Cannabis advice: How do I clean a bong?

cannabis-advice:-how-do-i-clean-a-bong?

Twice a month, American comedian, musician, writer, actor, activist, juggler, and publisher Ngaio Bealumā€”host of the Netflix show Cooking on High and trivia app Daily Bonfireā€”answers Leafly reader questions on cannabis, regarding personal use, family, community, state, and country. After a stressful election, itā€™s time to clean up, and that includes the old bong.


Question:

Dear, Ngaio,

What is your glass pipe and bong cleaning regimen? Some peopleā€™s glass is NASTY.

ā€”Roz N. Tarr

Answer:

Roz,

You got that right. And no one wants to place their mouth on someoneā€™s nasty glass. Gross.

Iā€™m a simple man, Roz. All I need is some isopropyl alcohol (at least 70%; 90% is even better), a little table salt, and some elbow grease. Isopropyl alcohol should be easy enough to find, now that the hoarding has passed, or you can find some bong-specific cleaners online or at the local head shop.

Hereā€™s how to clean a bong:

  1. Pour some salt and alcohol into your piece.
  2. Plug the holes.
  3. Shake it like a Polaroid picture. The iso and salt should dissolve and scrub away most of your guck and grime.
  4. Use a pipe cleaner if you have to get into some nooks and crannies.
  5. Rinse your piece with warm water, air dry, and you should be good to go.

We double-checked our method with a sanitation expert, too. ā€œI think that is a relatively safe suggestion,ā€ said Josh Wurzer, SC Labs president and co-founder. ā€œIn a pinch, ethanol would work as well. I use acetone, as it works far better than anything else, but it is a little gnarly for the amateur. If you donā€™t rinse properly itā€™s going to hurt your lungs.ā€

Lastly, if you arenā€™t in a hurry, you can just soak your piece in some alcohol overnight or for a few days, and then give it a rinse. Have fun! And remember to change your bong water every day, or even every few hours if you smoke all day.

Peace, Ngaio


Question:

Dear, Ngaio,

Weed salads: Are they good? My homie is devoutly anti-salad. He says that the terp combos can be overwhelming, but I love an expertly paired blend. This Sunday it was Papaya Punch + Squirt for bluntch. Thoughts?

ā€”Mina JaVerde

Answer

Dear, Mina,
I personally love a good mix: whether itā€™s an old school thing, like, everyone throwing a nug into the pile to roll a fat ā€œstoned soupā€ doobie; or meticulously picking the perfect strains and flavors to make a restaurant-quality, ā€œmedley of fall terps, wrapped with natural hempā€ fancy-pants joint, er, pre-roll.

ā€œThe goal is to create a flavor greater than the sum of its parts.ā€

ā€”Ngaio Bealum, on weed salads

Blending different cannabis strains is just like blending wines: The goal is to create a flavor greater than the sum of its parts. Blends are actually showing up in the commercial market these days, with companies like Perfect Blends creating pre-rolls geared to create specific effects like sleepiness or the giggles.

I would say that your homie is missing out on some good flavors and effects and should maybe be hella mindful when um, tossing a salad.

Try mixing a high-CBD strain with something containing a bunch of pinene for an ā€œactive, but not anxiousā€ sort of feel.

I also like to roll one with the strains lined up instead of mixed, so I can try to tell when the flavors change. But hey, if your friend doesnā€™t want to mix his weeds together, thereā€™s no shame. Just more for us.

Best, Ngaio

Whatā€™s your favorite pipe-cleaning regimen? Favorite strain blend? Comment below. email an advice question to AskNgaio@Leafly.com

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