I smoke the older boys so I always put the pipe cleaners that I get from Shaintiques down the stem. I wipe the bowls out with a pipe cleaner after doing the stem and then I de-coke the bowls once every other month. It seems to have worked for me for years but always be on the look out for dimples in the bowl or dark spots out side as thats an indication of over reaming and we are not talking about the wife here!