Bongs have always been one of the most popular ways to smoke weed. These varied and beautiful things have existed for a ridiculous amount of time. They are tried and tested, they work like a dream, and they get you real high. However, before you start using one you might need to learn everything about how to use, clean, look after and generally maintain your equipment. Smoking out of an unclean bong can be really bad for your lungs and if you aren’t using your bong properly you probably won’t get everything you could out of it. So let’s have a quick overview of proper bong use and maintenance so you can get as high as possible as healthily as possible. Well no because edibles and vapes exist but I like the way it reads.
Bong Use
If you are a total beginner we are going to start with how to set your bong up so don’t you worry. Bongs have a few different bits to them that all need to come together to work properly.
- The Chamber
- The Bowl
- The Mouthpiece
- The Downstem
Most of these are pretty self-explanatory but let’s just have a go over them anyway. The chamber is where the smoke collects, the bowl is where you put the weed or weed and tobacco mix, the mouthpiece is where you put your mouth, and the downstem is the tube attached to the bowl that allows the smoke to travel into the chamber.
So first you need to get everything ready to go. Take out the downstem and through that hole fill your bong with water. Not to the top mind, usually just an inch or so above where the downstem will go. You can also pour into the mouth piece depending on the style of bong or just what you prefer. Take a practice pull without lighting anything and the water should bubble but not splash you. The last thing you want is used bong water to splash your mouth. That’s gross.
Next let’s set up the bowl. Make sure your bowl is sparkling clean then grind up your weed and if you like you can mix with tobacco. Pop some of your weed or mix into the bowl but don’t pack it tight. It won’t burn well and will more likely than not just fall out.
The next bit is inhaling which depends on the style of bong you have. Some bongs have a hole in the back and some don’t. When smoking you should press your lips to the mouthpiece and if there is a hole cover that before lighting. Light your bowl, inhale slowly and stop lighting when you are happy with this smoke. As you inhale the contents of the chamber either uncover the hole or pull out the downstem and bowl. This will allow you to just inhale the smoke without the vacuum you’ve created pulling more through.
If you cough the first time do not worry, it’s very normal if you’re not used to taking in that much smoke at once. Hopefully this quick guide will have you smoking a bong like a champ in no time.
Maintenance
This next bit is just as important as learning how to use the bong, you need to know how to look after it. If you’re anything like me you may have seen a few filthy looking bongs around parties or friend’s flats in your time. That’s not how it should be, just remember that.
Why Is Cleaning Important?
Literally everything that’s in the bong when it’s smoked will go into our lungs. This can go from just being a bit gross, inhaling dirt and old smoke with your weed, to genuinely dangerous. This is especially true if you let water stand in your bong because standing water can lead to serious health issues, horrifying bacteria, and even legionnaires disease if it’s left long enough. You’re already inhaling some unwise things as far as your health is concerned, try not to make things worse.
How Do I Know When To Clean My Bong?
The fastest way to tell is if a ring starts to form along the waterline inside the bong. This means the water is dirty enough to leave residue and it needs to be changed. You can also have a look into your bowl before you pack it and just see how clogged or dirty it is. Use a hairpin or something similar to scrape out the nastiness and give it a little wash before using again. Experts say you should clean your bong at least once a week, whether or not you use it often. Bacteria forms over time so even if your bong doesn’t seem that dirty it’s best to just clean it.
How To Clean A Bong
Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as just changing the water and rinsing your bowl. The first step is definitely to get the nasty water out and give the whole thing a good rinse and flush out with clean warm water. Next we are going to need a cleaning solution and there are plenty that you can buy specifically for bong use. Literally just google it and you can get a litre of the stuff for like £9, or other measurements and currencies I assume.
Cover up all of your openings, I mean the bongs openings, then give it a good old shake with the cleaner inside. The point of this is to strip off old resin and any other nasty bits.
Leave it to sit for just a little while, maybe 15 minutes or so.
If you need to you can use a pipe brush to get the really stuck on bits, but if you’re doing this weekly you should be fine with just the solution.
Pour out the solution, give it a really good rinse, and pop in your fresh water.
As far as other bits are concerned just use your pipe brush or similar to have a good scrub through the bowl and the downstem to make sure nothing is lurking. After the scrub just give them a good rinse with warm water and you should have a sparkly clean bong ready to go.
Written by Tasha Porritt
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