What is your pipe cleaning routine?

[jpberg]

I hope there’s not a right answer here.

 

[Searock Fan]

What routine? I clean a pipe when I think it need it....

 

[anotherbob]

this will horrify many,but I have just one pipe, a Pete Rhodesian,and I smoke it for three bowls a day,every day. I use a pipe cleaner after each bowl....

that's disgusting. A pipe named after a type of dog. I am horrified. Everyone knows the best pipes are named after professions. Actually had one pipe for many years never saw a need for more

 

[PipeIT]

There is no wrong or right way for cleaning.

This is certainly going to get down to personal preferences, and someone’s time, and the amount of pipes someone owns.

But, I do think that, if someone owns some very fine, high quality pipes, they are going to clean them right after smoking, unless they don’t care.

If you clean a pipe right after you smoke it, then, there is not going to be a need for a Deep Cleaning, or Reaming.

Deep Cleaning, as I’ve come to understand here on the forum, is when you soak the chamber in Everclear, either filled with Salt, or a cotton ball over night.

Also, if you use a paper napkin, or towel to wipe out the chamber after smoking, you’ll never build a thick cake that needs reaming. You also only need, what I call, a 1mm layer of carbon inside a chamber.

I always wipe the chambers out after smoking, with either a paper towel or napkin, then run a few cleaners through the shank and stem. I only take the stem off after I’ve smoked the pipe a few times, then I’ll run a q-tip around inside the mortise.

The only slight deep I will do, depending on how much I have smoked the same pipe, is to occasionally runner a few cleaners dipped in Everclear through the shank and stem, and a q-tip dipped in Everclear to wipe the mortise out, also occasionally.

Then with vulcanite, or cumberland stems, I’ll rub some Obsidian oil on them after every smoke and let it sit for while, and later rub off.

For the Briar, I will use pipe cloths untreated to wipe off, and every few weeks or a month, wax them.

 

[Coreios]

I smoke sometimes 7 bowls a day and I don't deep clean until I taste sourness. Which so far has been never because I run a pipe cleaner through after every smoke. I only deep clean Estate pipes if I smell or taste ghosting. Even then I won't if it's ghosted with something I would smoke. I do sanitize the stems though with antibacterial dish soap 1 time.

 

[K.E. Powell]

I don't let much cake build up in my pipes, so after a smoke, once I finish cleaning out the stem and mortise with a pipe cleaner, I will fold that cleaner and swab out the chamber, removing any excess soot and tobacco. I may use the scoop on my czech tool to remove more stubborn deposits. I do this at night when I know I'm done smoking for the day.

For deep cleaning, I don't have to do that often these days, given the above routine and the fact I have plenty of pipes to rotate between use. But I typically do it once every four months or so. I first clean the stems with Decatur stem cleaner and dry them out thoroughly after use. I use a shank brush gently dipped in alcohol or warm water to clean the mortise. Finally, I will use a spare rag or paper towel and swab the insides of the chamber to get it as clean as I can. Again, I do not think much cake is necessary, so I don't bother trying to cultivate it in my pipes. Finally, I will use a jeweler's cloth to help shine the pipes.

 

[B.Fee]

Pipe cleaner and paper towel after each smoke. I used to do the Everclear bit if I thought a pipe got funky but now hot water flush gets things back to all good.

 

[gervais]

I Run a moist 99% iso dipped pipe cleaner through the stem to the bowl after I dump the dottle, then dry paper towel wipe the inside of the chamber.

I haven't done more than that for almost a whole year......I should probably do a take apart cleaning soon!

 

[Python 357]

There is no wrong or right way for cleaning.

This is certainly going to get down to personal preferences, and someone’s time, and the amount of pipes someone owns.

But, I do think that, if someone owns some very fine, high quality pipes, they are going to clean them right after smoking, unless they don’t care.

If you clean a pipe right after you smoke it, then, there is not going to be a need for a Deep Cleaning, or Reaming.

Deep Cleaning, as I’ve come to understand here on the forum, is when you soak the chamber in Everclear, either filled with Salt, or a cotton ball over night.

Also, if you use a paper napkin, or towel to wipe out the chamber after smoking, you’ll never build a thick cake that needs reaming. You also only need, what I call, a 1mm layer of carbon inside a chamber.

I always wipe the chambers out after smoking, with either a paper towel or napkin, then run a few cleaners through the shank and stem. I only take the stem off after I’ve smoked the pipe a few times, then I’ll run a q-tip around inside the mortise.

The only slight deep I will do, depending on how much I have smoked the same pipe, is to occasionally runner a few cleaners dipped in Everclear through the shank and stem, and a q-tip dipped in Everclear to wipe the mortise out, also occasionally.

Then with vulcanite, or cumberland stems, I’ll rub some Obsidian oil on them after every smoke and let it sit for while, and later rub off.

For the Briar, I will use pipe cloths untreated to wipe off, and every few weeks or a month, wax them.

I like that advice

 

[JJ_JJ_JJ_JJ]

I clean mine with 99% ISO after every smoke when its cool.
Don't want that funk building up

 

[Terry Lennox]

What's the best way to hand clean acrylic stems? Most of my acrylic stems look as good today as the day they were purchased. But a few have discolored and dulled, which surprised me. Any tips?

 

[sablebrush52]

I'll run a couple of pipe cleaners through the airway after a smoke, sometimes take off the stem so that I can really clean out the slot and get at the mortise. I put a few pipe cleaners through the shank airway and fold up a bristle pipe cleaner into a block to clean out the mortise. Paper towel for the chamber. That's just a light clean. A single pipe cleaner is better than nothing, but not by a hell of a lot.

At the end of a day's use I'll disassemble the pipe, run a warm water flush through the stummel and thoroughly clean out the airway. If the stem is acrylic, I use White Elephant bristles, a mild unscented liquid dish washing detergent, and warm water to clean out the stem. It the stem is vulcanite I'll use alcohol and regular BJ Long pipe cleaners to clean out the airway.

If The stem has some build up, Simichrome and a clean old sock removes minor build up and leaves the stem shiny. Then I'll coat the stem with microcrystalline wax as a barrier against air. That a medium cleaning

A deeep cleaning uses bristle shank or bottle brushes and alcohol, as much and many as is needed until there is no appreciable residue and a bristle pipe cleaner moistened with alcohol comes out clean, no faint stain. The mortise is thoroughly cleaned until there is no staining on the pipe cleaners. If there's some cake build up it gets trimmed. The stem is thoroughly cleaned with attention to the slot. Then the pipe gets gets polished and put away for a rest. Essentially, the pipe is returned to clean and neutral. If it isn't neutral, it's not deep cleaned.

 

[rmbittner]

There comes a point in time when every pipe in my rotation deserves a good deep cleaning. Typically, when I finish a bowl, I run a pipe cleaner through to dry the interior of the stem and using the pointed end of my tamper, I clear the ashes and dross. Then replace it into the pipe rack. In the past I have even resorted to leaving a pipe cleaner in the stem between smokes.

But after some time, it can become difficult to truly taste the tobacco as much as I'd like. I must face the slightly daunting task of deep cleaning 30 pipes.

With a snap of latex, on go the gloves.

My deep cleaning routine usually consists of disassembling the pipes and running pipe cleaners dipped in de-natured alcohol through the stem then separately though the briar bowls. I then repeat with a dry pipe cleaner. If the cake is excessively thick, I will do a light reaming of the bowl. I then leave the disassembled pipe out to dry over night.

I'm certain every piper has his own routine for deep cleaning pipes. What is your routine?

I typically will smoke the same pipe all day—anywhere from 4-10 bowls, depending—unless I’m changing tobaccos. After a day’s smoking, I will wet a a pipe cleaner with 151-proof rum and run it through the stem and shank, then fold it in half and wipe out the bowl. Then it goes back in the stand to rest/dry.

About every six months, I do a deep cleaning of the pipes I’ve smoked during that period. I will ream if necessary, then I go in with a pipe brush, bristle cleaners, Q-tips, and 151-proof rum to make sure everything is as clean as I can possibly make it. The bristle cleaners/brush are for concentrating on the shank/mortise; the Q-tips are for erasing any build up on the top rim. Magic Erasers are on hand for stem maintenance.

I have to say, this process is my least favorite thing about pipe smoking. While it can be relaxing, and it’s great to know that my pipes are clean, it’s time away from smoking. Since I really like using high-proof rum in the process, I intentionally do not smoke while doing this. Truth be told: I’d rather be smoking.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Take it apart after cooled off, damp paper towel for bowl, cleaners for the rest, sometimes use the little nylon brushes, especially for pipes that need a little more attention for the shank/mortise. Takes very little time, but it continues until the paper towels and cleaners/brushes come clean.