Effective Pipe Cleaning

[Papamique]

Just a word of caution alcohol and acrylic stems do not go well together as the alcohol can introduce micro-fractures. Alcohol is fine for use with vulcanite stems, dish washing solution works fine in acrylic stems.

Yup. If you soak an acrylic stem in rubbing alcohol it will micro fracture. Using a pipe cleaner dipped in high grain alcohol doesn’t expose it long enough to do any damage in my experience. Of course this is my opinion based on watching the videos of a guy soaking Perspex in rubbing alcohol and my years experience of doing it both ways.

 

[kcghost]

No shortage of advice here. Some of it even works for me.

 

[AMDG]

Applied multiple pieces of advice - blowing through the stem, cleaning the mortise and water flushing. The pipes smell much better and there is not particulate when I draw.

Thank you everyone for the counsel.

 

[sablebrush52]

Yup. If you soak an acrylic stem in rubbing alcohol it will micro fracture. Using a pipe cleaner dipped in high grain alcohol doesn’t expose it long enough to do any damage in my experience. Of course this is my opinion based on watching the videos of a guy soaking Perspex in rubbing alcohol and my years experience of doing it both ways.

I use pipe cleaners and unscented dish washing gel to clean out acrylic stems. Works great! I also use German made White Elephant pipe cleaners for the purpose. The bristle version isn't as rough as the BJ Long bristles, so it doesn't scratch, and the wire in the White Elephant pipe cleaners is MUCH stronger than the BJ Long pipe cleaners.

 

[PipeIT]

Oh I forgot to mention, after a long time, maybe a few months, it all just depends, I’ll dip my pipe cleaners in Everclear and run them through the shank and stem, and dip a q-tip in Everclear and run it around inside the mortise.

With what I mentioned before, and these extra steps above, it’s how I’ve been cleaning for a few years now.

P.S. Lots of great advice here, just play around...