Deep Pipe Cleaning and Resting

Personally I don't think you need to do more than run a pipe cleaner after each smoke. And you shouldn't really scrape too much or remove them stem when the bowl is still warm.

If you get a small rotation going you'll be all set. Till PAD sets in that is.

For deep cleaning the bowl, you may use a number of methods:
Non Iodized Salt + Everclear (cleans & sweetens)

Kosher Salt + Everclear (cleans and sweetens)

Salt (Either Type) + 91% Rubbing Alcohol (cleans)
You may also use cotton balls in place of salt. I would recommend this if your bowl chamber ever shows signs of extensive wear, like tiny cracks.
Simply add the salt and,using a medicine dropper, add about 15 drops of Everclear/Alcohol to the salt/cotton balls, pausing every four or five drops to allow the solution to sink into the bowl.
When deep cleaning, I also wet two pipe cleaners with Everclear: one for the shank/mortise and one for the stem itself. This helps clean and sweeten the entire smoking mechanism. Be careful when using alcohol on softer stems, such as Willard or Medico. The vulcanite is split with polymers and is more fragile than your typical "hard rubber" vulcanite stem.
Hope this helps

Should we really say that everclear (a tasteless and potent spirit) "sweetens" a pipe?
It cleans it for sure. But sweet isn't a word I would associate with Everclear.
Rum, whiskey, Tequila, spirits with some flavor can sweeten a pipe for sure. But Everclear?
Are we using a dual meaning of the word sweeten when talking about tobacco pipes?
Please Elaborate.

Good point, Spartan.

Glad you brought that up Spartan. It has always confused me a little. Does Rum and Whiskey 'clean' the bowl enough or is it necessary to use the higher proof alcohol for this? I also have a bottle of homemade rakija that I can use but I wasn't sure if it was right for the job.

Anything 40% or higher should get the job done. In my opinion Everclear is overkill. But it will definately clean your pipe.

My thoughts on Everclear:
It is the best choice for tough cleaning jobs

I have used it to bring many pipes back to life, some where "overkill" isn't a practical option

It appears to dislodge quite a bit of "trapped" flavor

It should be followed up by multiple runs of pipe cleaners to get the dislodged stuff out, more than usual

If not, smoking the pipe you cleaned with Everclear generally results in a "tanginess" the first few smokes that may be related more to the tobacco dislodging than the taste of the alcohol itself

Does Rum and Whiskey 'clean' the bowl enough or is it necessary to use the higher proof alcohol for this?

Click to expand...

I can honestly say that I have been dissatisfied with the cleaning job performed by rum. I know many who swear by it, but I don't see it reacting with tobacco residue as well as others do. For what it's worth...

I don't think "sweetening" a pipe means actually adding any flavor to it. It means to get rid of any sour or off tastes that a good cleaning can fix. Commercially sold sweeteners don't have a sugars in them like rum, whiskey, etc.
FYI: There are two types of Everclear- 151 and 190 proof. 190 proof Everclear is illegal for sale in several states.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_%28alcohol%29#190-proof

This leads me to a follow-up question though.
I do clean the stem and shank with a good bristle cleaner dipped in Everclear once a month. But never the bowl. I may scrape some cake out if needed, but in general I reserve the "salt and Everclear" bowl cleaning for two occasions only:

1) I have an estate I'm restoring and I want to sanitize it and get rid of any possible ghosts.

2) I have a pipe in which I smoked a lot of aro's and I want to start using it for non-aro's (or vice versa).
Besides that I give my pipes a regular rest period, clean out dottle and too much cake. But not any alcohol treatments.
So, who cleans their bowls regularly with some kind of alcohol cleaning ?

@Mick, I wipe down the bowl of my Meer with Scotch after each smoke once it's cooled down. But none of the briars get that treatment unless it's one of the two situations you mentioned.

Come to think of it though, if one smokes exclusively OTC aros ( I've been there when I first started with the pipe ), then the salt/alcohol is a must about once a month.
@stumpy .... 4-6 bowls a day is what I smoke. I have 8 pipes on my rack, 6 are smoked regularly, 2 per day, 2-3 bowls each. Here's my routine :

- day one : carry pipe 1 and pipe 2, smoke 2-3 bowls each , pipe cleaner as needed through the day. Stem off only when cooled down ( like an hour after finishing a bowl ). In the evening, stems off, Q-tip and scotch the shank, pipe cleaner(s) with scotch. Make sure to put a paper towel in the bowl. Light coat of olive oil or coconut lard on the stem, and the OUTSIDE of the bowl.

- day two : carry pipe 3 and 4. Same routine as above.

- day three : carry pipe 5 and 6. Same routine.

- day four : pipe 1 and pipe two are eager to be smoked.

........and so on and so forth. I keep a plastic bottle brush to remove baccy scraps and excess from the bowls.

About once every 6 weeks or so, I take the pipe knife and gently scrape off any excess cake. Go slow and even. I also do a deep cleaning with shank brush. Remove any oxidization from the stem with Magic Eraser and/or stem polish. Oil stem and outside of bowl, buff bowl with microfiber cloth if needed.
I remember seeing a Youtube video by one of the memebers/mods here that dealt with a regular cleaning, can't recall where the link is, but it was awesome and all encompassing.

@stumpy yes, very good. Run some bristle cleaners through as well to dislodge crap. Run some through the shank also until they come out clean. Don't scrape at the shank though. I've tried that once on one of my pipes and it had to be put to rest, as I poked at it too much and it caused a crack

never mind

If I were you, I'd just get a couple of cobs or maybe a clay pipe. They are cheap and will provide a good smoke while you let your main pipe rest.
Or you could just be a poor, PAD-afflicted sucker like the rest of us and spend all your extra money on pipes.