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Since the downstem of a bong is located closest to the bowl, it traps a lot of sticky resins and can clog up quickly. Regular cleaning of your downstem is recommended to ensure a great smoking experience every time. In this article, I will show you a simple way of cleaning a downstem.
The following items are needed:
90% isopropyl alcohol; or cleaning solution
Coarse/Fine salts
Medium-large Ziploc bag
Pipe cleaner
1) Soak the downstem
Fill the ziploc bag or food container with iso+salt solution. Submerge the downstem for an hour. This allows resins to break down for easy cleaning later on.
Other options:
Consider replacing regular tap water with formulated water such as Resolution. It keeps your downstem and bongs as clean as the day you bought them.
2. Brush & scrub downstem
Use a small brush and scrub off any stubborn resins left on the inner and outer downstem walls.
3. Rinse and dry
Rinse downstem thoroughly with hot water to clean out the remaining dirt and alcohol. Let it be completely dry before inserting the downstem back to the bong.
Bonus: It might worth investing in a pair of cleaning gloves as it has a better grip when cleaning the glass.
Bong Water alternatives
Lastly, for future smoke sessions, also consider substituting regular tap water with scientifically formulated bong waters like Piece Water® Solution, or Toke Tonic.
These bong water alternatives are a great way to not only cut down on the resin buildup in your glass bongs but also enhance your overall cannabis smoke experience. Now that the downstem is clean. Let’s briefly talk about why do we need to clean the downstem?
When resin builds up inside the downstem, it starts to decrease the number of bubbles and the hits would not as be as smooth. There is a chance that the downstem will get stuck in a bong. It is a frustrating experience.
Looking for a smoother, durable, and healthier bong? VITAE Glass is perfect for you. It is designed especially for daily and busy smokers.
Check out our other popular blogs:
Best Places to Smoke in Los Angeles
Can You Put Your Bong In the Dishwasher?
Best Places to Smoke in San Francisco
This article is written by Ashton Leow, a cannabis and soccer enthusiast
