Clean a Bowl or Chillum

Bowls, used for smoking tobacco or other plant materials, need to be cleaned regularly for them to continue to function properly. The bowl is the portion of the pipe that holds the herb of choice. The mouthpiece is the piece that the smoker inhales through and the tube is the connection between the bowl and the mouthpiece. "Pipe" refers to the entire smoking implement.

Steps

Using a Pipe Cleaner

  1. Remove any debris or resin from the bowl. Use a toothpick or similar implement, such as a paperclip. Tap the debris out after each pass.
  2. Run a pipe-cleaner through the length of the tube several times. A pipe cleaner (a Q-Tips also works well) has small bristles attached to a bendable rod, making it easier to get through the nooks and crannies of various pipes.
  3. Run water through the tube in both directions. If you cup your hand around the faucet and the bowl (or mouthpiece), it will increase the pressure along with the speed of the water flowing through it.
  4. Again, run a pipe-cleaner through the length of the tube, several times.
  5. Run a bit of water through the tube again.
  6. Submerge the pipe entirely in isopropyl alcohol for several hours. Isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol, is a solvent, meaning that is dissolves other compounds. And as far as other solvents are concern, rubbing alcohol is relatively safe and evaporates quickly.
  7. Run some water through the tube. Make sure there isn't any remaining alcohol left in the pipe.
  8. Allow the entire pipe to dry off. Wipe off the outside of the pipe and place it somewhere to air-dry, preferably where there is sunlight.

Boiling Water

  1. Use the boiling water method only on glass bowls. Boiling a wooden, clay, or plastic bowl or chillum could result in deformation or discoloration. Be sure that your bowl is glass before proceeding with this method.
  2. Pick a cooking pot that you don't normally cook with. If the resin or plant matter on your pipe gets stuck on the pot, it could be hard to remove. Choose a pot that you wouldn't mind losing, just to be safe.
  3. Fill your pot halfway full with warm water and place the bowl or pipe inside.
    • You don't want to risk breaking the pipe or bowl by dropping it into the boiling water and accidentally shattering it.
  4. Turn your burner on to medium and allow the water to boil. Leave for 5 to 10 minutes.
  5. After 10 minutes, take the pot off the burner and discard the water. You don't want the water to get increasingly dirty or resinous. Be sure that the pipe or bowl is secure when you discard the old water.
  6. Fill the pot up with water again and bring to a boil again. Allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat the discarding and refilling process as necessary, one or two more times.
  7. Allow the pipe to cool down sufficiently after it is fully cleaned.
  8. Take care when using boiling water clean a pipe or bowl.
    • Always handle the pipe itself with caution, especially after it has come from boiling water. Glass conducts heat very well, meaning that it's likely to be very hot.
    • Be careful when you discard old water and refill the pot. To stay on the safe side, temporarily remove the pipe or bowl with tongs and then place it back in the pot when the water has been changed.

Tips

  • High concentration alcohol can be found at most pharmacies.
  • Acetone (available from most hardware stores in the paint section) can be used in place of alcohol, and is probably more effective. It is harsher on the skin than alcohol, however, and is also more flammable.
  • Other hardware store solvents (xylene, paint thinner, and MEK) should be avoided, as they take longer to evaporate, may leave hazardous residue, and are generally more toxic.
  • When boiling your glass bowl, place a small hand towel in the pot to reduce the risk of the bowl breaking.

Warnings

  • Do not drink the liquid when finished.
  • Alcohol must not be used on polycarbonate plastic, as it will result in cracking.
  • Do not boil glass bowls! This can cause cracks to form wherever the bowl touched the surface of the pot, eventually destroying the bowl.
  • This article was written and intended for glass and ceramic bowls only. These steps may or may not damage metal pipes, or pipes with other materials in or on them.
  • Acetone must not be used on plastic, as it will attack most plastics.

Things You'll Need

  • A bowl or chillum
  • Isopropyl (rubbing, antiseptic) alcohol.
  • Something to hold the pipe and alcohol, such as a glass or cup
  • A few hours time.
  • pipe-cleaners
  • toothpicks

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Sources and Citations

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