How to Clean a Bubbler

As the marijuana industry continues to be legalized across the country, more and more users are learning how to properly utilize this drug. There are various ways to intake marijuana. Some of the more popular methods include rolling joints, eating foods laced with the drug, and using a water pipe to inhale the smoke. Water pipes tend to go by the name bong or bubbler, depending on the slang used in your area.

 

What Is A Bubbler?

A bubbler or bong is simply a portable water pipe that allows for smooth hits and easy use. It's important to really understand what the differences are between the bubbler and the other types of water pipes before you try to clean your device. Your basic bubbler features a chamber, stem, bowl, and mouthpiece. More exotic bubblers may accent carb holes and percolators to assist in creating an even smoother hit.

 

 

What Styles Are Available?

There are many different styles of bubblers available for purchase from the headshop. For example, there is a hammer bubbler, a pendant bubbler, and a double bubbler. These feature different shapes and colors that can set your bubbler device apart from others. The cleaning process for these bubblers is going to be relatively the same. However, realize that you may have to make slight modifications to the cleaning process listed below depending on the sizes and shapes of your own bubbler device.

 

The Most Common Bubbler Parts

As we noted above, there are a few common parts that come with all bubblers. There are also some add-on parts that can be purchased to make your hits even smoother. Below, we're going to review the main parts so you cannot only identify them on your own bubbler, but you can also understand how they operate in your device.

Bowl - The bowl is going to be the spherical attachment of your bubbler. This is where you insert the dry herb. You can easily remove these bowls for cleaning and some even have a slide carb function to alter the smoothness of your hit.

Stem - The stem of your bubbler is identified as the small tube where the smoke travels from the bowl to the water. Don't get this confused with the chamber or tube. The stem is situated before the water, not after.

Chamber - This can also be referred to as the tube. The chamber is the part that fills with smoke. This smoke fills the chamber after it has gone through the water.

Mouthpiece - Lastly, we have the mouthpiece. This connects to the end of the chamber or tube. It's where you physically will be putting your lips when inhaling a hit from your headshop bubbler.

The Step-By-Step Cleaning Process

All water bongs are generally cleaned using the same method. Depending on the type of bubbler you have, your cleaning process may vary slightly. It's time to get your water pipe out and start following the steps laid out for you below.

Step 1:You want to start with a regular sized Ziploc bag. Fill the bag at least halfway full with rubbing alcohol. You may want to crack a window because it can get quite overwhelming. Next, mix in some salt to your Ziploc bag and set the bag aside.

Step 2: Now, it's time to pull out your stem and bowl. You want to pour salt in the stem and in the bowl. Realize that you don't want to completely block the passageway in either device. Simply pour a good amount of salt in both of them where liquid can still get through.

Step 3: You want to put your bowl directly into the Ziploc bag. Take your time and shake the bowl for about a minute in the solution. Remove the bowl from your Ziploc bag and wash it off with hot water. Repeat this process for the stem.

Step 4: At this point, your bowl and stem should be completely cleaned and have no residue. Now, it's time to clean the actual chamber and mouthpiece. You'll need to enlist the help of a good pipe cleaning brush or a box of q-tips. Take your time and utilize the salt and rubbing alcohol solution to completely eliminate all the stuck on marijuana residue.

Step 5: Take a dry cloth or paper towels and hand dry all of the parts of your water pipe. Realize that there are some areas that you just aren't going to be able to get your fingers into to dry out completely. For these parts, simply let them sit out on a towel and air dry.

 

General Care Tips For Your Bubbler

Now that you know how to properly clean your bubbler, you should do it often. If you are a heavy water pipe user, this may mean once a week. If you are a more casual user, this could mean every couple of weeks. Just make it a regular practice to clean out your bubbler as it will make every sequential cleaning process easier and easier as there won't be hard residue to clean. Finding the motivation to clean your pipe on a regular basis can be tough. It's one of those things that it really doesn't seem overly important. However, realize that the first hit off of a clean pipe is one of the best. It's much smoother than a hit on a water pipe that hasn't been cleaned