How do I clean my weed pipes??? ....

[a kennedy]

Thank you. They’re old……back in the early 90’s. Even earlier. But now?? They are not easy to breathe from. Please give me a cleaning solution to clean the passage out.

[WheelWalker]

1. Old school remedy for glass piece... rock salt and alcohol; shake vigorously; rinse & repeat as needed.

..Use wire bristle pipe cleaners to make channel patent.

Or do what the learned do: discard and buy new.

There is no good method for non-glass IMO. Buy the equivalent of the glass BIC pipe. Then discard. It's about having a clean and patent airway, both for your smoking piece and your body.

[Inkey]

2. It depends on the type of pipe

Alcohol (ethylene/grain) does the job.
For metal and wood pipe stems, pipe cleaner swabs from a smoke shop, soaked with alcohol will open it up. More aggressive methods use a metal rod to push out the gunk. It is bit messy, sticky,
and stinky but it will work.
Forget recycling the gunk by resmoking
it. There might be a desperate bit of
buzz in it, but is mostly tar.

[marble falls]

3. Metal, glass, I boil and the tar can be blown out easy. Briar or wood bowl, I use a pipe borer/reamer, ...

... usually under $10, and soak the stem in vodka and use a good stiff pipe cleaner.

[Figarosmom]

4. For my wooden one i

Heat up a straightened paperclip and ream it through the stem. That usually clears it out.

[coprolite]

5. I use rubbing alcohol

and an inexpensive ultrasonic cleaner for my pipes. An extended soaked in the alcohol works too.

The remaining tar in the stem and bowl can easily be removed using several QTips.

A final rinse with clean alcohol and burn off using a propane torch to evaporate any remaining alcohol and burn the tar off the screen.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. I'd Use Everclear

95% ethanol. Not very toxic at low levels. Can get it at any liquor store.
It's what the cannabis industry uses to extract cannabinoids for tinctures & resins.
If you have tar build-up, you can use acetone, from any hardware store. But, I'd wash it with water (acetone is infinitely miscible with water) then let it dry.
Ethanol is a less scrupulously solvent for the cyclic hydrocarbons resulting from partial combustion. You need acetone for that.
Wouldn't take much. Just enough to fill the bowl & chamber.

[Hekate]

8. This has all been fascinating, but just wanted to add this about acetone: nail polish remover

Have no idea what amount the hardware store sells, but if all you need is 4 to 8 ounces, check the nail-care/nail polish aisle of the local drugstore.

This whole thread is in the category of “things I never thought to ask” — pondering now…

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Good Call

Ace Hardware had a 13 ounce bottle for $9.
But, Target has a 6 ounce bottle of acetone based nail polish remover for only $1.19.
So, that's the better buy.
Nice Catch, Hekate.

[Hekate]

11. Once long ago I had some fiddly little household job that called for acetone...

I just remember thinking: Hm. I have that.

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. I use Mean Green.

It will dissolve the gunk. Just fill container that will allow the item to be submerged. Let it soak. You may have to help it along by removing layers once they loosen, if the deposit is really thick.

I clean all of my glass with it. It has worked so far with metal items but I know it can eat off chrome and such finishes if left long enough.

I usually use a hot piece of wire on wooden items and hope for the best.

[Hotler]

10. Everclear, (grain alcohol) and pipe cleaners. If clogged up bad I some times

heat the pipe up over a flame (or heat source) to melt the resin and drain it out. Then use the alcohol only after the pipe has cooled down. For safety, NO open flames around grain alcohol.