Every hit leaves a little resin behind. After a week or two it coats the inside of your pipe, clogs the stem and makes every hit taste harsh and stale. The fix is cheap and takes about 30 minutes, most of it hands-off: isopropyl alcohol to dissolve the resin and coarse salt to scrub it loose. The same method works for glass pipes, bubblers and the bowl or slide from your bong.

What you need

• Isopropyl alcohol, 91% or higher
• Coarse salt, like kosher or sea salt
• A zip-top bag, or a jar or container with a tight lid
• Pipe cleaners or cotton swabs
• Warm water and a towel

Want something faster? Our cleaning collection has resin cleaners made for glass.

Step 1: Knock out the ash and let it cool

Make sure the pipe is completely cool; hot glass can crack when it touches cold liquid. Turn it upside down over a trash can or ashtray and tap the bowl gently against your palm to knock out any ash and old herb. Never bang glass on a hard surface. If anything is stuck in the hole at the bottom of the bowl, push it out with a pipe cleaner.

Step 2: Add alcohol and salt

Put the pipe in a zip-top bag or a jar. Add a tablespoon or two of coarse salt, then pour in enough isopropyl alcohol to cover the pipe completely. The alcohol dissolves the resin, and the salt works as a scrubber. Salt doesn't dissolve in alcohol, so it keeps scrubbing as you shake.

Step 3: Shake, then soak

Seal the bag or close the jar and shake it for a minute or two, so the salt washes through the bowl, the stem and the carb hole. You'll see the alcohol turn brown as the resin comes off. Let it soak for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking again every 10 minutes. A very dirty pipe can soak for a few hours, or overnight.

Step 4: Scrub the bowl, stem and carb

Take the pipe out. Push a pipe cleaner or cotton swab dipped in alcohol through the stem, the bowl hole and the carb (the small hole on the side of the bowl) to clear anything the soak left behind. For stubborn spots, sprinkle a little salt on the swab and rub. Pour the dirty alcohol out into the sink; don't reuse it.

Step 5: Rinse and dry

Rinse the pipe under warm (not hot) water until the alcohol smell and every grain of salt are gone. Run water through the stem and carb too. Dry it with a towel and let it air-dry for an hour before you use it, so no alcohol is left inside.

How to clean other kinds of pipes

• Metal pipes: take them apart if they unscrew, then use the same alcohol and salt soak.
• Wood pipes: never soak them. Scrape out the bowl, run a pipe cleaner through the stem and wipe it with a cloth barely dampened with alcohol.
• Silicone pipes: remove the glass bowl insert and clean it like any glass pipe. Most silicone bodies can be washed with warm soapy water; check the maker's care instructions.
• Bong bowls and slides: same as a glass pipe. See our guide to using a bong for how to care for the rest of it.

Other ways to clean a pipe

• Boiling water: put the pipe in a pot of cold water, bring it up to a gentle simmer for about 20 minutes, then let it cool in the water. Starting cold matters; dropping cold glass into boiling water can crack it. It works, but it's slower than alcohol and can smell.
• Vinegar and baking soda: a gentler option if you don't have alcohol. Soak the pipe in white vinegar with a spoonful of baking soda for a few hours, then scrub and rinse. It needs more scrubbing than alcohol and salt.

How often should you clean a pipe?

If you use it every day, give it a quick rinse with warm water after each use and a full alcohol and salt clean once a week. Clean it sooner if the hits start tasting harsh or the pull feels tight. A clean pipe tastes better, hits smoother and lasts longer.

FAQ

What's the fastest way to clean a glass pipe?
Isopropyl alcohol (91% or higher) and coarse salt in a bag. Shake for a couple of minutes, soak for 20 to 30, rinse with warm water.

Can I use rubbing alcohol that's 70%?
It works, but slower. The extra water in 70% alcohol doesn't dissolve resin as well, so soak longer and scrub more.

Is it safe to smoke from a pipe after cleaning it with alcohol?
Yes, once it's rinsed well and fully dry. Make sure there's no alcohol smell left before you light it.

Why did my glass pipe crack?
Usually a sudden temperature change, like hot water on cold glass or a hot pipe going into cold alcohol. Let the pipe cool fully before cleaning, and rinse with warm water, not hot.

How do I clean my grinder?
The same alcohol and salt method works on metal grinders. Here's our step-by-step grinder cleaning guide.

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