I think the title is pretty self explanatory.
Which is better and why?!!
Thanks folks!
Which is better and why?!!
Thanks folks!
Last edited by a moderator:
Hot Water Flush vs. Alcohol
- Thread starter alialansari
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
I believe that I speak for many of us when I say "aw shit, not this crap again." Sorry but these threads rarely end well.
After a smoke, pipe cleaners alone or a hot water flush will suffice.
If doing a deep clean of a ghosted pipe, hot water flush, followed by alcohol soaked cotton balls work best for me. Plus alcohol cleaners to clean out the shank.
Feet firmly in BOTH camps
If doing a deep clean of a ghosted pipe, hot water flush, followed by alcohol soaked cotton balls work best for me. Plus alcohol cleaners to clean out the shank.
Feet firmly in BOTH camps
I would caution against a water flush with newer Savinelli pipes—the finishes do not take well to moisture for whatever reason—I learned the hard way.
Neither. Not to say there's anything wrong with both method. Just that prompt cleaning right after each smoke with pipe cleaners and paper towels have kept my pipes without ever touching water nor alcohol. That means complete disassembly and making sure to clean mortise and every internal surfaces. Also, I only smoke a bowl a day and I keep all my 35 or so Petersons in rotation. That means each pipe will get 35 days or so of rest.
Once every few months to a year or more, I will deep clean a pipe using alcohol/water. I have a lot of pipes and I’ll smoke a particular pipe for a while and then put it away for several months or years.
Alcohol will loosen and dissolve built up tar. On estates that are new to me and have built up tar I’ll use a larger fuzzy pipe cleaner and soak it with alcohol then stick it in the airway, seal it in plastic bag so the alcohol doesn’t evaporate very quickly. This allows the alcohol to work for several hours/days and pulls out a lot of the gunk. Usually has to be followed up by alcohol and shank brushes to remove stubborn deposits.
Water flush seems to remove loose tars and ash, leaves the pipe tasting fresher.
But since I clean afterwards using a pipe cleaner and a paper towel to remove any residue alcohol/water aren’t really necessary.
Alcohol will loosen and dissolve built up tar. On estates that are new to me and have built up tar I’ll use a larger fuzzy pipe cleaner and soak it with alcohol then stick it in the airway, seal it in plastic bag so the alcohol doesn’t evaporate very quickly. This allows the alcohol to work for several hours/days and pulls out a lot of the gunk. Usually has to be followed up by alcohol and shank brushes to remove stubborn deposits.
Water flush seems to remove loose tars and ash, leaves the pipe tasting fresher.
But since I clean afterwards using a pipe cleaner and a paper towel to remove any residue alcohol/water aren’t really necessary.
It isn't!
What are you trying to accomplish? Cleaning a well used pipe you have or an estate you purchased or just regular use and "maintenance"? How "dirty"?
I recently used salt and alcohol on a couple of well used estates (after getting out the "cake") that I thought justified trying the technique and was surprised by the amount of gunk leeched out, so it seemed to be successful. In general, warm to hot water and paper towels and pipe cleaners keep mine clean, as others said above, so that I don't need to worry about alcohol.
Others have different methods that work.
This is all different than what I might do with an estate that appears clean just to basically sanitize.
All of the above don't come from any "expertise" on my part, but from reading, searching on here and Reborn Pipes.
I prefer water flush but for it to be effective, it needs to happen after every bowl or two. Even then,eventually you'll need to perform a deep clean. Instead of every 50 to 100 smokes , perhaps every 250 smokes.
I prefer alcohol, but only rarely. If you are consistent about cleaning out your pipes with pipe cleaners and the occasional paper towel after each smoke, then the need for a deep clean will be minimized. For myself, once every quarter of the year, I will gather my pipes and do a very thorough cleaning of them. That includes using a shank brush and alcohol to really get all the gunk out, as well as Decatur stem cleaner to get the stems in clean shape. Once dry, I will then polish the pipes and stems and put them back on their racks. I will use hot water occasionally, but to me if I'm willing to go that far to clean, then I might as well just do it up right.
I have maybe ~10 years experience using water to clean my pipes. Another ~10 with alcohol and 10+ years no cleaning or reaming at all.
For me, I prefer using alcohol. Occasionally I use a water flush too but mainly stick with alcohol.
Why? Less daily maintenance and my pipes taste better. Not a fan of water on wood, especially hard water in my pipes. The water seems to flush particles and the odor with some oils and tars. The alcohol seems to remove more of the tar and oils and leaves them smelling great too. I don’t use rubbing alcohol.
I occasionally use water on estate pipes after an alcohol cleaning as it seems to flush the pipe out better of loose particles and stuff.
Just my perception, opinion and preferences but I’m sure everyone will agree going forward
<sarcasm>
For me, I prefer using alcohol. Occasionally I use a water flush too but mainly stick with alcohol.
Why? Less daily maintenance and my pipes taste better. Not a fan of water on wood, especially hard water in my pipes. The water seems to flush particles and the odor with some oils and tars. The alcohol seems to remove more of the tar and oils and leaves them smelling great too. I don’t use rubbing alcohol.
I occasionally use water on estate pipes after an alcohol cleaning as it seems to flush the pipe out better of loose particles and stuff.
Just my perception, opinion and preferences but I’m sure everyone will agree going forward
<sarcasm>
Last edited:
I have used both water and alcohol and found alcohol to be best for my taste. Any cheap rum is my preferred, although I'm currently using a good tequila that was given to me. I just dampen a paper towel, twist it, and rub out the bowl.
The last time I bought an estate that had a ghost, I sent it out for a clean and an ozone treatment. The ozone didn't do shit. I then used the warm coffee ground system and it worked very well. I decided to just try and buy new pipes after that as I don't want to deal with ghosts anymore. So far I have kept to only new pipes this past year plus.
After I have smoked a pipe I let it cool a few hours and then clean the piss out of it with fluffy and bristle BJ Long Tapered pipe cleaners. I put in it's spot in my rack and it usually gets at least 2 days rest. Once in a while I get lazy and clean the pipe the next morning but that isn't a regular thing.
I keep a dimes worth of cake or so. I rarely have to ream a pipe. I have Everclear for when I want to do a deep clean. I have never done the water thing as I don't want it messing with my cake.
After I have smoked a pipe I let it cool a few hours and then clean the piss out of it with fluffy and bristle BJ Long Tapered pipe cleaners. I put in it's spot in my rack and it usually gets at least 2 days rest. Once in a while I get lazy and clean the pipe the next morning but that isn't a regular thing.
I keep a dimes worth of cake or so. I rarely have to ream a pipe. I have Everclear for when I want to do a deep clean. I have never done the water thing as I don't want it messing with my cake.
I stick to water personally. Just distilled water, usually nothing more. I take a small spray bottle and a single squirt is all I use if I feel a chamber is starting to build too much carbon. Wipe it down and it's fine to go. Though I use this method sparingly, only if I notice more cake build up than I like, which doesn't take much but happens even less often.
Also I am of the sort that will clean with a pipe cleaner through the stem, mortise and shank, and then chamber after each smoke. Then I'll just load it back up again and keep smoking. I've yet to see an issue, but if I find one I'll definitely be changing my habits.
Also I am of the sort that will clean with a pipe cleaner through the stem, mortise and shank, and then chamber after each smoke. Then I'll just load it back up again and keep smoking. I've yet to see an issue, but if I find one I'll definitely be changing my habits.
It's personal preference. Simply that in my opinion. For some using water is a personal crusade though.
I am like some of you. I just don't like the thought of water on my pipes. I use whiskey on pipe cleaners to get the stem and shank clean every 3 months, and just keep the cake shaved down in the bowl. I basically smoke 1Q 95% of the time, so I don't have ghost problems. I always run a couple pipe cleaners through and wipe the pipe down after each smoke. I have been cleaning this way for 5 years. No complaints.
jef
jef
I do not think one is better than the other. However, I prefer the water treatment for every day care, which I sometimes get slack with, and then I will use a pipecleaner with some alcohol to do a cleaning when needed. But, I think both methods are just as viable. It really just depends on what fits your lifestyle.
I use what works. Water flushing works. I also use alcohol when that's the better choice.
When water flushing was first being promoted some years back, there were highly emotional and completely unhinged reactions from some who carried on like they had a holy cause to strike down the heretics. It was astounding to observe. These folks probably hated the idea of leaving their caves, or coming down from their trees. Whatever.
I thought about it for about a year before literally taking the plunge. We put super heated steam through our pipes for hours at a time and a 30 second rinse in warm or hot water will cause your pipe to grow branches and sprout leaves?
In any event I tried it and liked the results. The pipes tasted fresher than with alcohol. They suffered no ill effects, and I've now been doing this for years, with no ill effects. I still use alcohol for deep cleaning as I think that it works better, but for everyday maintenance water does the trick.
The only thing I don't subject to water are Vulcanite stems. Those I still clean with alcohol, and acrylic stems get cleaned with water and a little unscented dish soap.
When water flushing was first being promoted some years back, there were highly emotional and completely unhinged reactions from some who carried on like they had a holy cause to strike down the heretics. It was astounding to observe. These folks probably hated the idea of leaving their caves, or coming down from their trees. Whatever.
I thought about it for about a year before literally taking the plunge. We put super heated steam through our pipes for hours at a time and a 30 second rinse in warm or hot water will cause your pipe to grow branches and sprout leaves?
In any event I tried it and liked the results. The pipes tasted fresher than with alcohol. They suffered no ill effects, and I've now been doing this for years, with no ill effects. I still use alcohol for deep cleaning as I think that it works better, but for everyday maintenance water does the trick.
The only thing I don't subject to water are Vulcanite stems. Those I still clean with alcohol, and acrylic stems get cleaned with water and a little unscented dish soap.
- Status