Homemade Clean and Cure?

[sagepipe]

As I was using my Pipemaster's Clean and Cure one day, it occurred to me that it looked and smelled just like menthol alcohol available at any drug store. Does anyone have advice on making a homemade clean and cure solution? My general thought is cutting menthol alcohol with a bit of distilled water... Any advice, hints or tricks from others?

 

[dmcmtk]

For cleaning the airway and stem airway, 90% isopropyl alcohol, you can find it in just about any market. And of course......pipe cleaners.

 

[wolfe64]

I have a bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol that I use with pipe cleaners.

Does the bottle of Clean and Cure have a list of ingredients on the label ?
Mark

 

[sagepipe]

No ingredients on the label...

 

[papipeguy]

I use Everclear to clean pipes....and just about everything. Cheap enough and lasts forever.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Everclear here too.

 

[spartanfan]

I use Everclear. High enough proof so is dissolves the nasty stuff.

 

[ejames]

As I was using my Pipemaster's Clean and Cure one day, it occurred to me that it looked and smelled just like menthol alcohol available at any drug store. Does anyone have advice on making a homemade clean and cure solution? My general thought is cutting menthol alcohol with a bit of distilled water... Any advice, hints or tricks from others?

If you try this I wouldn't cut it with water. I'd use 91% Iso. alcohol or high test booze such as Everclear.

 

[derfatdutchman]

Another vote for Everclear, I'm always leery of using something that is not potable.

 

[jmill208]

Another vote for Everclear, I'm always leery of using something that is not potable.

And, you have the added benefit of being able to spill some over your lips on occasion if you wish....

 

[brass]

Or you could use scotch or rum. May take an extra cleaner or two but you have a better flavor when the pipe is first lit. Iso seems to leave a bit of an after taste for me. But really, it all disappers in the first third of a bowl.

 

[phil67]

Most definitely Everclear, or any 151 proof or higher straight grain alcohol. I personally use Spirytus Wesoly as it's a tad cheaper than Everclear and basically the same thing and has hardly any smell whatsoever. As for isopropyl alcohol I hate the damn stuff due to it's smell and only use it as a medical disinfectant for cuts and such.

 

[scrooge]

Diddo; everclear

 

[mcitinner1]

I found another 190 proof grain alcohol that was a little cheaper than Everclear.

 

[smoothsailing]

Polmos-Spirytus Rektyfikowany 192 proof it's a little cheaper then Everclear,I'm also not a fan of the ER smell in my pipe + if I can't drink it I don't clean with it.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

I use isopropyl once a week. I'd use Everclear, but being in recovery, definitely not a good plan to have high-proof spirits laying about! ☺
If left overnight after cleaning, I'm sure the isopropyl all evaporates off. I've never even faintly detected it the next day.

 

[rx2man]

I was using 80 proof rum and thought it worked good until I used Pipe Cleaner. I noticed the pipe cleaner got way more crud out. On estates I picked up and thought I had cleaned em good. I now also use Everclear. I think on a pipe you purchased new that you keep clean 80 proof will work. On a unknown estate EVERCLEAR!!!

 

[fluffie666]

+1 Rektyfikowany

 

[perdurabo]

Golden Grain

 

[okiescout]

I use ISO for retorts and Everclear for standard cleaning and salt treatments. Like Brass, I do treat the bowls with Bourbon on bowed pipe cleaners before putting them up to dry.