I have studiously avoided any kind of upkeep on my pipes. They are like objects in nature, untouched by human hands, most importantly mine. This is in keeping with my housecleaning policy, which can be summarized with the sentence, "Thou shalt not touch. . ." the vacuum, in my world, which never being used, has, by my strategy, had its life extended by at least 100%.
So back to pipes. I figure that by not buying grape, coconut and reptilian extract, or Greek or triple-pressed mango juice, or whatever other substance currently in favor, I will have saved thousands.
And do I really care how my pipes look? Not so much. I care about how well they smoke.