After a bunch of use, your glass pipe can become clogged, making what was once an enjoyable smoke, an unpleasant pastime. But guess what, with some basic household products and a few minutes, your glass pipe can be good as new.
First, hold the pipe upside down and gently tap to remove any loose particles. Then soften resin by applying heat. Use a pipe cleaner or cotton swab to gently clean away the resin you can reach. Don’t risk breaking your glass pipe by trying too roughly to get at those hard to reach spots. The next step should take care of that for you.
Next, you have some decisions. You could submerge your glass pipe in boiling water and simmer for 30 minutes; you could submerge in water and (don’t laugh) 2-3 denture cleaning tablets for 30 minutes; or you can place in a freezer bag and submerge in rubbing alcohol (90% isopropyl). Add a tablespoon of kosher salt, which will act as an abrasive. Work the salt into the pipe, and shake it around. Rinse in hot water to remove alcohol and salt. To remove water spots, soak in warm water and lemon juice.
For stubborn stains and grime, soak overnight and repeat whichever process you have chosen. You can even start off the process by freezing your pipe for 30 minutes, as this makes build-ups easier to dislodge.
It’s good to clean your glass pipe once a week to make this task even easier in the future.