How To Clean a Bong: A Complete Guide to Getting Your Glass to Gleam Again

Does your bong water look like it’s growing its own ecosystem? Is there moss creeping up the glass and tadpoles swimming around? It’s probably time to clean it. 

Hopefully, your bong doesn’t actually have amphibians swimming around in it, but they can look nasty pretty quick if you’re not careful. First off, I want to let you know that this is a judgment-free zone. There will be no dirty-bong shaming, because I’ve been there. 

Changing the water is a chore; cleaning it is an even bigger chore. But hey, you deserve to have healthy lungs, clean bong water, and smooth rips. So this is your total guide to cleaning a bong so you’re hitting fresh water, not funky water. 

Yes, You Definitely HAVE to Clean Your Bong

Like I said, changing the water can be annoying, but that’s not enough. You should routinely clean your bong properly. Otherwise, you can inhale mold spores and bacteria. The last thing you want is to take a big rip of E. coli. Even without the nasty bacteria, the mold can cause infections like pneumonia and bronchitis. 

So, yeah, you gotta do it. Sorry.

Step-by-Step for Cleaning a Glass or Silicone Bong

This is my main bong, her name is FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D, so put some respect on her name. As you can see, she is a bit dirty right now. We’re gonna fix that.

To start, I’m going to tell you how to clean a typical bong with isopropyl alcohol and salt. Make sure the alcohol is 91% isopropyl or higher, and make sure the salt is coarse and from the sea. 

Take Your Baby Apart

Remove the bowl, downstem, and any other parts that can come out of the bong. This process is for a typical bong, so if you have some wildly fancy one shaped like SpongeBob with extra pieces, that’s a different situation. Most of you will just have the bowl and downstem. 

Once the pieces are out, rinse the bong as thoroughly as you possibly can in super-hot water. If you have very thin glass (you should buy a sturdier bong), use warm water. Rinse a few times to get any loose crud out. 

Fill Her Up With Alcohol

Next, pour alcohol in until the base is half full. Use most, but not all, of your alcohol. Do the same with percolators or other chambers of the bong that hold water or get moist. These are the parts that are most likely to grow mold and bacteria.

If you’re low on alcohol or just being stingy, you can mix your alcohol with hot water, but the more you dilute it, the less effective it’ll be.

Add Enough Salt to Rival the Sea

Pour in a hefty serving of sea salt. Start with one tablespoon, and maybe add one or two more if necessary. You can always add more later. 

Soak Everything

Rinse off your downstem and bowl with hot water. Be gentle, but try to remove as much resin as you can. 

Fill two plastic/glass bowls, or two plastic bags, with the remaining alcohol. Pour in the rest of your salt. Put your bowl and downstem into separate bags to soak. 

If your bong has a thick layer of stubborn resin, I recommend letting it sit and soak for a while. You can leave it for 30 minutes, or let it sit for a few hours to really break down the stickiness. Move on to the next step when the soaking is done.

Seal All the Openings So There’s No Escape

Seal all openings on your bong by plugging them with plastic bags and/or towels that you don’t care about getting dirty. This is how I like to do it, but feel free to get creative with how you close up these openings. Some people are wild and just use their hands to block them. I’ve seen others use rubber gloves to cover the openings.

You can also find handy products designed for this purpose, like the Blazy Susan Resin Blaster Silicone Caps. I’ve fallen in love with these, and they genuinely work like magic — no leaks.

Shake It Like a Polaroid Picture (Hey Ya)

Shake the bong aggressively. Shake it like Outkast just told you to. Shake it like you have bills to pay. 

Don’t be shy here. Shake it for as long as you can, from different angles and in different motions. Dance around the kitchen if you have to. Just be sure you’re holding onto the bong as tight as a motherfucker and don’t stand near breakable items, like expensive chandeliers or sentimental vases. 

No matter what, you’ll have to do some shaking. But the Blazy Susan Magnetic Resin Blaster makes shit a lot easier. It’s a tiny scrubber with a magnet, so you drop it in your bong and use the other magnet to move it around. It’s the most satisfying thing for every stoner that has ever wished they could just contort their hands to fit inside their bong and clean it from the inside. This isn’t a hype post for Blazy Susan; they just have good bong-cleaning products.

Rinse and Rinse (and Maybe Repeat)

When your shake session is over, rinse the bong out with hot water again. Flush it out a few times until the water runs clear. When you’re done, you shouldn’t be able to see any salt or resin, and you shouldn’t smell any alcohol when you sniff the bong. 

If the bong is still dirtier than you’d like, repeat all the steps above again. Sorry, I know that’s not fun.

Clean the Other Bong Bits and Bobs

Now, you just have to finish up with the bowl and downstem. Shake them in bags and then rinse them with hot water. If there’s still resin, scrub it out with pipe cleaners, chopsticks, or cotton swabs.

Here she is in all her clean glory!

If You Don’t Want to Use Salt and Alcohol…

If, for some reason, you HATE my method, there are other ones you can try. I’ve tried many substances, and salt and alcohol have always been the most effective for me. But what do I know? I’m just VICE’s authority on cannabis! No, it’s fine. I’ll give you other options:

Dish Soap and Warm Water: Great if your bong needs a lighter clean or you want to avoid abrasive cleaners

Vinegar and Baking Soda: A classic cleaning duo that can help more bongs too dirty for dish soap but not dirty enough for isopropyl

Boiling: I’m not brave enough to try this on my precious bongs, but some people pour boiling water into loosen up stubborn resin — my bongs are durable, but this still scares me

Freezing: You can also put your empty bong in the freezer to make resin easier to remove, as it’ll chip off once it’s frozen (I’m not brave enough to do this one either)

Commercial Cleaners: Meh, I’ve tried them, and they can be helpful; I prefer alcohol, but I know some people swear by 420 Cleaner

Commercial Tools: I definitely recommend bong cleaning tools if you have the extra money, because they make the process much easier, like the Blazy Susan ones mentioned above and listed below

FAQs

How often should I change my bong water?

At least once a day, but once every session or even every bowl is better.

How often should I clean my bong?

Depends on how much you toke, but once a week is a solid rule of thumb.

How can I tell if my bong is dirty?

Uuuuhhhh, it’s pretty obvious. If your bong isn’t see-through to some degree, let’s just assume it’s dirty and give it a good clean.

Can I have my bong professionally cleaned?

Yes! You can send me your bong, and I will clean it for the low, low price of $1,000. Or you can find local head shops and smoke shops that offer the service. You could also check Reddit and other communities to see if there’s anyone in your area who does that. 

Need a Bong to Make Dirty?

Here are some fabulous options: