Short answer

Put the spoon pipe in a resealable plastic bag. Add 1 cup of 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol and 2 tablespoons of coarse salt. Seal the bag and shake for 2 to 5 minutes. Rinse the pipe with warm water. Dry it on a paper towel. Total time is about 10 minutes for a pipe with light buildup, 30 to 45 minutes for a pipe with heavy resin.

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What you need

  • Isopropyl alcohol at 91% or 99% strength
  • Coarse salt: kosher, Epsom, or rock salt
  • One resealable plastic bag, quart or gallon size
  • Warm tap water
  • Paper towel, cotton swab, and a pipe tool or paper clip
  • Nitrile gloves if you want to keep alcohol off your hands

Steps

  1. Empty the bowl. Tap ash into a trash can. Scrape loose resin with a paper clip or pipe tool. Work over paper so resin does not land on fabric.
  2. Place the pipe in the bag.
  3. Add the salt first, then the alcohol. Use 1 cup of alcohol to 2 tablespoons of salt. The liquid should cover the pipe.
  4. Seal the bag and press out extra air.
  5. Shake for 2 to 5 minutes. Turn the bag so the mixture hits the bowl, the stem, and the carb hole.
  6. Let the bag sit for 15 to 30 minutes if resin is thick. Shake again for 1 minute.
  7. Pull the pipe out. Rinse it with warm water. Hot water can crack thin glass. Cold water leaves a film.
  8. Check the bowl and the inside of the stem. Repeat the soak if resin remains.
  9. Dry the pipe on a paper towel for 10 minutes. Check the stem for trapped water before you pack it.

Why alcohol and salt work

Cannabis resin holds cannabinoids, terpenes, and waxes. These compounds are nonpolar. Isopropyl alcohol carries both polar and nonpolar character, so it breaks the resin apart and holds it in liquid. Salt does not dissolve in isopropyl alcohol. The grains stay solid and act as an abrasive that scours glass while the bag moves.

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Strength matters. A 70% bottle is 30% water. It cuts resin at a slower rate. A 91% or 99% bottle works on resin in minutes.

how long is a typical cannabis spoon pipe

Safety

  • Isopropyl alcohol has a flash point near 53 F, or 11.7 C. Vapors can ignite. No flame, no lighter, no cigarette, no pilot light in the room.
  • Open a window or run a fan. Alcohol vapor builds up in small rooms.
  • Do not mix alcohol with bleach or other cleaners.
  • Wear gloves. Alcohol strips oils from skin.
  • Keep the mixture away from painted glass, decals, silicone, acrylic, and rubber grommets. Alcohol removes paint and can cloud some plastics.
  • Do not boil the pipe in alcohol. Heat raises vapor levels and can crack glass.

How often to clean

Clean when airflow drops or the taste turns harsh. Daily users: every 3 to 7 days. Light users: every 2 to 4 weeks. A spoon pipe has a small bowl and short stem, so resin blocks the hole fast.

how to pack a spoon pipe correctly

What not to do

  • Do not use table salt if coarse salt is available. Fine grains give less scrubbing action.
  • Do not reuse the alcohol more than once. It holds dissolved resin and leaves a sticky film.
  • Do not use acetone or nail polish remover on colored glass. It can strip color.
  • Do not soak metal screens in salt. The grains can bend the mesh.

Disposal

Pour used alcohol into a glass jar with a lid. Label the jar. Take it to a household hazardous waste site. You can also let the liquid evaporate outdoors, away from flame and away from pets. Flush the bag and the sink with water after you pour.