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Why is cleaning important?
A clean bong = a cleaner, healthier and more enjoyable hit
You’ve just spent some money on a lovely glass piece, shared it with some friends and had a fantastic sesh. The next thing you need to know is how to clean it.
There are many reasons to clean your bong; most of them affect your entire smoking experience.
Smoking off a dirty piece not only compromises the potency and taste of your beautiful buds but also makes you look… well, lazy.
One important piece of information to know is that bacteria starts brewing in your used bong water in less than 24 hours. Inhaling smoke directly from dirty water may increase your chance of contracting lung infections.
Doesn’t sound too fun.
PREVENTION TIP #1: Change out your water after EVERY session!
Having a clean bong/bowl enhances your experience in tasting the aroma & freshness of your herbs.
At VITAE Glass, our glass pieces are more than just aesthetically pleasing. We craft the designs for transportability, ease of use, and easy cleaning. There are many glass cleaners out there that work well, such as Formula420, Grungeoff, Resolutionco, and others.
We want to maximize your smoke experience by using readily available household supplies. Here’s a “recipe” we found handy when dealing with built up dirt on your VITAE glass pieces!
You’ll need:
- Dirty glass piece that requires cleaning
- Hot water (enough to submerge your piece)
- Household dishwashing liquid
- Tap water (for rinsing)
- Isopropyl alcohol (preferably 90% or higher)
- Epsom salt/table salt
- VITAE cleaning caps
- VITAE cleaning plugs
Optional:
- Cleaning brushes
- Q-tips
Preparation
You can choose to clean your piece as one entire set, but we highly recommend cleaning them individually because it is far easier and reduces the chance of breaking them while cleaning.
Carefully detach your glass set by unscrewing each piece from the connector rings counter-clockwise. Start from the top and work your way down one piece at a time.
Pour out dirty water and give it a quick rinse.
Place glass pieces flat on a soft surface such as a folded towel or bath rug.
Note: Connector rings should be cleaned separately. DO NOT soak rings.
For heavy cleaning
Mix dishwashing liquid into a pail of hot water. With caps removed, submerge your glass parts into the water. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the breakdown of big tar/resin particles and layers of oil. Remove each piece individually and rinse with tap water. Continue to step next.
General cleaning
Mix equal parts of isopropyl alcohol and salt to get a cleaning solution.
Attach bottom cleaning caps to pieces that have bottom threads, such as mouthpieces and percolators (coming soon).
Fill solution into glass piece about 30-50% of the way and then seal openings.
For best results, cover/seal openings with VITAE cleaning caps and cleaning plugs as needed.
Ensure all openings are sealed, hold each end securely, and then shake glass piece in every direction.
Shake for a good 1-2 minutes or until desired dirt is all off.
Remove VITAE cleaning caps and plugs, then rinse out dirty water. Depending on the extent of dirt clog, refill glass piece with new solution and shake again. Repeat until glass is clean.
For stubborn particles, use a cleaning brush to manually scrub glass clean.
Rinse with hot water and then cold water to avoid fogging.
Lay out a towel/soft rug and places pieces out in sun to dry.
Lastly, dry with a soft cloth for the perfect finish.
PREVENTION TIP #2: Attaching an ash-catcher reduces the amount of residue build up in your glass piece.
Bowls and downstems
To clean your bowl and downstems, soak in a small container/bag with isopropyl alcohol for a few minutes, add salt, and then shake container/bag until the dirt starts to fall off. Clean remaining areas with the cleaning brush, rinse and then wipe dry.
We have found that Q-tips also do a fantastic job of cleaning your bowls if you do not have cleaning brushes.
Connector rings and cleaning caps
To clean your rings and caps, wipe the inside of the thread using a Q-tip dipped in isopropyl alcohol and then rinse with water.
Wipe piece dry immediately to avoid damaging the outside surface. (For filthy pieces, remove inner silicone gasket and clean with alcohol too; remember to insert it back afterwards.)
* Note: Never soak these pieces in water as doing so damages the external surface.
PREVENTION TIP #3: It is essential to clean and change the water in your glass piece regularly. For regular users, we recommend that you change your water at least once every two days and have fixed intervals for cleaning.
So there you have it, all the parts as clean as the day you got it.
Finally, pack yourself a fresh bowl and appreciate the ultimate smoking experience.
You deserved it.
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