Hookah Pipe Cleaning – Clean those Pipes!
What’s up smokers! Your hookah is an important part of your life, if you haven’t been able to tell from our name, it’s an important part of ours too! So one of the things that we often see people talk about and get wrong is how to clean your hookah properly and how often. So we are going to clear that up for you right away!
First things first, clean your hookah every time after you use it. Some people will say it will degrade your hookah faster and cause you to need a new one. News Flash: It’s your lungs and your body. The hookah will always be cheaper than the medication from when you smoked in a swarm of bacteria, take this seriously.
First things first, check what kind of hose you have and find a proper and easy way actually to clean it. You want to detach the hose and blow through it first so if any foreign objects are obstructing the path we can blow that right out. Next, you will want to rinse the hose thoroughly so that anything that is clinging can be rushed out.
Now the hose is essentially a fabric wound around a coil that escorts the heat. So you have metal transferring heat and gas to a spout that houses someone's mouth. Unless you use disposable or interchangeable mouthpieces all the time, you need to do more than that.
First, take a Lysol wipe and clean the mouthpiece and the exterior, it doesn’t hurt to be thorough.
Cleaning the hose is difficult for two reasons
1. Every hose cleaner out there sucks, it’s just too hard because the hose is strong. 2. Nobody knows what to clean, and nobody is willing to invest the time to do it right and learn it right.
So we will need a cleaning solution that works for the material and the bacterium that might be present. Spoiler alert: Lemon will not cut it. You need a mild antibacterial solution that isn’t harmful to the skin, and I’m not a fan of brand name dropping, but I prefer using Mrs. Myers for this because it’s natural and right for personal inhalation.
So what we will need to do is not try and do it all in one go. You will want to thread the pipe cleaner through one side and then the other side and hope there are no dark spots that go untouched. Rinse and hang upside down to dry.
Personally, I think the hose is the hardest part because it’s the one that is in the most state of flux, and it is also the most difficult to work with. I recommend using natural cleaners that incorporate lemon without being exclusively lemons because you’re also going to inhale what you choose to clean it with directly. Even antibacterial stuff is bad for you. Next, I am a fan of soaking all the parts together.
For this I like putting all the little pieces in an antibacterial solution, take your pick. But it has to be antibacterial and advertise as such. We want harsher chemicals for these places that are farther away from us. Let soak for about fifteen minutes at the least. This ensures that whatever is there has been submerged and impacted by the soap.
Finally, the stem. First things first, if you only use lemon, you are endangering your lungs, buy a cleaning product, like Mrs. Meyers and do it right.
Then, for the most part, the stem is pretty close to the hose except I think pipe cleaners work easier with it. Rinse, scrub with the cleaning product, rinse again and hang out to dry. If you want some advice, there are some pretty cool hangers you can get that will support the weight of the stem.
Note: I hate Bar Rescue, this video is owned by Spike. Just watch the first like 10 seconds.
You will want to let them air dry, preferably upside down. The stem and the hose should be hung with a towel below for catching the water and not ruining your floor.
For the littler parts, once they’re done soaking, rinse them out thoroughly and then dry them and hang them out like you would the dishes. Make sure to angle the bowl so that air can escape otherwise you are trapping moisture in an enclosed, temperate space, which is how you get bacteria in the first place.
PROTIPS: I have two tips that I swear by. Dehumidifier. Keep the air below humid, and they will dry more efficiently and quicker. Also it’s good for your room. The second tip, if you can get your hands on a silica gel, stick it in the bowl when it is drying. The gel is used to keep packaging such as jerky and dry goods dry. It will help keep your bowl dry, just make sure to dispose of it AFTER it is done drying because it is toxic and it will kill you if eaten.
If you have any questions about the process, see us at the store or give us a call at 954-399-8558
