How to Clean a Bong, the Right Way

Parenting can have its surprises, but it’s very rewarding, and with the proper care and attention, your kids should be alright. 

The same goes for your bong. 

Fall in love with smoking with a bong, and you may find it’s hard to smoke any other way. With a bong, you can really taste the herb, you get that unmistakable chug-a-lug bong hit sound as you pull in, and when you pull the carb on a chamber full of that thick white smoke, it hits like nothing else.

But what’s to do when it starts looking like an ecological disaster in your bong? If the inside of your bong looks like it could kill a baby seal, follow these simple steps.

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How to clean a bong

1. Get the right supplies: Higher Standards Supreme Cleaning Kit You can’t properly clean your bong without the right cleaning tools. We recommend investing in a cleaning kit like the so you have everything you need at hand.
2. Gloves: wear ‘em if you got ‘em
   Cleaning a bong is easy work, but it can get nasty. And if you get some of that bong water under your fingernails, it’s a tough way to start the day. If you have some latex gloves, throw ‘em on before you get started.
3. Give it a rinse
   Stand over your sink (we’re assuming you washed the dishes first) and rinse thoroughly under a stream of cold water. That will get all of that nasty black water out of there and clear out any loose stems, ash, or burned weed that’s collected at the bottom of the bong.
4. Consider a spa treatment
   If the gunk is really caked on to your bong, consider giving it a nice soak. Put it in some warm water in the sink for an hour or so. Don’t use boiling water, though, depending on how thick that glass is, it could potentially shatter.
5. Get some Salt Rox and rubbing alcohol
   This is where the Higher Standards cleaning kit comes in really handy. Grab the included Salt Rox and the bottle of high-percentage isopropyl alcohol. (Our legal team says this is where we need to tell you not to drink the alcohol. Don’t drink the bong water either).
6. Get some rubber bands, Ziploc bags, and cling wrap
   Take out the stem and bowl from the bottom of your bong and set each aside in a separate Ziploc bag. Pour a healthy amount of salt and alcohol into each bag and into the bong. Take rubber bands and cling wrap and seal the opening at the bottom that holds the stem and also the opening at the top of the bong. Shake the bong and the Ziploc bags for 3-5 minutes. If you don’t have roommates or a loved one who can help with this, it could be an excellent way to meet your neighbors. Or just wait 5 minutes.
7. Pour out, rinse, repeat
   Give the bong two rounds of this treatment, and you should be in good shape. If you still have some water stains inside the bong, you can squeeze a little lemon juice in there to clean it up.

What about over-the-counter medication?

At your local head shop, you’ve probably seen some bong cleaners that make all types of claims for keeping your bong clean. They’re a convenient way to clean out your bong and usually include enough supplies for several deep cleaning sessions. 

The bong term solution 

Ultimately, the best way to keep your bong clean is to never let it get to the point that you need a deep cleaning in the first place. You don’t need to wash it out after each session, but if you give it a nice rinse and change the bong water once a week or so, you’ll have a much easier time keeping it clean. 

Another thing to keep in mind is how valuable the bong is. If it’s a flimsy plastic piece that cost you less than a bottle of alcohol and a bag of Epsom salt, then maybe just consider tossing it out and buying a new one. If your favorite piece is a multi-story, triple-filtered, solar-powered ice bong, by all means, you should know how to clean a bong properly.

In the meantime, enjoy that next clean bong rip.