Mold In Pipe Chamber?

[davyjones]

Hey guys, I just got back few weeks ago into our lovely hobby and I just noticed something that looks like a mold in my pipe bowl and also there is a new white mark outside. How should I clean it?
Pipe was not smoked for several years but was kept in house. It's briar brebbia gogo pipe that was one of my favorites

 

[sasquatch]

Yeah that doesn't look good at all. Where was this thing stored? It's quite likely mold, should be cleanable (unlikely to me more than on surface-deep, briar is difficult stuff to penetrate).

 

[jpmcwjr]

I'd clean it with hot tap water, flushed well, then scoured with a twisted paper towel.

 

[monty55]

I'd wash it out with warm soap and water followed by a good cleaning with vinegar, and then an Everclear salt treatment. Acid kills mold.

 

[jpmcwjr]

No need for a further step such as salt. (Unless a trial smoke reveals a problem!)

Using vinegar, I'd put that in first, then the very hot water flush, with or without detergent.

 

[trouttimes]

Smoke Haunted Bookshop in it. That shit will kill anything.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Please tell us where it was stored. I am presuming a place where it didn't get air circulation!

 

[davyjones]

Please tell us where it was stored. I am presuming a place where it didn't get air circulation!

It was stored on a book shelf in apartment, 3 other pipes didn't had any problems... tbh I was really shocked when I saw this as just few weeks ago I was cleaning all stems and I didn't notice any mold (probably just missed it)

 

[TheIronMonkey]

The first photo looks like mold. Maybe a combo of some moisture at the bottom of the chamber from smoking and humidity in the apartment created ideal conditions for its growth.

With the white spot on the outside, is there something corresponding inside on the wall of the chamber? If not, is it possible some white paint dripped onto the pipe when a repair was made to the apartment? It seems odd for the stained wood to have such a bright spot on it.

 

[anotherbob]

I'd say be careful with it. Who knows what kind of mold or mildew would grow there of all places.

 

[canucklehead]

 

[OzPiper]

We have had incessant rain in Sydney since pre-Xmas.
Mould/mildew on walls, little used leather furniture, clothes, everything.

Including my pipes. The mould is only superficial and wipes off easily. I clean the bowls with scrunched up paper towels (several) and pipe cleaners in the airways before smoking.

 

[davyjones]

Hey friends here is an update... looks like this pipe was a really good dust catcher

My wife was telling me right from the start that it's not a mold and that it was dust lol but I was like nah can't be it... so while we were cleaning our appartment I saw a lot of dust on the books.... so she just put vacuum cleaner close to the pipe and basically vacuumed it clean lol.. and pipe is clean and normal inside

IDK what was the white mark on the pipe but it was cleaned super easy with finger so I guess it was just a stain from something. I'll still clean it before smoking it, but think this was just a false alarm.

Tbh it was weird to have mold in my appartment as this was basically in a book shelf in my living room, and we never had any issues with that, and it was strange that only this pipe had it (other ones were placed on the stand in a way that dust can't get into the chamber)

Apologize for my stupidity, happy that my favorite mini pipe is still good to smoke

 

[Fralphog]

All’s well that ends well! Enjoy your favorite pipe again!

 

[Salvaje]

No need for a further step such as salt. (Unless a trial smoke reveals a problem!)

Using vinegar, I'd put that in first, then the very hot water flush, with or without detergent.

I was reading in PIMO’s that a carver uses vinegar on pipes to reduce chipping when using a knife. Have you heard or done this? Why vinegar to soften the briar?

 

[n_irwin]

What were you using to clean the stems? Could it be that the spot on the outside is residue from when cleaning your stems, maybe some solution that was on your fingers?