Tips on Removing Soapy Taste from Pipe

[pnutbutrsangwich]

Hi all - New to the board as I am restarting my pipe journey after about a 15 year hiatus, and I’m running into some trouble.

I found a birth year Dunhill pipe on eBay a few weeks ago that I just had to have. Beautiful briar, nearly unsmoked, and a shape that suits me. Seller was from Italy and the description was in Italian. Probably should have run it through Google Translate before pulling the trigger but I’ve never been good with fighting off impulse buys

Anyway what I missed in the description was that it was “cleaned and polished”. This is a frequent pipe seller so I’m not overly concerned about them using inappropriate materials to clean the pipe, but it arrived with this awful soapy taste on the stem and I can smell it in the bowl as well.

Any advice on how to get this taste/smell out? I’ve been soaking the stem in hot water, changing it frequently, and it’s helping a little bit not enough.

Pics for fun… aside from this issue, the pipe is in a fantastic condition with the original box.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

Perhaps load it up with your favorite tobacco and run a few bowls through it. Seems like almost any ghost/scent can be exorcised with enough smoking.

 

[pnutbutrsangwich]

Perhaps load it up with your favorite tobacco and run a few bowls through it. Seems like almost any ghost/scent can be exorcised with enough smoking.

That’s probably the best idea for the bowl. But honestly the stem has such a strong soapy flavor that it’s really off putting. Maybe one of those rubber tips might help.

 

[warren]

Just stuff it and smoke it. The above advice is good.

 

[AJL67]

Stop being a wuss! Also welcome.

 

[OzPiper]

Do a cotton ball and alcohol soak with the bowl and clean out the shank, mortise and stem with alcohol soaked cleaners.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Smoke an aro that tastes like bubble gum, and you will never notice it again!

 

[bullet08]

Flush it with warm water few times? Depends on how you feel about water. Some members flush with water after smoke to keep the pipe clean. I really don't do that, but if there's soap taste, seems like an option.

 

[Chasing Embers]

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Or dedicate it to G&H Co pure Lakeland mixtures or Condor and you will not notice a difference after a few bowls down.

 

[BarrelProof]

Dedicated Lakeland pipe.

 

[Scottmi]

Pack some salt and Alcohol into the bowl. Leave overnight.
Make some coffee. Drink some coffee. Empty out the salt and alcohol, and rinse. Pack the wet coffee grounds into the bowl and shank. If the stem itself taste, soapy, run, alcohol, soaked pipe cleaners through it and over it. If that doesn’t help, then put the whole stem into warm water with OxiClean for an hour be prepared you will need to clean off the oxidation. Read up on stem cleaning on rebornpipes.com.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Pack some salt and Alcohol into the bowl. Leave overnight.
Make some coffee. Drink some coffee. Empty out the salt and alcohol, and rinse. Pack the wet coffee grounds into the bowl and shank. If the stem itself taste, soapy, run, alcohol, soaked pipe cleaners through it and over it. If that doesn’t help, then put the whole stem into warm water with OxiClean for an hour be prepared you will need to clean off the oxidation. Read up on stem cleaning on rebornpipes.com.

I was going to recommend the salt treatment as well, but I've never heard of the coffee ground step. Interesting. May have to try that the next time I notice a pipe with a ghost. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I'm curious if it's a soapy smell or more like potpourri. That's something else altogether and something I've ran into a few times.

 

[shermnatman]

Sounds like a job for a pouch of 5 Brothers. - Sherm Natman

 

[JOHN72]

I would give it a 96º alcohol cleaning baptism, and then smoke it like a Siberian train, joking, I would smoke slowly and without stress, without haste, until its walls are petrified. The alcohol melts all the dross, if you want a thorough cleaning.

 

[Papamique]

I'm curious if it's a soapy smell or more like potpourri. That's something else altogether and something I've ran into a few times.

As have I. Any thoughts on what this potpourri smell/taste could be? Lakeland? An old aromatic blend? Actual potpourri or air freshener?

 

[ThermionicScott]

That’s probably the best idea for the bowl. But honestly the stem has such a strong soapy flavor that it’s really off putting. Maybe one of those rubber tips might help.

The only way I could see a rubber tip helping the situation, is if the outside of the stem has this taste. Is that the case?

 

[FHlight]

I would use salt and rubbing alcohol to clean it.

 

[Coreios]

Salt and Ever Clear. Hard to kill a Lakeland. I smoke it in cobs only and it ghost them too. If you smoke it enough though the ghost will move towards the light.