I have a bong that has some places impossible to reach with a standard brush. It is an all glass bong so alcohol will not harm it. I have let it soak full of iso alcohol for days in the past but that alone doesn't get the crud off of the glass. It needs to be brushed or rubbed in some way. I bought some of that 420 cleaner for 10 bux a bottle. It works great but at 10 dollars for only 4 or 5 good cleans without recycling it is kinda expensive, especially if you clean your bong often. Here is what I do to clean my bong real good and real cheap. 1) pour about an inch or 2 of iso alcohol into my bong 2) add about 2 or 3 tablespoon fulls of gravel like used in an aquarium 3) plug up all of the holes in the bong using paper towels 4) shake the bong like crazy for maybe 15-30 seconds and it is as clean as it can be. I am looking for some of that black sand like used in ashtrays you see un public places. That would work better for getting into tight spaces the gravel can't quite get to. Gravel works fine. I just want to see if the sand might be better. I pour out the dirty iso through a strainer to catch the gravel. I then rinse the gravel with water and pour it into a small container I use that will allow it to dry until the next time I use it. Just be careful that iso will not mess up your bong. Some bongs are made of plastic that will melt. Do not pour the gravel down your drain. Over a couple of times of doing this, it can plug up your drain. Be sure and rinse your bong out good before using it again.
If you go to a Cigar shop you can find some really cool tobacco pipe cleaning tools. For the "hard to reach" areas...that sounded info-mercial-ish.
Dude, don't use gravel. Use Salt and iso. I'm assuming you have stains from ice. Keep at with HOT water and Iso and salt. If even that doesn't work, buy what's called "Grunge Off" Try ebay. That stuff works a charm. That's what the real glassheads use.
yea, 91% iso and any kind of salt (i like kosher salt or epsom salt). and Grunge Off for the really bad stains.
My bong is a straight tube gong thats about 18" tall or so. I spend under $10 a month cleaning that bong and about six other pipes... I use kosher salt as an abrasive and 91% iso alcohol. (red label) I just pour a little salt in the bong, maybe a 1/4" worth or so, too much fucks it up. Then I pour maybe 4-5" of alcohol down the tube. I plug the joint with a paper towel and the top with a cork, then I grab it VERY securely, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds or so. That usually gets it completely spotless. More swishing of alcohol will usually get the rest out. It's really easy and VERY cheap. You should never buy that cleaner shit you get in headshops, its so overpriced. You can make months worth of your own cleaner by going to walmart. A BIG bottle of alcohol costs like $2 and a box of kosher salt isnt much more and the salt lasts FOREVER. I buy a box of salt every few months and maybe 3 bottles of alcohol a month. super cheap. super easy. For my handpipes i just put them in a plastic bag and do the same.
Gravel sounds like it might scratch the the glass... I'm all about iso/morton salt...cheap and effective, especially when you clean every day.
i don't like to use salt,I've experienced salt leaving tiny scratches in the glass and they just get bigger over time causing the glass to catch a lot more resin. Rice works just as well and is also cheap. Just an alternative for people who clean their glass often and don't like micro scratches in their expensive pieces.
For my perc'd roor I just clean after every use and throw the ash catcher on there when it is close to being cashed. Let it soak in alcy and iso and shake vigorously.
Never noticed any scratches (yet) but I think next time I will try some salt of some kind. Rice also sounds like an interesting idea. Maybe that is what I will try next.
I just buy a new bong when my old one gets dirty But seriously. If you local headshop has Grunge Off, you people need to pick this up. I have used 99% iso /w salt, and this stuff puts it to SHAME. If you really want that "new glass" gleam, look into Grunge Off. Its reusable too.
yeah thats what i was thinking.. & isnt gravel just small rocks? wouldnt that in some cases brake glass?
Elaborate, cause someone like me will forget the latex gloves. I just use the formula 420, shit is mad cheap in the headshops in Gainesville.
I have always used an all purpose cleaner called mean green to clean my pipes and my bong. I just spray a few shots in it fill the rest with water and let it sit for about half an hour. Works like a charm every time, plus its only like 2$ at the dollar store.
Put salt in with the alcohol. I usually just clean my bong every friday so its nice for the weekend, so just buy that stuff for 10 bucks and use it once a week...
I use 91% alcohol and Kosher salt. To do a thorough job, I get a q-tip, soak it in alcohol, and move it around the inside of my bowl. Gets everything there is to get.
My hands got all fucked up from not wearing gloves and using too much Oxy. The skin just peeled for a few days. For bong cleaning my preference for bong cleaning goes 1. Grunge Off 2. OxyClean 3. Iso/nail polish and salt