How Often Should I Change My Bong Water?

 Posted by at 5:06 PM on January 15, 2012  Cannabis Tips and Tricks, Opinion, Pipes And Bongs  Add comments
Jan 152012
 

marijuana bongHow Often Do You Change Your Bong Water?

We all have that friend with a bong so dirty you don’t want to smoke out of it, but at the same time you aren’t going to be the one to clean it right? That is one of my biggest pet peeves as a marijuana consumer – the dirty bong. Assuming the bong is see-thru, if I can’t see through the water, it is clearly time for a change. Personally, I like to have fresh bong water for every session. If I’m feeling really ambitious, I will add ice to the situation. But at the very least, I would like ‘somewhat’ clean bong water when I am participating in a marijuana session.

Is there anything worse than the smell from a dirty bong that was spilled on the floor? It always reminds me of the movie Grandma’s Boy where the guy says, “Maybe if you’d clean it every once in awhile it wouldn’t smell like your girlfriend’s ass!” Ninjasmoker said he spills his bong at least two to three times a week, so fresh bong water is vital for him. As a guy that smokes off of his bong often, the effort is appreciated. What is the best thing to clean up a dirty bong party foul? Any tips out there TWB? I usually just soak it up with a towel and spray the spot with Febreeze until I no longer feel like I’m going to ralph.

Dirty bong water can take away from your piece too. I don’t know how many of my friends have amazing pieces to smoke marijuana out of, yet their bong looks like it is using cola for the water ha ha. If you love your piece, and you want to show it off properly, which is probably the reason you bought it in the first place, keep that bong water as clear as possible!

Dirty bong water also greatly takes away from the taste of the marijuana that the consumer is smoking. It is almost offense to me when I bring over some top notch marijuana to consume at a friend’s house, and their bong is nasty. We might as well be smoking mids because the flavor just isn’t there. For me, consuming marijuana is a lot like Ratatouille eating food. I don’t just want to consume it, I want to cherish the experience. I want to smell the nug before I smoke it, and absolutely I want to taste the difference in the marijuana strain. I definitely don’t want to taste week old stale bong water.

I tried to research as much as possible on the web to dig up info on bacteria in bong water, but I couldn’t find anything reliable. There were a few references on forums, but not anything as far as a scientific study. One person on marijuana.com’s forum stated the following, which I think is logical, “Bong water that is more than 22 hours old will start to create bacteria and if you do get sick, take care of yourself because if not treated properly or at all, that kind of bacteria can lead to respitory problems…” If any readers out there can dig up anymore info on this, or if you just happen to be a stoner biologist, please post info in the comments below so that others can benefit from your knowledge.

Grass City Forums has a survey that they started in 2005, asking readers how often they clean their bong water. The results are:

Every Session8454.19%
Regularly, but not every time3925.16%
Every now and then2214.19%
Clean my bong water?!106.45%

I feel it necessary to address an alarming thing that I discovered on just about every marijuana forum on the internet. Apparently, people are drinking bong water and advocating others to do so because it gets you high. I can’t think of too many things that would make me more sick to my stomach than drinking bong water, but maybe I’m out of the mainstream on that one?? Hopefully there is enough access to marijuana in your area that you don’t have to resort to this activity, but if so, please explain to me what possesses you to do that!

To sum up, please do all marijuana consumers a favor and keep your bong water clean. If you need tips on how to clean your bong, or pipe, Ninjasmoker wrote a great tutorial.

Marijuana Leaf Bong With Ice

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About Johnny Green

Johnny Green is a marijuana activist from Oregon. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Public Policy. Follow Johnny Green on Facebook and Twitter. Also, feel free to email any concerns.
  • http://cannabis-country.blogspot.com Cannabis Country

    This article brings back memories. I remember being in highschool getting the new smokers to drink the bong water. It was so funny. Now I realize that was just cruel but hey I was a teen and well teenagers are just cruel.

    I have no idea why anyone would drink it. And it doesn’t surprise me people are drinking bong water. Hell nowadays kids funner beer up there pie whole so it gets them drunker faster. If they are doing that I wouldn’t put drinking bong water past them.

    Please listen to the author of this post. Don’t drink your bong water. If you have to smoke swag. Just leave your water in your blog where it belongs.

  • MN

    I’ve read in places some cannabinoids have an anti-bacterial effect. Maybe this translates to water that doesn’t mold or grow bacteria? Interesting read~ Definitley don’t rinse mine enough : \ ha!

  • al

    best clean for glass bong handfull of rice half fill with metholated spirits give good shake whish i knew this 40 years ago so simple so shiny and clear….

  • emjabe

    If you want to keep your new bong clean while smoking it, try adding a few drops of milk to the bong water. The fats in the milk absorb the oils in the water before it sticks to the glass.

  • emjabe

    And change the water daily also

  • nick

    Use the household cleaner goof off.. let it sit a few mins and shake and your bong will be shiny new again.. but rinse out good with water cuz the taste from the goof off is gross I always pour some soap with a fragrence and let it soak up to get the smell out… Then time to time up

  • http://www.roor-bongs.net/ roor bongs

    I can’t believe you managed to write an article this long about how often people change their bong water :p I change mine 2 to 3 times in a night’s sesh. Or whenever it starts to look a bit nasty. I don’t get those people that barely ever change it, it’s disgusting!

  • RiPto

    Well said Make sure your bongs clean..
    i Use 420 cleaner to keep my glass clean considering there clear.

    Some choose to not handle there glass cause the risks of cleaning it and swirling it above a sink or tub will bring worst thoughts imaginable. but still no excuse.,
    So when i do the dishes i make sure its time carefully spent.
    I am currently out of 420 cleaner…

    If you spill it you clean it., there some ressolve under the sink.

    And i always quote Grandmas Boy “You Should never throw a bong kid., ever”.

  • ThatGuy

    Years ago when I had my first graffix, I drank the bong water after every smoke. I didn’t know any better and it didn’t taste very good but the water was pure and the bong was brand new and the water was immediately consumed after smoking each and every time. Never was there a time when the water sat for more than a minute or 2. And yes you do get higher but it is neglible at best.

    As for changing water, it is as often as needed preferably every single time. Regardless of whose bong it is, if the water is dirty and I can change it, I am changing it. Yes, it is true. I am that guy. All glass should be cleaned as often as possible. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why the stupid hippies get so turned on about their colored glass and it changing colors as the only way it gets colored is when it is filthy. Then again, most hippies fear soap so … magnets do attract. If you want to smoke carbon, ash, and yummy resin, by all means, go right ahead. But there is nothing like a draw from an immaculate and clean pipe from some KGB – killer green bud. On the other hand, there is nothing like a draw from a filthy stale bong. It destroys the taste of the bud and instead of it tasting sweet and wonderful, it tastes like poo.

    By the way, don’t use 420 cleaner or any other toxic substance. As hot water as you can handle and if need be, sea salt. Or rubbing alcohol but hot water does the same thing and it is cheaper and safer (eyes). Maybe a little dish soap too. Rinse well. And then rinse again.

  • shadowyazn

    Best thing I’ve found..either grains of rice or coarse sea salt with 91% isopropyl alchohol gets pretty much any resin/residue out of a piece. Whatevers left after rinsing with that solution easily comes off with the hot water rinse I use to clean off the cleaning solution. Btw…change your bong water frequently..stoners get a bad enough rep as it is. Don’t need one more thing for nonsmokers to throw in your face. I clean mine before every session.

  • http://oldcatman-xxx.com/ OLDCATMAN

    Your taste buds will tell you when to change your bong water!

  • Tzamora805

    Use 420 if you have quality glass, iso and everything else will damage the glass ans make it brake easilly, rinse with hot water after to evaporate all chemicals and let the glass fully dry if you really want to make sure there is no trace of the chemicals left behind.

  • Under0ath

    Salt and rubbing alcohol. Does the trick every time!

  • Face

    Once a day, with ice every time.

  • Ben

    After every fucking smoking sesh, period. Clean it with a disinfectant like soap or alcohol and replace the water with CLEAN water. Anytime you use a bong with nasty water you are putting yourself at risk for disease. Mold and bacteria grow in that water and make for quite an unpleasant time if inhaled.

  • Nathan

    Makes you wonder where the saying “if your not drinking out of a bong, your doing it wrong” comes from…