Do you use silicone bongs? Do you want to know how to clean them? Silicone bongs are well-appreciated for their flexibility, affordability, durability, and look. However, there will be some cleaning requirements to boost the efficiency and durability of your bong.
You are here means you want to know about the cleaning methods. We will answer your queries and enable you to choose a safe and effective cleaning method. But before covering the cleaning methods, we will quickly look at the bong itself. First, we will know about the material, and then we can cover the cleaning procedures.
What Are Silicone Bongs?
Silicone bongs are bongs made of, well, silicone. However, the material combines carbon, oxygen, silicon, and hydrogen. All these things together create a synthesized polymer. It is available in two forms. Yes, the material might be plastic or liquid. Plastic will have similar properties to rubber. Hence, you can expect flexibility and malleability.
Silicone has two properties that make it the best choice for bongs. These two properties are low toxicity and high heat resistant ability. If your bong has less toxicity, you will not end up ingesting tons of chemicals while inhaling. High heat resistance will support your smoking as well.
Also, some silicone bongs feature a glass or metal bowl and a removable downstem. Both these will ensure efficient functionality. Besides, silicone bongs will last long with proper maintenance. However, if you avoid cleaning, your bong might release a nasty smell.
Worse can happen, and you can inhale the dirt and stale smoke. All these will impact your lungs. Hence, you will have to focus on regular cleaning.
Cleaning Silicone Bongs
You might not find bong cleaning easy, regardless of the material. However, silicone is a bit easier to maintain compared to other materials. Also, there will be many effective cleaning methods for this material. As silicone features high heat-resistant ability, you can clean it using your dishwasher. Yes, it is dishwasher safe.
Additionally, you can take your toothbrush or bottle brush and clean a silicone bong manually. Baking soda can be effective as well. However, you will have to dry it after washing it with baking soda. Silicone is porous, and it can harbor bacteria if you do not dry it up. Therefore, you will have to focus on regular cleaning and drying up to boost the functionality and efficiency of the end material.
Why Should You Use Silicone Bongs?
Silicone has numerous benefits. The material is durable and can be perfect for a clumsy smoker. It will not break even if you drop it. However, the glass will require more upkeep and might break without care. Another benefit of silicone is that it is lightweight. Hence, you will feel super comfortable while using a silicone bong. It will not require any effort to hold and inhale.
Also, silicone is highly heat resistant. You might not get this benefit from some other plastics. In addition, silicone bongs are available in many beautiful colors and designs. You will love the collection. The lightweight material and eye-catching designs make silicone a perfect companion during traveling. You can have this bong while exploring adventure and enjoy smoking whenever needed.
Apart from all these, silicone does not require a lot of maintenance. Also, silicone is more affordable than glass bongs. All these user-friendly features make silicone bongs the best choice for smokers.
When Should You Avoid Silicone Bongs?
Some silicone bongs lack percolators. Also, they do not feature other filtration systems. In that condition, you will feel that the device is straightforward. However, you might not find it the best choice if you are an avid smoker. Besides, you will have to check the quality and ingredients.
A safe option will not have chemicals like BPA. Also, you might find glass bongs more inspiring regarding appearance. But silicone tops the list for traveling. However, silicone is not transparent like glass. Hence, it might not be easy to know when cleaning is due.
In brief, you can avoid silicone bongs if you want a super appealing look and more filtration. However, silicone options will have many advanced features to take your smoking experience to the next level.
Easy Ways To Clean Silicone Bongs
You will find many easy and safe ways to clean silicone bongs. As mentioned earlier, you can use your dishwasher for cleaning. You can boil your bong as well. Here are some easy methods to clean silicone bongs.
Boil Your Bong
Yes, you can boil your bong and get the desired cleaning. Many people believe that they can damage silicone material with heat exposure. They think that the soft and flexible material will not withstand heat. However, silicone is sturdy and has a high heat-resistant ability. Hence, you can boil it for cleaning.
When you boil water, it reaches 212°F temperature. But, silicone will not melt with this temperature range. Manufacturers use food-grain silicone while making bongs. The food-grade silicone can resist 600°F temperature. It proves that silicone bongs will not melt during the boiling process.
However, you can expect proper cleaning. Boiling will kill the bacteria and address the stubborn smells of your bong. Yes, boiling is an easy, fast, and effective cleaning method. The best part is that it will kill all the bacteria.
Use Your Dishwasher
As your bong can withstand boiling, consider cleaning it in your dishwasher. Yes, the silicone material is dishwasher safe, and you can clean a bong in the dishwasher. Additionally, you can put a bong in your dishwasher for cleaning. Like the previous method, dishwashers are safe and effective for cleaning silicone bongs.
Also, instead of putting the bong as a whole, you can separate all the removable parts and put all the pieces in your dishwasher. The soap and hot water will remove all the dirt and bacteria from your bong. You will love the outcome.
Both boiling and dishwasher are effective ways to clean bongs. However, you can consider other alternatives if you do not want to use hot water. For example, you can use salt water, freeze it, alcohol, and vinegar for cleaning. You will find all the cleaning methods easy but helpful.
Alternatives To Hot Water
Boiling is the best way to clean silicone bongs. You will find it super easy. You can boil your bong to get the desired cleanliness. However, boiling might not be possible all the time. The same is about dishwashers. A dishwasher might not be available all the time. In these conditions, you can consider alternative cleaning methods.
There are many alternative cleaning procedures. More importantly, some might be available at your home. Hence, you do not need to explore outside. Here are a few alternatives you can consider. However, you will have to focus on regular cleaning. Otherwise, the dirt buildups can impact the efficiency and usability of your bong.
Specialty Cleaner
In the current market, you will find many cleaning solutions. Some might have properties to clean silicone bongs. You can go with them to find an easy cleaning solution for your bong. You will have to consider the ones made of silicone. All the materials are different and will have specific cleaning requirements. Hence, you must choose the right solution based on the bong material.
Rubbing Alcohol
Another effective cleaning solution is rubbing alcohol. If you do not have a specialty cleaner, you can use alcohol. It can remove smells, and it will address the residues as well. However, it would be best to take a few precautions while considering rubbing alcohol for cleaning. Otherwise, you might damage the material.
You can soak your silicone pipe in alcohol for cleaning. After this, you will have to rinse your device in water thoroughly. Also, allow it to dry up completely. Proper cleaning is a must after using rubbing alcohol. If there is any trace of alcohol in your bong, it might cause severe damage to your lungs after inhaling.
Besides, rubbing alcohol can start a fire and cause an accident during inhaling. Hence, you must focus on proper cleaning to avoid something unpredictable.
Salt Water
You can consider using salt water to clean your silicone bongs. However, it is not as effective as boiling and other cleaning methods. Instead, it will act as a gentle abrasive, and you can swirl the saltwater inside your silicone bong. The water will scrub away some stubborn residues.
Also, saltwater can be an ideal choice to address those hard-to-reach areas. Saltwater can be helpful in silicone and glass bongs. However, you cannot expect an optimal cleaning with salt water. You must combine it with other cleaning methods to maximize the benefits.
Freezing
The best thing about silicone material is that you can try different cleaning methods without damaging its integrity and efficiency. However, you cannot consider many cleaning methods for glass bongs. But freezing is an effective way to clean silicone bongs. All the credit goes to the flexibility of the end material.
Also, you will find the cleaning process super easy. You do not need to put your effort and energy into cleaning. Yes, you can keep your silicone bong in your freezer. After a few hours, you can remove it. You will see the frozen gunk on its side. You might be thinking about how to remove the gunk.
The silicone is flexible; you can bend the bong to force the frozen gunk out. Likewise, you can manipulate your bong to remove the gunk. Yes, it will help to clean residues. But it might not be helpful to remove the smell. It is the downside of this cleaning method. However, it is the best method to eliminate all the resin.
Vinegar
Another cleaning solution is vinegar. You might be aware of the beneficial cleaning properties of vinegar. Yes, it can support many cleaning activities. You can also use it to clean your silicone bongs. When it comes to cleaning, you must follow the same way as the alcohol. However, you can follow the same method with a simple change. You will have to replace rubbing alcohol with vinegar.
However, you can expect more benefits by adding baking soda to the vinegar. The baking soda will scrub the sides and clear all the resin. After cleaning, you must use water to rinse your bong thoroughly. Also, you will have to air dry your device completely, and then you can consider reusing it.
Things To Avoid While Cleaning Silicone Bongs
As stated above, silicone bongs are easy to clean, and you can use many things to clean this flexible material. However, you cannot use all the cleaning methods to clean silicone bongs. Some cleaning methods can impact the material and its durability. While cleaning any bong, you will have to follow a simple rule.
You should avoid using anything that can affect your lungs adversely. Alcohol and vinegar might come in that category. However, you can get rid of those residues with a thorough cleaning. If you find it impossible to remove the impact, you can avoid that cleaning method. Smoking will impact your lungs directly.
Hence, it is a must to go with safer options. Here are a few things you should avoid using in your cleaning solutions.
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Acetone
- Homemade 420 cleaner with unreliable ingredients
Some cleaning solutions use dangerous chemicals. You cannot use them to clean a device you use for smoking. If you inhale these chemicals, they might impact your lungs slowly. You might not notice any difference initially. However, long-term usage can cause severe damage.
Some harmful chemicals can cause immediate reactions and can be fatal as well. Hence, you should avoid using any cleaning solution without knowing the ingredients.
Conclusion
You will have many easy and fast solutions to clean your silicone bongs. However, it is better to go with safer and more effective ways. Also, you can consider regular cleaning to avoid inhaling stale smoke. Cleaning will boost the efficiency of your bong. After cleaning, your smoke will feel refreshed like a new bong.
