How to Deep Clean my Pipe?

[Cpt._GreyBeard]

I began my journey into the art of pipe smoking about 3 months ago. I have 3 pipes which I rotate. Each has a respectable cake buildup in the bowls and I keep them clean by using pipe cleaners every time I smoke.
Recently, I began noticing on 2 of my pipes a sour taste to the tobacco (I smoke aromatic blends, mostly black cavendish). Because I have been watching Mutt-n-chop Piper on YouTube, I am guessing it's time for a deep clean of my pipes.
He recommends using a grain alcohol and hazelnut liquor mixture (70/30). Will this not leave an aftertaste in my pipes? What are some alternatives? Please reply and tell me what materials and methods y'all use to deep clean your pipes. Also, how often do you deep clean your pipes?

 

[anotherbob]

I almost never deep clean the pipes. I used to every three or four months. Until I had one sour and realized the mortise was where the problem was coming from. Now I swab out the mortise near the draft hole instead of just running a pipe cleaner through. I swab it by folding the middle part of the pipe cleaner after cleaning the other bits. Or in other words as needed but don't need to as often these days.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Every pipe gets the Everclear and pipe cleaner treatment after each smoke. Deep cleans are never necessary.

Reaming is another story. I have a Senior reamer but more often I use my Opinel kids knife (rounded point) to shave the cake buildup down to no more than dime width.

If you need to do a deep clean, gather some pipe cleaners and paper towels and high proof alcohol of your choice and get to work!

 

[AJL67]

I almost never deep clean the pipes. I used to every three or four months. Until I had one sour and realized the mortise was where the problem was coming from. Now I swab out the mortise near the draft hole instead of just running a pipe cleaner through. I swab it by folding the middle part of the pipe cleaner after cleaning the other bits. Or in other words as needed but don't need to as often these days.

This. Same here, had the same problem, i run pipe cleaners even when smoking because the list little gurgle bugs me, but the mortise always got overlooked, finally found a use for all those Q-Tips squirreled away.

 

[anotherbob]

This. Same here, had the same problem, i run pipe cleaners even when smoking because the list little gurgle bugs me, but the mortise always got overlooked, finally found a use for all those Q-Tips squirreled away.

I use q-tips for that when I smoke on the weekend. Most of the time I smoke it is out and about. But folding the pipe cleaner in half works just as well. But it makes so much more of a difference to the point where you wonder why it's not part of the standard cleaner process according to most sources.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Mutt-n-chop Piper on YouTube

He has spread much disinformation and opinions that have raised so many questions here.

Disassemble your pipes after each smoke. Run a pipe cleaner of your choice through the stem and draft hole. Wipe the mortise out with Q-tips, and wipe the pipe's chamber out with a paper towel. With this routine, you'll nearly eliminate unwanted cake thickness, moisture, deep cleaning, and need to rest a pipe.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Yep, you'll find a buildup of pipe cleaner fuzz and tar in your shank, that's where the sour taste is coming from. As others have said you should clean your shank out fairly often. I take the stem out after every few smokes and clean it out with a doubled over cleaner. And with any of my army mount pipes i clean the shank after every smoke.

 

[bullet08]

Question becomes, how deep would you like to clean? Don't answer that.

Like everyone answered so far, if you carefully clean all the internal surface of the pipe after each smoke, there is no need for deep cleaning. If you wipe out the chamber nice and neat, you won't get typical cake that builds up quick. You'll actually get hard thin cake which is preferable to most. Yupe, mortise is pain, or pain to even some of the people who smoked for some time. Thing is, to clean the mortise, you have to take the stem off. Some people just hate the idea of disassembling a pipe. Some of us will disassemble in the middle of smoke to clean, and at the end of the smoke when all the crap built on the mortise is still warm and easy to wipe out. But I never suggest that to anyone else. With some bad luck, shank can crack. Other option is army mount of one type or the other. Army mount is made to be disassembled in middle of smoke in case you have to go and shoot someone over a trench.

 

[captainsousie]

Synopsis of thread so far:

Q: How do I deep clean my pipes?

A: I never deep clean my pipes. I do the right maintenance!

The beauty of asking a question to get the opposite answer.

Now to answer the question in my own opinion. When deep cleaning, start with a bristle pipe cleaner (better yet a shank brush) and high proof alcohol (70%+) and give the airway a good scrubbing. Follow up with a fluffy pipe cleaner and repeat the process until all pipe cleaners come out relatively clean. Do the same with the stem unless acrylic and then use soapy water and pipe cleaners. Follow up with alcohol soaked q-tips in the mortise (where the nasties usually live) and let 'er dry. Most of the time works well to give a neutral smoking experience. Some will recommend salt and alcohol or coffee grounds in the bowl and those can work too as long as the airway and mortise are cleaned.

 

[FLDRD]

Every pipe gets the Everclear and pipe cleaner treatment after each smoke. Deep cleans are never necessary.

 

[JOHN72]

96% degree alcohol, it is infallible.

 

[telescopes]

There will come a time if one smokes a pipe long enough that it will improve from a deep cleaning.

 

[kcghost]

Never deep clean my pipes.

 

[elvishrunes]

I’ve been smoking the same Neerup for 6-8 eight months, not sure why I have plenty of others, it’s a stand up that’s why, and it finally got plugged despite regular cleaning after each smoke…

First, after each smoke run a paper towel in the bowel and pipe cleaner in the stem, this avoids lots of issues, very easy and quick.

Second, do the same but with a cleaner and paper towel soaked in water, then run some dry ones again to dry it out, medium clean,

third, do the same again but wet with simple rubbing alcohol instead of water, then run a few dry paper towels and pipe cleaners to clean out the crap and remove the alcohol, this is a deep clean. Once it’s clean leave the pipe open overnight and the alcohol will evaporate, the last bit of smell anyhow as you’ve already removed most.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I realize it's not available everywhere but.. it's the best.

 

[PipeIT]

I use 151 Everclear, I think they banned the 190 out here.

151 is great stuff too.

I would never recommend running a cleaner dipped in it, through an acrylic or cumberland stem, but only through the shank, mortise and chamber.

I never considered running cleaners dipped in it after every smoke, I usually do it after a few smokes, or when I see the draught hole at the bottom of the chamber getting really dark, as I don’t smoke all the way to the bottom, and I like to keep the airway as carbon/resin free as possible.

@Cpt._GreyBeard if you wipe the chambers out with like a paper towel/napkin after smoking, as an example on newer pipes, then you’ll never build a thick cake. You only need around 1mm or less, and cleaning like this, will always ensure a better smoke too.

P.S. My first concert as a kid was New Haven, mid 70s, seeing Boston, when they were just getting started, I’ll never forget it... LOL

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I use 151 Everclear, I think they banned the 190 out here.

151 is great stuff too.

I would never recommend running a cleaner dipped in it, through an acrylic or cumberland stem, but only through the shank, mortise and chamber.

I never considered running cleaners dipped in it after every smoke, I usually do it after a few smokes, or when I see the draught hole at the bottom of the chamber getting really dark, as I don’t smoke all the way to the bottom, and I like to keep the airway as carbon/resin free as possible.

@Cpt._GreyBeard if you wipe the chambers out with like a paper towel/napkin after smoking, as an example on newer pipes, then you’ll never build a thick cake. You only need around 1mm or less, and cleaning like this, will always ensure a better smoke too.

P.S. My first concert as a kid was New Haven, mid 70s, seeing Boston, when they were just getting started, I’ll never forget it... LOL

I only wet the first two inches or so of the pipe cleaner.
Using Blitz or Vauen pipe cleaners, I find one with a little alcohol can easily clean two pipes.

 

[Zero]

I began my journey into the art of pipe smoking about 3 months ago. I have 3 pipes which I rotate. Each has a respectable cake buildup in the bowls and I keep them clean by using pipe cleaners every time I smoke.
Recently, I began noticing on 2 of my pipes a sour taste to the tobacco (I smoke aromatic blends, mostly black cavendish). Because I have been watching Mutt-n-chop Piper on YouTube, I am guessing it's time for a deep clean of my pipes.
He recommends using a grain alcohol and hazelnut liquor mixture (70/30). Will this not leave an aftertaste in my pipes? What are some alternatives? Please reply and tell me what materials and methods y'all use to deep clean your pipes. Also, how often do you deep clean your pipes?

A thread you might want to read regarding acrylic stems. Maybe it will help. Make your own choices.
Alcohol and Acrylic Stems :: Pipe Repair and Maintenance :: Pipe Smokers Forums of PipesMagazine.com

Alcohol and Acrylic Stems :: Pipe Repair and Maintenance

I've unintentionally ruined two acrylic stems by using isopropyl alcohol to clean them out: One cracked and broke entirely. Another developed a large crack but held together. Has anybody else had this experience? If so, what's a better way to clean acrylic stems?

pipesmagazine.com

 

[minerLuke]

Plenty of good advice here already so not much for me to add. I found the two single biggest improvements for me overall with my pipes were taking to heart the advice to run a pipe cleaner or two through your pipe after *every* smoke and just getting better at my pipe smoking technique, ie drying my tobacco more, packing looser, lighting gently and tamping gently etc. When I started to really take that advice to heart I found first that I needed to deep clean my pipes way less and that I was enjoying my pipes way more.

I typically smoke a pipe anywhere from about 6 to perhaps 20 bowls with just wiping with a pipe cleaner and paper towel before I feel the need to get more aggressive with cleaning and use some pipe cleaner or rum/bourbon to really clean them out. I try to be proactive and if I notice a pipe is tasting a little more flat then usual then I'll break out the alcohol and freshen it up. It just takes a few minutes to clean a pipe so it's not anything to sweat.

I bought a full on pipe cleaning kit with all sorts of brushes and different contraptions for cleaning but it's still unopened, I have yet to run into pipe that's resisted my admittedly haphazard cleaning regimen but it's there if I ever need it.

 

[OzPiper]

Recently, I began noticing on 2 of my pipes a sour taste to the tobacco
He recommends using a grain alcohol and hazelnut liquor mixture (70/30). Will this not leave an aftertaste in my pipes? What are some alternatives? Please reply and tell me what materials and methods y'all use to deep clean your pipes. Also, how often do you deep clean your pipes?

Most of my pipes are estates, so deep cleaning is one thing I have had to do often
I have found that the shank and stem is usually the source of the sour taste and NOT the chamber/bowl

Dissemble the pipe
Ream out the chamber if it needs doing
Then stuff one or two cotton balls into the chamber and carefully fill with alcohol.
I use a clear fruit brandy, but lots here recommend Everclear.
Avoid getting alcohol on the outside of the bowl as it will affect the stain
Any residual smell or taste will go after you smoke 1-2 bowls

Use a strong torch to look into the shank
If there is a lot of crud use small jeweller's screwdrivers or small drill bits to remove to bare wood
Doing this will save you a lot of cleaners and ear buds
You may flush with warm water should you wish to do so.
Then clean the shank and mortise with alcohol soaked cleaners or a shank brush

If the stem is vulcanite/ebonite, alcohol soaked cleaners will be fine
If it is acrylic, use cleaners + liquid soap to clean.

How often you need to deep clean a pipe depends on how often to smoke the pipe
And if you are a wet smoker.