Pipe Cleaner Usage & Practices

I use pipe cleaners in a couple of different ways.

#1 When the pipe is cooling down, I will run one from stem to bowl just to remove any excess moisture.

#2 After a pipe has cooled, or is generally in need of a good cleaning; I will vigorously scrub with a couple of bristle cleaners followed by a tapered cleaner thick end first into the shank soaked in Ezra Brooks and let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes max.

Then bend it 90 degrees and give it several spins. Remove the pipe cleaner and let the pipe rest for at least 3 or 4 days before I use it again. This keeps them sweet. Cleaning them like this I have never had a pipe go sour on me. But, that is only after the utilitarian use of the pipe for a few days. I also use a regular cleaner soaked in Ezra Brooks and clean the stem, there is usually no need to let the stem soak. Just a good swabbing out is sufficient.

The one exception being my Peterson Standard 307 with the military well system. It's a bit more problematic. It's tough to keep sweet. I like the pipe, and it smokes very well but I can't smoke it for more than one day, maybe two before it needs a serious cleaning and rest period.

I usually leave the cleaner in the pipe about 15-20 minutes after I am done with a bowl. In my opinion, the pipe cleaner can only absorb so much moisture until it becomes useless. If the cleaner is moist and sitting in your pipe, it is actually keeping the moisture in you pipe and it is unable to dry properly. After the cleaner is removed, air can enter your pipe (shank, stem, bit) and evaporate the excess moisture. Just my two cents worth.

Beside making small animals (not joking) I leave a pipe cleaner in for anywhere from 10 minutes to overnight. I agree with pipegangster that it can absorb only so much moisture and may contribute to pipe souring. When I leave it in overnight, it is because that is the last pipe of the day and I get lazy.

Thank you for the Q-tip suggestion Cortez. I will give it a shot.

here is my routine, at the end of the day I take the pipes I have used that day and run cleaners through them stem to bowl until cleaners come out clean. I bend a cleaner and wipe out the bowl, then place the pipes in the rack to rest at least 3 days with no cleaner in the stem. I have never had one go sour. Every 4 months or so I give them a good cleaning with a pipe cleaner soaked in good spirits followed by dry cleaners. This system has worked well for me for several years.

I use Q-tips to clean the rims of my pipes and when I am doing routine alcohol cleaning. I use them in the shank and mortise, it cuts down on the amount of pipe cleaners needed.

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I also use Q-tips, especially on the two pipes I have that are chambered for filters. After I use one end, I'll cut it off with toenail clippers in order not to make a mess when using the leftover clean end.
Toenail clippers are very valuable to me in getting that extra mile out of pipe cleaners too.