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Have you ever taken a rip off a dirty glass bong?
It’s not fun and can ruin the experience of smoking your favorite strains.
Cleaning, well, it sucks too.
Today, I’ll show you the best bong cleaner brands, how to make the best homemade bong cleaner and a brief rundown on how to clean your bong.
Quick Top 5 Bong Cleaners:
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Table of Contents
The Best Bong Cleaner 2019
The best bong cleaner is Formula 420--you won't be disappointed.
Their cleaner is 10x better than alcohol and smells nice too.
Just mix the solution with some hot water, or throw it straight on your glass, and it obliterates the resin.
If you want an all in one solution, then you don’t even need to keep reading this is your cleaner.
It also works well when cleaning your resin clogged grinders.
Pros
- 10 times more effective a cleaner than alcohol, plus it doesn’t have the strong scent
- See results in ten minutes
Cons
- Little crystals in solution can get stuck in carb holes
It was hard not to put Grunge Off at the top of this list.
At the end of the day, Formula 420 won out, but you should know that it was just by a hair.
This product is awesome!
To get the most out of this clear, you need some of the Resolution Caps we’ll be talking about later (They ranked #7), but you don’t need them for this cleaner to be great.
You need to fill your glass beaker bong with Grunge Off and let it soak overnight.
No scrubbing or anything, you’re bong or dab rigs will just be good as new.
It’s bloody magic, man.
What’s best is this bong cleaner is REUSABLE—which is a quality I love in the best glass bong cleaner.
Now, it does lose its strength the more you use it, but hey, it’s more than we get out of most cleaners.
Pros
- No effort needed, just allow to soak overnight
- The cleaner is reusable
Cons
- Reusable cleaner loses potency over time
- May take off paint and logos
Now, is it a bong cleaner if it keeps your bong from ever getting dirty in the first place?
I’d say so!
RezBlock by 420 Science, is an all natural and organic drop that you put in your bong water to prevent resin build up from every occurring.
This stuff is made from nothing but Fruit extracts, vegetable glycerin, purified water and citric acid.
And to clean your bong, you’ll just have to rinse it out with water.
It does add a bit of a red tint to your bong water, but it doesn't affect the flavor at all.
It prevents any wax buildups too.
You only need a few drops to get good results so this little concentrated bottle will last you a long time.
Pros
- All-natural, made from fruit and plant extracts
- Makes it so have you to clean less
- Prevents wax buildup
Cons
- Water looks disgusting after you use it
Just a bit stronger than alcohol, this bong cleaner does a good job.
They claim immediate results, but I imagine with thicker resin it’s going to take some soaking time to get it clean.
If you’re looking for a cleaner that will work for the silicone bong that came with your gas mask bong, look elsewhere.
At this price for two bottles, it’s a great deal.
Pros
- Pleasant scent
- Safe for plastic, acrylic, and silicone
Cons
- Takes a long time to work
- Might need to use a brush rather than leaving to its own devices
Master Glass Bong Cleaner
This is a bong cleaner that will clean any of your pieces.
It doesn’t matter if it’s glass, ceramic, metal or acrylic this cleaner does it all.
Just apply the cleaner and let it work, you don’t even have to scrub anything!
This non-toxic formula will also take the resin smell from your bong.
This formula is better for pipes than bongs because you have to submerge the piece for it to work, so it takes a lot for a bigger bong.
Pros
- Cleans all types of piece
- Rinses easily
- Not as viscous as other cleaners
Cons
- Not the greatest for getting off gunk caused by dabs
Randy's Black Label Bong Cleaner is one of our favorites.
Works quick to eradicate resin, and can clean any of your bongs or bong accessories whether they’re glass, metal or ceramic.
It’s also a better deal than the other bong cleaners that have made the list so far—it’s almost half the cost of the nest cheapest one.
Randys is super easy to use too: just shake, soak and rinse.
This is the best cleaner for dab rigs.
It works great on concentrates, even in those crazy, hard to reach percs like a honeycomb perc.
Pros
- Really effective in cleaning waxy oil rigs
- Also works well on honeycomb percs
Cons
- Smells a bit like acetone or gasoline
I know you’re asking what the heck these are doing on a list of the best bong cleaners, and I get it.
But, these caps save you so much time and mess when you’re cleaning that they couldn’t be left out.
You can use these on most bongs (they’re universal) in conjunction with alcohol and salt or one of the bong cleaners mentioned in this list.
The liquid that’s left over after cleaning is disgusting.
The last thing you want is to spill that much all over the place!
Well, not only do the caps stop that from happening, but thanks to them you can vigorously shake your alcohol filled bong to get rid of that stubborn resin in its percolators.
As a bonus, you can use it to protect your carpet from bong water spills when you’re not smoking.
Pros
- Makes cleaning bongs so much easier
- Stops any water from spilling out
Cons
- Not all caps will fit like a glove
Kryptonite is a newer brand but it's making waves.
It’s even the only cleaner that’s passed Colorado Health and Safety Board’s tests.
It works great cleaning both your bong and dab rig.
You only need about 30 minutes for this cleaner to do its job—you don’t even have to shake anything.
Make sure not to use this on an acrylic bong, though.
It’s an alcohol-free cleaner, so you can expect that it’s a lot easier on your glass.
I like that it’s clear and there are no added colors.
Resin water is already dirty enough; we don’t need it to be any worse should we spill it all over the floor.
Pros
- Only cleaner to pass Colorado Health & Safety Tests
- Doesn’t have added colors some other cleaners
Cons
- Runs out quickly if you have large bongs
Are you looking for something to just clean your dab rig?
If so, the Formula 710 Cleaner, by the same people that brought us Formula 420, is one of the best.
It works quickly and takes all the smell of a dirty dab rig with it.
It works using patented AbrasivAction cleaning tech that works exactly how you’d think.
And thanks to it, you don’t have to soak your piece.
Just shake it a bit, and it’s good to go.
It’s a great dab cleaner but isn’t the best all around cleaner.
Pros
- Makers of reputable bong cleaner, Formula 420
- Good for dab cleaning
- No need to soak piece thanks to AbrasivAction technology
Cons
- Not the strongest cleaner on the list
This is another formula brought to us by Orange, that’s not quite as good as their Chronic cleaner.
While the Chronic is supposed to be a quick acting formula, this one is meant for soaking your pieces.
It works fine enough and is easy to use, but you don’t get as much for your dollar as the others on this list.
It’s also a nasty looking liquid before you even clean it so be sure not to spill any.
It doesn’t leave a taste behind on your glass and is Earth Friendly.
While it may not be the best bong cleaning solution, it's a great option for someone wanting a healthier cleaner.
Pros
- Easy to use, just soak your piece
- No bad taste left behind
Cons
- Not as good as their Chronic Cleaner
- Really ugly looking liquid
How Often Should You Clean Your Bong?
The frequency you clean your bong is going to depend on how much a nasty bong bothers you.
I know some smokers that clean it before every smoke session, and those that basically never do.
Like with everything, there’s a happy medium.
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After every few sessions or anytime you start to see resin build up, it’s ready to be cleaned.
Also, if you’re rips start to taste like resin or tar, it's time to clean your piece.
If you only smoke once in a blue moon, you might consider dumping out the water between each use.
The longer the water lingers, the more chance of bacterial infestation.
As we detail later, it can take only a day for a harmful buildup to occur.
If you use your bong every day, you’ll want to clean it at least every week.
This includes a good scrubbing using a healthy bong cleaning agent.
Use your sense of smell, taste and a quick visual to make your best judgment on the state of the bong water.
Click here If you never want to clean you bong, and you'd rather just buy a new one.
What is Wrong with a Dirty Bong?
There are three things wrong with a dirty bong:
- Smell
- Taste
- Contamination
Dirty bongs are ‘dirty’ because they have started to grow a little ecosystem of microorganisms.
Bacteria, fungi, mold, and other unwanted creatures have started making your bong their home.
The dark slime, green film, and grime are thriving on the leftover remnants of your smoking sessions.
This build-up is smelly, and before you notice anything else about a dirty bong, you’ll smell it.
When do you Known When It's Time to Bust Out the Best Bong Cleaner
If you smell something rank, it’s time for a cleaning.
You’ll also start to taste something 'off' with your smoke.
Dank, rotten, and gross.
No more notes of blueberries, pineapples, and pine.
Finally, the contamination factor is a big one.
Contamination, these little microorganisms, can just as quickly make your lungs their home as they can the bong.
A dirty, contaminated bong, leads to respiratory illness, including bronchitis.
What is Living in Your Dirty Bong?
If you think about it, bong water is a lot like a swamp.
Teeming with life, and full of organic plant material, all leftover from filtering the smoke.
What is living in your bong anyway?
The most common living organisms found in dirty water are bacteria, fungi, mold, and yeast.
Together, they grow into something called a biofilm.
Which is essentially a slimy thickness, floating on the surface of the water.
It takes as little as 24 hours for a biofilm to grow under the right conditions.
Some estimates say that the organisms that call biofilm home account for 80 percent of infectious diseases on the planet.
Here are a few of the most common creatures taking up space in your dirty bong:
- Streptococcus
- Flavobacterium
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Streptococcus
- Aspergillus
While some of these bacteria naturally occur inside and outside the human body, they can experience prolific growth if given a chance.
Your bong water is the chance they have been looking for.
Looking for a new bong? Check out this guide on the bongs under $100
What are the Dangers from Smoking Out of A Dirty Bong?
There is some serious health risk from smoking out of a bong filled with dirty, contaminated water.
Cannabis smoke is made up of incinerated organic material.
Even just smoking a joint moves this particulate into your lungs.
Usually, your body does an excellent job of cleaning it out, but over time, and with chronic use, any smoke leads to short-term respiratory issues.
With bong water, the risk of respiratory distress drastically increases because of the contaminates living in it.
Traveling with the smoke, these microorganisms move from the water into your body.
Your body, being a moist, humid and warm environment, makes the perfect place to spawn an infection.
Common illnesses triggered by dirty bong water include:
Bronchitis
Black mold infection
Fungus infection caused by Aspergillosis.
Myth Busting: Does Dirty Bong Water Make You Higher?
No.
Absolutely not.
Smoking out of a dirty bong changes the smoking experience, entirely.
But not for the better.
If you care about the taste and smells of cannabis, a dirty bong is going to diminish the nuanced flavors.
The smoke, when filtered through dirty water, takes on the flavors of that water.
Think rotting vegetation and mold.
If you think about the water like an air filter, it’s easy to see why a clean filter allows more particles to flow through it than a dirty one.
This means more cannabinoids, like THC, reach your lungs and your bloodstream.
If an air filter is clogged, aka dirty bong water, not as many beneficial particles are going to flow through.
The moral of the story is that the dirtier your bong, the less intense the experience.
Myth Busting: The Dirty Bong Water Shot
Does a dirty bong water shot exist?
Yes.
Is it really made out of dirty bong water?
No!
If you did decide to take a shot of dirty water, you’ll likely just make yourself sick.
Even if you do throw it up, you’ve let the microorganisms into your body.
In the right conditions, it could lead to some serious illnesses.
Do yourself a favor and don’t get the dirty bong cocktail up with the murky water in your bong.
For the real cocktail, you’ll need:
- 1 Part Melon Liqueur
- ½ Part Jagermeister
- 1 Part Orange Juice
- Shot glasses, and a bit of finesse to get the layers as your pour.
Here is the full recipe.
The Best Homemade Bong Cleaner
Before we look at the best solutions you can buy to keep your bong clean, I wanted to show you that you don’t need all the fancy stuff.
Instead, arguably the best way to clean your bong is with 99% ISO alcohol that you can pick up at the grocery store and some salt.
Coarse salt usually works better, but you can use any.
The cleaning process with this solution is super easy too.
Just fill your bong with the alcohol, add a good amount of salt and shake the crap out of it.
Just don’t forget to plug the holes while you shake it or, well, you know.
There are a few downsides to using alcohol, though.
Namely, the alcohol might not be strong enough to tackle thick resin, and it can get pretty messy.
Plus, the alcohol can wear your glass down because it’s so strong and rough on your glass so it might not be the best way to clean a bong.
Homemade Best Bong Cleaner with No Alcohol
Do you need your bong cleaned but don’t have any alcohol, or have the time to wait for your bong cleaner to arrive in the mail?
If so, then there are a couple of options available to you.
- First, one way is to boil your bong in water. After boiling it for awhile, don’t remove it until the water cools down. Rapidly cooling your hot glass can break your bong.
- Acetone (nail polish remover) does a great job cleaning your bong as well.
- If you have nothing else, you can go with warm water and salt, but it won’t do a great job.
Conclusion
Do you need to buy bong cleaner?
Probably, not.
Alcohol and salt work just fine.
And that’s why a few of our top bong cleaners were tools that worked hand in hand with alcohol.
I prefer to buy bong cleaner, however, because it makes the cleaning process easier and less messy.
If you prefer to buy it and want to support small businesses, check out the THCoverdose Headshop Guide to see who we recommend you buy from.
What do you think is the best bong cleaner? Or do you just use alcohol or maybe hot water?
Last update on 2021-03-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Hi Tony,
So which cleaner is best if I’m using a portable vaporizer made out of plastic such as the Crafty which is the best cleaner for that.
Thank you
Allan
So, for my vapes what I like to do is just use regular rubbing alcohol. I dip a Q-tip into the alcohol and scrub the chamber. Most of the cleaners here require you to soak the piece for them to work, so I don’t think you will need to get any of them. I am not familiar with the Crafty, but you should check out this video for more help on cleaning your vape: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htls6fr49No