There isn’t a better feeling than taking a deep inhale from your pristine glass spoon pipe, all the flavors of your dry herb are fully experienced and there is no risk of that pesky “ash blast” that can sometimes sully your draw.

Now fast forward a few months.

Your pipe is caked in resin, the once clear glass is shrouded in filth and every hit tastes like the same old, brown dry herb as before. What happened? How did you get to this point? And more importantly, how can you get your spoon pipe back to its glory days?

What have you done?!

There are a few different ways to clean a glass spoon pipe so we’re going to go through the most tried and true methods that have stood the test of time. It should be noted none of these methods is particularly “better” than the others, some people just like to clean things a certain way.

Soak Based Method

This is one of the more classic ways to clean a glass spoon pipe. All you need to make an effective homemade cleaning solution is salt and isopropyl rubbing alcohol. The salt can be regular table salt or rock salt, but the isopropyl alcohol should be 90% alcohol or more to ensure a thorough cleaning. Your local corner store should have both of these readily available. Grab a bowl and add the isopropyl alcohol and salt to the point where your glass spoon pipe will be fully submerged. From here you just let your piece soak; the longer it soaks the cleaner it will get, but if you’re in a time crunch 1 hour of soak time will get the job done (filth level permitting).

It looks gross, but it’s working

Once you’ve taken the spoon pipe out of its solution give it a gentle shake to remove all of the liquid; an extra tap on the counter will help to dislodge any pesky resin that might be still stuck inside. If there is a particular spot that isn’t getting clean take a pipe cleaner or q-tip soaked in isopropyl alcohol and scrub the problem area manually. The more often you clean your spoon pipe the less you’ll have to spot clean after the initial soak.

Once you’re satisfied with the cleanliness level of your glass spoon pipe rinse it with hot water to remove any remaining isopropyl alcohol solution, then rinse with cold water to prevent any fogging. Let your piece fully dry before use and once that is done your pipe is back to full health.

Shake Based Method

The shake method is the fastest way to clean your glass spoon pipe. First make sure any loose dry herb or resin chunks are removed, a light tap on the counter or against your hand into the trash can will get rid of any large chunks. Similar to the soak based method, mix up a solution of isopropyl alcohol and salt. After you’ve concocted your solution fill your spoon pipe a little more than halfway with the liquid making sure all holes are covered.

After you’ve covered any potential leak spots, shake your solution-filled spoon pipe vigorously but be careful to not go full out and risk losing your grip and hurling your spoon pipe across the room. It is also wise to avoid shaking your pipe around any hard surfaces that could break it or near any fabrics that could be stained by the dirty solution that could potentially leak out. As your shaking your pipe the solution should be able to break up resin, shake for around 3 minutes and then empty the pipe in your sink while you run hot water (this helps with smell).

A quick rinse will help with smell 

You might have to refill the pipe with the solution if you’re dealing with a particularly dirty spoon pipe. Do this as many times as needed until you’re satisfied. Much like soak based method, there might be problem areas that need spot cleaning. Address these as needed and let your pipe dry. Then you’re good to go.

Conclusion

If all goes well, this will be your final result 

Don’t feel bad if you’ve got a dirty glass spoon pipe, we’ve all been there. If your pipe needs some TLC, give it a soak or a shake and watch the resin melt away to bring your spoon pipe back to its glory days. A clean pipe means a better session. So take some time every week or so to ensure your glass spoon pipe is performing at its full potential.