Sterlizing the Stem

[plateauguy]

I've seen the word "bleach" bandied around, but my wife thinks that household bleach would ruin the stem. Is there another type?
I've seen an estate pipe sold by a picker on ebay, totally not cleaned. For the right price I'm interested.

 

[eaglerico]

Household bleach is fine. I used to soak my stem in straight bleach. The only issue is it leaves a bit of a rough surface that takes a little longer to polish by hand. I now soak them in an Oxy clean bath. Does the same thing and is a little easier on the stem.
If you are worried about straight bleach, dilute it. Or use rubbing alcohol.

 

[plateauguy]

Thanks guys. I know that if you leave something in bleach for 20-30 minutes it will kill all germs, (a trick I learned from the nurse at my doctor's office) so I favor that over the oxyclean

 

[eaglerico]

plate...
Definitely folow briarblues recomendations. I was a bit lazy in my reply. There is one point I wanted to make is there is really two points to this topic.
1) restoring a pipe

2) sterilizing a stem
For restoring the techniques that briarblues and I listed are part of the process. However, to just sterilize a relatively clean stem, you can just run an alcohol soaked pipe cleaner through the stem and rub on the outside. Should be good

 

[ffmurray]

As far as sterilization goes I believe in the saying "Clorox kills!" Bleach is great for sterilization. 1 part bleach to 10 parts water kills most things, 1:5 is required for tuberculosis and 1:2.5 will inactivated prions (mad cow disease etc). Rinse well!

 

[kashmir]

Ditto what Roth said. Use Ever Clear grain alcohol or isopropanol. Pipe cleaners and paper towels should do the job. I'd save the bleach for laundry.

 

[flyguy]

I agree with Roth. I use Everclear on a pipe cleaner (every time I smoke) for the inside of the stem. Since I use softie bits on the mouthpiece; I clean them with non-bleach disinfecting wipes. I like a really clean pipe! :wink:

 

[brewshooter]

I don't completely sterilize them. I run a pipe cleaner and alcohol through a new to me estate pipe and then I dunk the thing for 30 seconds into my bucket of StarSan, which is the sanitizer I use for brewing. Done and done!