Luckily, there are multiple ways to clean and sanitize your pieces to guarantee your wellbeing. One approach to clean glass pipes and lines would be to bubble them in steaming hot water. Disclaimer: The pot or bowl you use to warm the water should be cleaned immediately after use as well. After soaking your piece, remove it from the bubbling water and let it sit until it cools. Wipe down and clean any areas that are still icky and shake the debris from your piece once it dries out.
One more approach to cleaning your piece is with heated isopropyl alcohol and iodized salt. (Pro Tip: Kosher salt works best because of its coarse texture.) First, add a tablespoon or 3 (depends on the size of the pipe) of salt to the base. Then, fill your piece most of the way with the alcohol- ideally 91% or more. Shake the two together inside your pipe and dump the substance. Next, rinse with hot water. Ask any in-your-face dabber or cannabis connoisseur, heated alcohol is an unquestionable necessity when it comes to keeping up with the tidiness and appeal of your glass piece.