How do you clean your pipes? I disassemble my pipe after letting it cool of, I run a pipe cleaner through the stem and the draft hole and scratch any leftovers in the bowl. Do you use something else? Or anything to clean out the bowl better?
Cleaning Routine
- Thread starter Ajsnow93
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Basically the same, with the occasional deep clean with wet or boozed up pipe cleaners.
Run one pipe cleaner through the stem and bowl after about 5 smokes. Then after about 15 I do a warm water flush.
Yeah, just a pipe cleaner dipped in warm water (or saliva in a pinch), unless there is a pile of junk in there (like you find on many estates) then I use a mixture of bourbon and everclear.
Great question but prepare yourself for the storm. It has been a hotly debated topic with many unkind things written by proponents of both sides of the two cleaning camps here on this board.
Personally I just disassemble when cooled and run a couple dry pipe cleaners through the stem, shank and mortise. Occasionally I will use some neutral grain alcohol at 180 proof or higher as well as pipe cleaners to deep clean the pipe. If you are interested in details, I will share but I may have already said too much.
Others will run water through their pipe to clean it after each smoke/day.
Use what works for you.
Personally I just disassemble when cooled and run a couple dry pipe cleaners through the stem, shank and mortise. Occasionally I will use some neutral grain alcohol at 180 proof or higher as well as pipe cleaners to deep clean the pipe. If you are interested in details, I will share but I may have already said too much.
Others will run water through their pipe to clean it after each smoke/day.
Use what works for you.
- Dump the dottle.
- Run a pipe cleaner (if it's an unfiltered pipe) through the stem and twist.
- Use the same cleaner to wipe the chamber's walls.
- Take stem off and put aside to wash in the sink.
- Run another cleaner through the draught hole. If it's a filtered pipe, use an extra-fluffy cleaner folded in two or three to clean out the mortise/filter chamber.
- Spit into my anatomical snuff box and dab my forefinger in that saliva and dab the whole chamber with it.
- Use a paper towel to vigorously wipe the chamber till it's smooth clean.
- Remove any stubborn carbon fouling with the spoon of the Czech tool.
- Swab again with the paper towel, till it comes out white.
- Put stummel back in the rack.
- Dip a pipe cleaner into the dish soap container and run it through the draught hole in the stem, then wash the stem with a sponge; rinse well, and let it dry.
- Re-assemble the pipe when the stem is dry, inserting a new filter if it takes them.
Mine gets darker as I smoke. I clean as soon as I'm done smoking without waiting for the pipe to cool down.
I cleaned it with warm water and it turned from black to brown not a big change but it got slightly lighter
Immediately after smoking i disassemble the pipe, run a pipe cleaner through the stem, wipe out the mortise with Q-tips, fold a pipe cleaner in half and clean the draft hole, wipe the chamber out with a paper towel, and reassemble.
This thread is like an exam on pipe anatomy nomenclature 
I let my pipes cool down completely, then disassemble, put a twisted paper towel in the shank, making sure a bit of paper is peaking from the draught hole, twist hard to gather the crud accumulating there, then to the same with the tenon if there's space for it. Run a pipe cleaner through the shank and stem, then twist a paper towel and wipe the chamber until it comes out clean. Once a month or so I do a water clean and removing of all cake down to bare wood, and let dry for a day.
I let my pipes cool down completely, then disassemble, put a twisted paper towel in the shank, making sure a bit of paper is peaking from the draught hole, twist hard to gather the crud accumulating there, then to the same with the tenon if there's space for it. Run a pipe cleaner through the shank and stem, then twist a paper towel and wipe the chamber until it comes out clean. Once a month or so I do a water clean and removing of all cake down to bare wood, and let dry for a day.
I just throw it away.
Yeah, I'm that wealthy.
Yeah, I'm that wealthy.
I just followed your process. Thank you.
After I let an empty bowl cool, I clean the piss out of my pipes with fluffy and bristle cleaners. I clean them so well after each smoke it has been a long time since I have had to do a deep clean. I use 2-4 BJ Long Fluffy tapered pipe cleaners on the stem. I use 2-3 doubled over bristle cleaners run back and forth in the shank until clean. I then take a bristle cleaner fold over 2-3 times and get any dirt in the mortise.
When I am all done I rub some Obidisian Stem Oil on all my stems as they are all high quality German Ebonite and they don't oxidize like the less expensive Ebonite stems.
When I am all done I rub some Obidisian Stem Oil on all my stems as they are all high quality German Ebonite and they don't oxidize like the less expensive Ebonite stems.
1. Run pipe cleaner through stem and through to bowl.
2. Reverse pipe cleaner, repeat step 1.
3. Fold pipe cleaner, insert into bowl, rotate 360 one direction, reverse.
4. Turn faucet on to medium temperature, hold bowl under faucet for 30 to 60 seconds.
5. Wipe off rim with paper napkin. Twist corner of napkin into bowl, rotate multiple times.
I very, very rarely break down the pipe. Deep cleaning required about every 150 bowls. Rarely have to ream the cake.
2. Reverse pipe cleaner, repeat step 1.
3. Fold pipe cleaner, insert into bowl, rotate 360 one direction, reverse.
4. Turn faucet on to medium temperature, hold bowl under faucet for 30 to 60 seconds.
5. Wipe off rim with paper napkin. Twist corner of napkin into bowl, rotate multiple times.
I very, very rarely break down the pipe. Deep cleaning required about every 150 bowls. Rarely have to ream the cake.
Because this way I never have to do any buffing or any hard work to keep my stems nice. It may seem like an unnecessary step but it is part of my regiment and my stems are always shiny. It might be overkill but that is ok.
I just run a pipe cleaner through the stem and then take the pipe cleaner fold it in half and swab out the bowl. Done.