Keep your smoking devices free from gross resin build up and finally learn how to clean your glass bubbler the right way 🛁

Bubblers are great. They hit smoother and cooler than other pipes and they help each hit pack a more powerful punch. But are you the kind of person who doesn’t know how to clean a bubbler and ends up just buying a new pipe or bong when it gets disgustingly dirty? 

If you struggle with how to clean a pipe and give up on the hard to reach spots, there’s a cleaning method out there that will fit your style and make that bubbler beautiful again.

People have been using bubblers to smoke from for literally thousands of years. They’re so popular because they’re easy to use and the benefits of a bong make each puff more powerful. Not only will your smoke be thicker and more potent, but bubblers help filter out unwanted toxins and cool the smoke before it reaches your lungs. This makes the smoking experience a much more enjoyable one. 

But what is the best way to clean a glass pipe when they get really grimy? If you need to know how to clean a water bubbler to remove all the built up resin and keep your water pipe functioning properly, then we have the steps outlined for you here. 

How to clean a pipe with alcohol is not hard at all. It’s probably one of the easiest and most effective ways to get the job done. With a couple of common household items, you can get back to using your bubbler the way nature intended. 

What You’ll Need

• Zip lock baggie
• Coarse salt
• 90% isopropyl alcohol
• Q-Tips
• Sink and running water

Step 1: Take It All Apart ⚒️

Grab your bong or bubbler and remove the bowl and stem and any other lose parts that need cleaning.

Make sure you’ve taken that last hit and gently tap out any old ash. A Q-Tip can be used with the cotton pulled off to gently scrape soft resin off the bowl. Then set all that aside for now. 

Step 2: Empty Dirty Bong Water 🚽

Ideally, you want to empty your bong water after each use and refill it with fresh water before you use it again to make cleaning glass water pipe residue easier.

Dirty bong water can get really gross and smell terrible, so clean water makes each hit taste better.

Empty out whatever dirty water is in your bong down the drain, rinse it with clean tap water, and set the bubbler aside. We’ll deal with that in just a few steps.

Step 3: Loosen up a Little 🧂

Put your loose pieces into the zip lock bag and fill it with enough isopropyl alcohol to just cover the items and then add a teaspoon of coarse salt to it. Securely close the baggie and begin to gently massage the alcohol and salt solution into the grimy parts of the bowl and stem. 

You may need to empty the baggie out and refill the solution with fresh alcohol and salt if your apparatus is very resiny and repeat this step as necessary. Once the old resin is loosened, set the pieces in the baggie aside to sit in the alcohol solution while you work on cleaning glass pipe residue from the bong itself. 

Step 4: Shake Things Up 🤝

Now, plug the openings to your water pipe and fill it with an isopropyl alcohol and coarse salt solution. Don’t worry too much about measurements. Trust your instincts. 

While the bubbler holes are plugged up, either with your hands or cork or what have you, shake it vigorously until the built up resin comes loose. Repeat this step as necessary as well. 

Step 5: Wash it All Away 🛁

Now that your the bubbler and its pieces have been successfully rinsed of resin, dump out the alcohol from the bubbler and the baggie and rise the pieces to remove left over alcohol. 

At this point, if there are still dirty spots with built up resin, take your Q-Tips and dip the tip in alcohol and then salt and use that to give more careful attention to hard to reach spots and stubborn stains. Just make sure to rinse your device again before using it to remove all the alcohol. 

Alternatives to Alcohol 

Now you’re ready to rock and roll and reload that bowl with some fresh new product. But what if you don’t have rubbing alcohol at home? What, no Q-Tips either?  Don’t fret; there are other ways of how to clean bubbler grime even if you don’t have the items listed above. 

Alternative 1: Lemons 🍋

So how to clean pipe residue without alcohol? When life gives you lemons, clean your bong! Lemons have a natural ability to fight resin build up, and you don’t even need to add salt to them. Use a slice of lemon to rub the juice into tough resin spots and stains using the rind of the fruit. The stains should come right out. 

Alternative 2: White Vinegar 💧

No lemons in the house? There’s still another way! Vinegar works to remove resin like alcohol does, so you can always try a white vinegar and salt solution if rubbing alcohol isn’t an option. 

What do I do if My Water Bubbler Bong is Still Gross 🤢

If you’re still having a hard time getting rid of those built up spots and tough stains, then try remembering to empty your bong water more often and not let your precious pipes become so funky. The more you keep up with minor maintenance, the less you’ll have to bother with deep cleanings like these.

Just remember that when cleaning pipes glass can break so be very gentle and never use boiling water to remove resin from glass items. Steer clear of harsh chemicals that can cause clouding on your glass pipes and bongs, and from abrasives in common cleaners that can scratch the glass and leave unwanted blemishes.