Favorite alcohol for pipe cleaning/sweetening

[JJ_JJ_JJ_JJ]

99% isopropyl alcohol works great.
Cleans fantastic , dries excess moisture, really cheap, and leaves no trace

 

[fireground_piper]

Vodka for a quick airway clean. 99% isopropyl when Iv wanted to really leach out a pipe with cotton balls.

 

[huntertrw]

190 proof Everclear. An excellent solvent, and it leaves no residual taste or odor.

 

[Servant King]

Count me for another Everclear vote.

 

[Chasing Embers]

No need for a newly purchased pipe if regularly cleaned but on estate pieces I use moonshine.

 

[kcghost]

I don't think I'd use anything on it. If you insist, I'd say Everclear.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I only have ever use Everclear. It cleans without imparting taste. I have no idea why anyone would want to use flavored alcohol and try to impart a flavor. It wouldn't last long anyway.

 

[Deano]

Pipe sweetner here. My Buffalo Trace is for drinking.

 

[Piping Abe]

I use the green Pipe Sweetener. Few bucks, has lasted me years. I only ever use it to remove a ghost from an estate. Works great.

 

[PipeIT]

Everclear all the way!

 

[ThermionicScott]

Another Everclear user here, 151 or 190 proof, whichever I happen to have on hand. I've used isopropyl with no concerns, too, it's just more fun to use booze.

 

[Val]

Everclear for me

 

[Briar Tuck]

On really dirty estate pipes I'll use isopropyl alcohol to clean them up. For simple sanitizing I usually use white rum. I usually don't use any alcohol on my rotation pipes.

 

[Briar Lee]

I use 190 proof Everclear. It evaporates fastest and has the most cleaning spirits and isn’t poisonous.

I have used 80 proof vodka. It’s good, just not as good as 190 proof Everclear.

I’ve used water, too. That takes the longest to dry, and the most effort to clean.

 

[Brendan]

I use a high proof clear peach brandy (unsweetened)
It leaves a beautiful residual smell.

I suggest using only clear, unsweetened spirits and to keep the port for drinking.

Is this peach brandy something you can buy here @OzPiper or is it something you source via a friend, acquaintance?

For me at the moment I sparingly use the Appleton Estate rum I'm drinking at the moment, or the barrell strength Nikka Whiskey on occasion.
I don't mind the rum taste at all after cleaning

 

[OzPiper]

Is this peach brandy something you can buy here @OzPiper or is it something you source via a friend, acquaintance?

For me at the moment I sparingly use the Appleton Estate rum I'm drinking at the moment, or the barrell strength Nikka Whiskey on occasion.
I don't mind the rum taste at all after cleaning

I got that years ago from a mate whose neighbour distilled it (all legal )
I did get a few bottles and I’m using it up on my pipes as it is a bit of a fire water because of it’s high proof. Got a bit of bite on it

It’s very similar to Alsatian eau de vie and grappa

 

[dino]

As I always have a big bottle of Bombay Sapphire around for G&Ts and martinis, that's what I use for cleaning my pipe stems and shanks after each smoke. Just a dab on the end of a bristle pipe cleaner for the first cleaning swipe. I keep a dedicated, small, two-ounce bottle with my pipe cleaning supplies.

 

[Sinzalot]

Woah! You're supposed to CLEAN your pipes?!

 

[captpat]

I use >91% Isopropyl Alcohol, why waste good drinking variety on cleaning chores. I only use this for initial cleaning of estate pipes, thereafter its warm water.

 

[Papamique]

190 proof Everclear works extremely well and evaporates in just a minute or two.

I have my own recipe that I use for my daily clean which is Everclear with a touch of Black Magik mixed in.