How to Properly Clean Your Bong (And Why You’ll Want to After Reading This)
Let’s talk about something that can make or break your cannabis experience: your bong. Whether it’s a simple beaker or a high-tech gravity rig, it’s not just a piece of glass — it’s the vehicle delivering those terpy clouds straight to your lungs. And if you’re not cleaning it regularly? You might be puffing more than just premium flower.
Why Cleaning Your Bong Actually Matters
We’ve all seen it — the murky brown water, the resin-coated walls, the funky smell. It’s easy to ignore. But here’s the thing: a dirty bong isn’t just an eyesore — it’s a health hazard.
When you inhale through dirty water, you're pulling in not just stale smoke but also a cocktail of bacteria and mold. Think streptococcus (hello, strep throat), staphylococcus (yep, staph infections), E. coli (gross), and even black mildew. According to Dr. Stephanie Christenson, a pulmonary expert at UCSF, deep bong inhalations can carry these pathogens right into your lungs, where they’re more likely to do real damage than if you were just hitting a joint.
Aside from the gnarly health risks, there’s the flavor. Imagine spending your hard-earned cash on a citrusy Lemon Tree Kush or gassy Motorbreath — only for that delicate terpene profile to get overpowered by a swampy, smoky funk. Yeah… no thanks.
The Easy, No-Nonsense Way to Clean Your Bong
Cleaning your bong doesn’t need to be a chemistry experiment. Here’s the tried-and-true method that works every time — no fancy products required:
What You’ll Need:
Isopropyl alcohol (91–99% is best)
Coarse salt (Epsom or rock salt works great)
Zip-top bag or sealable container
Dish soap & warm water
Pipe cleaners or cotton swabs
Gloves (optional, but helpful)
Step-by-Step:
Remove the bowl and stem. These are your most resin-packed pieces. Set them aside for their own soak.
Dispose of the bong water. Please don’t pour it down the drain — it’s sticky and full of bacteria. Pour it into a sealed container or trash bag.
Fill your bong halfway with isopropyl alcohol. You can sub in white vinegar and baking soda if you're avoiding alcohol.
Add a generous amount of salt. This acts like a gentle scrub for the inside.
Plug the holes and shake. Use your hand, a towel, or stoppers to seal the bong, then give it a good shake — like, workout-level shaking.
Let it soak. For really dirty bongs, let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to break down buildup.
Clean the bowl and stem. Place them in a small zip-top bag with alcohol and salt, shake well, and scrub with a pipe cleaner.
Rinse everything thoroughly. Use warm water and dish soap to wash out any alcohol or salt residue.
Let it dry completely. Then refill with distilled water — it’s cleaner and less likely to encourage bacteria growth.
Pro Tip: CJ Christensen from Stündenglass swears by a daily clean — a quick rinse and refill every morning. At minimum, dump your water after each session and deep clean weekly.
Stocked and Clean, Time to Re-Up
Now that your bong is sparkling clean, you’re ready to enjoy it the way it was meant to be used: with the finest cannabis around. And guess what? The Novel Tree in Bellevue & Bremerton have exactly what you need.
Whether you’re chasing the citrus notes of a Lemon Tree or the diesel punch of a Gas Cake, we’ve got premium flower, pre-rolls, concentrates, and everything in between — all waiting for you.
So clean that piece, treat your lungs like royalty, and come visit us to pick up your next top-shelf strain. Your bong (and your body) will thank you.
The Novel Tree
Cannabis Dispensary | Bellevue, WA & Bremerton, WA
Clean your bong. Elevate your experience.