Cleaning question after nasty mishap

outdoorboy26 · Jun 20, 2018

Hello. I couldn't log into my old account, so my post count is starting over. It's one of those days. lol. First thing this morning I dropped my unlit Peterson into the trash can. Normally not the end of the world. However, last night I emptied my chicken brooder box water container (which contained a few chicken droppings as well) into the trash can. Peterson pipe landed in a small poop of that nasty. I've never used anything to clean my pipe except a pipe cleaner and stem polisher for oxidation. But I'm having a real problem with putting my chicken poop pipe back in my mouth and definitely don't want salmonella. I've read on here about alcohol, pure grain alcohol, rum, whiskey, etc ... what is the best thing to sanitize this thing with? I know I shouldn't soak it. I just want it to be safe. By the way, it didn't get soaked in the trash. I rescued it immediately. It just got a little wet. It's just the thought of what it landed in that bothers me. Any help is appreciated.

mikethompson · Jun 20, 2018

High proof alcohol for sure on the stem, that should 'burn' out anything. Treat it like an estate you just got and clean it accordingly. Lets face it, no one here knows the back story of every estate pipe they've bought.

bnichols23 · Jun 20, 2018

Trudat. Everclear or something like that. Definitely not something to use Mount Gay XO on.

carolinachurchwarden · Jun 20, 2018

Lets face it, no one here knows the back story of every estate pipe they've bought.

Oh yeah...I know. Just found out why I would find pieces of cat poo all around the floor near her bin...I caught my dog sneaking his filthy head in there to pull them out and was eating them... :evil:
I say this because I have discovered him licking my pipes from time to time if I lay it down after smoking and not immediately putting it away...so I have been just wiping it off like it's no big deal previously. Now I know they say that a dogs mouth is cleaner than a humans, but after gnawing on a cat turd, I can't agree with that statement.
I would say that the alcohol treatment on the stem is a must, just to be sure. For the bowl I wouldn't know exactly. Does anyone know if it's safe for the pipe to use a sanitary wipe on them? Or even rub on and off some hand sanitizer? I'm incredibly careful when it comes to chicken, even to an OCD point that if I cook chicken, I wash my hands about 500 times, I wash the cutting board and any utensils that touched it immediately after I'm done with them, then I use a clorox or other brand sanitary spray or wipe to wipe down my whole counter and sink. I don't mess around with chicken, pork, or fish. I could see this sending me over the OCD line very quickly. But that's just me.

outdoorboy · Jun 20, 2018

Is the high proof alcohol safe for use on the outside of the stem? Or just to run through it?

mikethompson · Jun 20, 2018

Alcohol isn't corrosive, so I don't see why you couldn't use it, especially as it is essentially sanitizing it. What material is the stem made from?

outdoorboy26 · Jun 20, 2018

The stem is vulcanite.

sablebrush52 · Jun 20, 2018

Alcohol won't kill a Vulcanite stem. If you're really worried, soak it in alcohol for 10 minutes or so. With an old stem you may need to repolish, but it will be just fine. Just don't go anywhere near it if it starts laying pipelets.

carolinachurchwarden · Jun 20, 2018

Just don't go anywhere near it if it starts laying pipelets.

Although...that could turn into quite a lucrative business...

rmpeeps · Jun 20, 2018

- - Just don't go anywhere near it if it starts laying pipelets.
Or tribbles.

jpmcwjr · Jun 20, 2018

Very hot water does the trick, and the pipe will come out fresher than a daisy. That's a flush, not a soak, and drying after. No need for alcohol at all, unless you feel better mentally using such, internally or externally.

woodsroad · Jun 20, 2018

I would stuff something flammable it the bowl and set fire to it. Some old tobacco would do. The resultant heat and smoke should kill just about anything.

briarbuck · Jun 20, 2018

"tribbles" ha!
Everything tastes like chicken anyway so....

jpmcwjr · Jun 20, 2018

Hmmmm. Made me think of tobacco "infused" with lighter fluid. Wonder what the room note would be then?

mikethompson · Jun 20, 2018

unless you feel better mentally using such, internally

usually does the trick for me, but I can't speak for my pipes.

thomasw · Jun 20, 2018

I'd run hot tap water through the bowl and stem. Then I would use 150 proof or better alcohol inside/outside the stem. The alcohol may not be necessary, but I am paranoid of bacteria from crap. It is more the idea than the reality, but that's how I'd deal with this shitty situation : puffy

:

ignaciojn · Jun 20, 2018

Your story was the first thing I read in the morning, and have to admit it made me smile.

jpmcwjr · Jun 20, 2018

I'd run hot tap water through the bowl and stem. Then I would use 150 proof or better alcohol inside/outside the stem. The alcohol may not be necessary, but I am paranoid of bacteria from crap. It is more the idea than the reality, but that's how I'd deal with this shitty situation ::

Good idea. But then an additional quick flush with hot water to remove the alcohol. Alcohol is not good for wood. (But its deleterious effects may not become apparent for a lifetime.)

Cleaning question after nasty mishap

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