Introduction
Table of Contents
Acrylic bongs are not as popular as they once were as more people opt for silicone or glass ones. However, many proud acrylic bong owners may find that the hits will not be as pleasant if they don’t clean their bongs enough. In addition, the taste will not be nearly as good as it would be if the bong were clean and fresh. That is because of the residual kief impacting the flavor.
Finally, if you do not clean your bong, you run the risk of bacteria and mold growing in it, which is the last thing you want. Inhaling mold is a health hazard. Therefore, that alone should provide you with the motivation to clean your bong more often!
Cleaning your acrylic bong is straightforward. It is not a matter of not wanting to clean it because it is a difficult task. You need to get into the habit of cleaning it once a week if you use it several times a week or daily. If you don’t smoke often, you can clean it a few times a month instead. Let’s go over what items you need to clean your acrylic bong.
What Items Do You Need To Clean Your Acrylic Bong?
The items or ingredients you need to clean your acrylic bong you likely have at home. If not, you can go to the grocery store or the drugstore like CVS or Walgreens to get them. You need to have white vinegar and baking soda or rubbing alcohol and salt. Chances are you have these ingredients in your kitchen. If not, as mentioned, you can run to the store to get them. You may also want to keep lemon juice if you notice some hard water stains on your bong. If you don’t clean your bong often, then there is a good chance you have them. Now, let’s go over how you clean your acrylic bong using white vinegar and baking soda.
How Do You Clean The Acrylic Bong With White Vinegar And Baking Soda?
If you plan to clean your bong with white vinegar and baking soda, then that is all you need as you do not need rubbing alcohol and salt. The first thing to do is pour the dirty water out of the bong and then rinse it with hot water. Ensure that you dump the dirty water out of the slide instead of the mouthpiece because the kief cannot go there that way. Next, you will want to dismantle the bong so all of it.
The hot water will help remove the mold and loosen the kief and remove any built-up slime. After doing that, do not dry your bond. Instead, take your baking soda and coat the interior and exterior of the bong. You want your bong lightly coated, and the water will help the baking soda stick to it.
Then take a small container and place the bong pieces into it so it can sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Baking soda will remove the mold, grime, and kief is a natural cleaning product. The next step is to cover the bong with white vinegar by pouring it over the pieces in the bowl. The white vinegar and baking soda will begin to fizz, which means it is cutting the grime further.
Once the fizzing ends, then you can keep going ahead with the cleaning process. Rinse the bong with hot water and use a brush or a pipe cleaner to wipe away anything left in the bong. It is a good idea to wear rubber gloves to use hotter water and not get burned.
After you finish washing off the bong, you will want to dry it off using paper towels. You do not want any wet spots or else that will cause mold and bacteria to breed. Once adequately dried, then you can reassemble your bong. If you prefer using rubbing alcohol and salt, then let’s go over how to clean your acrylic bong that way.
How Do You Clean The Acrylic Bong With Rubbing Alcohol And Salt?
You would want to pour out the dirty water through the slider and rinse with hot water the same way you do if you were cleaning your acrylic bong with white vinegar and baking soda. Dissemble it and then place each piece in Ziploc bags or plastic containers with lids. Then you will want to add rubbing alcohol and salt to each container. For smaller bong parts, you will want to add one-quarter of a cup of rubbing alcohol and one tablespoon of salt. You will want to add one-half of a cup of rubbing alcohol and two tablespoons of salt for the larger pieces. You can use either table salt or sea salt, but the sea salt has more scrubbing ability. That will help scrape away the kief and remove the other junk too.
The next thing to do is seal the bag or close the lid and vigorously shake each piece for three to five minutes. You want to stop shaking once you see you’ve successfully dislodged the kief. After that, rinse each bong piece with hot water and use a pipe-cleaner or brush to clean the parts well. Then use a paper towel to dry it off, and then you can reassemble it after. What about removing water stains? You will need to use lemon juice for that, and let’s go over that now.
How Do You Remove Hard Water Stains From Your Acrylic Bong?
After you clean your bong and notice you have hard water stains, you will want to remove them with lemon juice. However, don’t reassemble your bong just yet. Instead, what you want to do is take the bong chamber and pour hot water into it in addition to one tablespoon of lemon juice. Swirl the lemon juice and water mixture around for one minute, and then that way, the lemon water can break through the hard water stains. Allow it to soak in your bong for two to three minutes, and set a timer if you’d like.
After that, dump the water and rinse the bong with hot water so you can remove all of the debris. Finally, allow the bong to dry entirely, and then once that happens, you can reassemble your bong, and you will love how fresh it smells too!
Additional cleaning methods and tips on how to clean a bong:
- Cleaning with White Vinegar and Rice: The DART Company suggests an alternative method using white vinegar and rice. Rice acts as an abrasive material, similar to salt in traditional methods. For extra dirty bongs, a few drops of dish soap can be added to the mixture. However, vinegar is less effective at removing buildup compared to rubbing alcohol.
- Using Store-Bought Bong Cleaners: Store-bought bong cleaners are also an option. They are easy to store and use, and while they may not be more effective than homemade solutions, they offer convenience. It’s advised to start with an inexpensive option to compare its effectiveness against homemade methods.
- Cleaning Frequency: The frequency of cleaning should correspond to usage. A general rule is to dump and rinse the bong after each use and perform a deep clean when visible residue appears that can’t be rinsed off with water.
- Maintaining Bong Cleanliness: To keep the bong cleaner for longer, it’s advised to empty the bong water after each use and rinse with warm or hot water. This practice helps prevent residue buildup and washes away large debris.
- Using Salt for Cleaning: Big Daddy Smoke recommends using natural sea salt or uncrushed Himalayan salt as an effective abrasive for cleaning acrylic bongs. The salt can be mixed with warm water for enhanced cleaning.
- Vinegar and Baking Soda Combination: For tough stains, a mixture of white vinegar and baking soda can be highly effective. This combination works well for hard-to-remove stains.
- Caution with Alcohol: While alcohol can be used for cleaning glass or ceramic bongs, it should be used with caution for acrylic bongs. Alcohol can cause microfracture cracks in acrylic. If necessary, diluted 70% isopropyl alcohol can be used.
- Dishwashing Soap and Bottle Cleaner: Dishwashing soap can be used, but it should be thoroughly rinsed off to prevent any residual scent. This method is not typically recommended as the top choice due to the potential for lingering soap scents.
Conclusion
Are you finding that your acrylic bong is no longer pleasant to smoke‘? The first query for you is, when was the last time you cleaned it? If you cannot remember, then that is the problem! You must clean your bong at least once a week if you use it several times a week. You are smoking in mold, bacteria, and old kief that is altering the taste.
There are two ways to clean your acrylic bong. One is by using white vinegar and baking soda. The other is by using rubbing alcohol and salt. If you have hard water stains after cleaning, you can remove them with lemon juice. Make cleaning your bong a habit so you can enjoy your hits and not have to worry about inhaling bacteria and mold.
