How Do You Deep Clean a Bubbler?
Bubblers can make smoking even more enjoyable, yet over time can quickly become dirty. Regular cleaning will eliminate unpleasant odors and residue from build-up while protecting its delicate inner pipes against bacteria growth.
This article will demonstrate how to deep clean a bubbler using simple household items in an effective, fast, and simple method! The method is fast, simple, and fast!
Disassemble the Pipe
Cleaning a bubbler requires using various approaches. At its core, using isopropyl alcohol and table salt provides a basic approach that is inexpensive yet effective and straightforward. To give yourself more thorough cleaning sessions, other household items may also help remove debris.
As soon as your bubbler has been separated from its water chamber and any removable parts, it is necessary to remove its pipe. Soak all pieces separately using alcohol and salt solutions until everything has been completed. Once everything has been collected together, start soaking!
Before adding alcohol to your bubbler, ensure the mouthpiece is free from any debris and residue that might have accumulated inside it. Furthermore, use a paper towel to wipe down all surfaces so you can get it as clean as possible before pouring the solution inside it.
Once you’ve mixed isopropyl alcohol and salt into your bubbler, shake the solution vigorously for at least 15 seconds to agitate them further and loosen any sticky build-up that has built up on its surfaces. Leave the pipe to soak for at least an hour; during which time you may want to give a quick shake periodically to further agitate its solution.
While your bubbler is in its soak, take this opportunity to clean other removable pieces such as the bowl and stem. Just follow a similar method used on its body but place each of these components separately into an enclosed container such as a Ziploc bag or Tupperware lidded Tupperware box for efficient results.
Be cautious when handling these components as they are typically made of glass and can be easily broken. To reduce the chance of any mishaps occurring, softer cleaning agents such as lemon juice or vinegar would likely work more effectively than isopropyl alcohol and salt.
Fill the Pipe with Water
A bubbler is an excellent way to smoke cannabis, but it can quickly become dirty. Due to their narrow design and alternating cycles of evaporation and condensation, bubblers provide warm, damp environments which make excellent breeding grounds for bacteria.
Maintaining a clean and sanitized bubbler is of vital importance for maintaining fresh and tasty marijuana experiences. Dirty pipes can lead to unpleasant odors, clogged chambers and mold growth – by keeping it tidy you can help avoid these potential issues while guaranteeing fresh flavors for years!
To properly clean a bubbler, start with giving it a quick rinse under hot water to rid any lingering moisture and make the rest of the piece easier to maintain. Once this step has been completed, move onto cleaning its stem and bowl; depending on how often you smoke your bubbler this step may need to be repeated daily or weekly.
Ideal, cannabis pipe owners should use a cleaning solution designed specifically for cannabis pipes. Such solutions typically contain isopropyl alcohol as an excellent cleaner and sanitizer. We suggest Session Goods’ Isopropyl-Based Cleaning Solution as it contains essential oils to provide added fragrance and flavor!
Once you’ve obtained a cleaning solution, place your bubbler in a resealable plastic bag and pour in enough cleaning solution to completely submerge its pipe. For an extra bit of help in reaching hard-to-reach places, add several spoonfuls of salt; this will allow it to scrub those difficult-to-reach corners more thoroughly than just cleaning solution alone can do.
Now that the bubbler is in a solution, vigorous shaking should help dislodge any debris and allow cleaning solution to penetrate its cracks. After shaking the pipe, open its bag and pour out its contents; rinse your pipe under hot water to rid itself of alcohol or salt residue before allowing its stem and bowl to air dry before use again.
Pour Salt and Alcohol
Keep your bubbler clean to prevent contamination and mold growth; doing so not only ensures an appealing aesthetic, but can also ensure an enjoyable smoking experience. Mold growth in a pipe can result in slimy residues, foul odors and make smoking unpleasant overall.
To clean a bubbler, begin by mixing salt with rubbing alcohol in equal parts. The alcohol will sanitize your pipe while salt serves as an abrasive to remove stubborn gunk from the glass pipe. Make sure that you use isopropyl alcohol with at least 91% purity; higher concentration alcohol works faster and more effectively at dissolving grime off glass surfaces than table salt will do. You should also opt for coarse rock salt over table salt; coarser rock salt works more effectively at scraping away grime off glass surfaces than table salt does.
Add approximately 1/4 cup of salt to a ziplock bag, followed by 16 ounces of isopropyl alcohol. Seal and shake to get things moving; here lies the magic as the alcohol sloshes around in your bubbler killing any bacteria while salt flakes scour away any remaining gunk from its surfaces. While shaking, place your thumbs over any opening holes in the pipe to keep liquid from leaking out during shaking.
Once your bubbler has been given a good shake, it should be ready for assembly again. Carefully rinse each component in hot water and set them to dry; any particularly stubborn parts (such as stem or bowl pieces with stubborn residues) may require multiple attempts before being cleaned completely. For maximum cleanliness if your bubbler features silicone tubing for its downstem, run an isopropyl alcohol-soaked pipe cleaner back and forth several times through its inside diameter for added effectiveness.
If you don’t have isopropyl alcohol on hand, vinegar and baking soda can both serve to effectively sanitize your bubbler. Lemon juice also offers great results; its acidity will break down tars and resins while dislodging any built-up grime from surfaces. Keeping an arsenal of cleaning supplies handy at home will enable you to quickly tackle any emergency cleaning situations when necessary.
Shake the Pipe
Maintaining a clean bubbler can significantly enhance the quality of your smoking sessions. A dirty pipe can harbor germs, slimy residue and foul odors which will detract from your smoking experience and hinder its enjoyment. Regular maintenance also prevents mold growth.
One of the best methods of deep cleaning a bubbler is with a mixture of salt and alcohol. This classic method has stood the test of time, effectively dissolving stubborn resin build-up. Simply pour some isopropyl alcohol into a disposable bag along with some pinches of salt; seal and shake, leaving for about an hour before leaving your pipe soaking in its solution – periodically shaking your bag will help agitate its contents to break apart any stubborn clumps of residue and loosen clumps from becoming embedded within its walls – until everything has dissipated completely.
After your soaking time is up, give the bag one final shake before inspecting your glassware. It should appear noticeably cleaner without any large patches of hardened resin. If necessary, use a paperclip or pipe cleaner to scrape away any leftover residue; afterwards rinse your pipe in hot water to flush away all dirt and grime dissolved by the alcohol-salt solution.
Rock salt provides an effective alternative to rubbing alcohol when it comes to cleaning stubborn stains and residue. Simply mix some coarse rock salt in with isopropyl alcohol in a bag and shake, soak your pipe for one hour, then rinse out fully to eliminate all traces of both substances.
Vinegar can serve as an eco-friendly and more cost-effective alternative to rubbing alcohol in many situations. Vinegar works similarly, yet is more environmentally friendly, and is much more economical. It may even replace isopropyl alcohol altogether!
Removing residue from your bubbler requires boiling it; however, this method should only be attempted with glass bubblers due to temperature fluctuation and expansion, which could potentially crack or shatter them. Furthermore, boiling is a messy process which needs careful supervision in order to avoid boiling over and spillage out of the bag.
