How to clean a glass pipe without alcohol

Discussion in 'Smoking Pipes, Glass Spoon Pipes' started by StonedCowboy, Nov 1, 2020.

  1. I need to clean my pipe but don’t have any alcohol. Any other suggestions? White vinegar?
     
  2. Pretty much any solvent will work, acetone, paint thinner, etc
     
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  3. I was about to use nail polish remover but it said highly flammable on the container so I was sort of sketched out. I am soaking it in La’s totally awesome now. Probably gonna have to wait and go to the store for some isp alcohol. Thx
     
  4. I use isopropyl alcohol and salt. Shake vigorously. Rinse with water.
    Lately alcohol is hard to find at the store, so I've been using acetone from the hardware store. Works the same if not better and rinses clean with water. Costs the same.
     
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  5. You realize rubbing alcohol is just as highly flammable?

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  6. Mean Green would also work. It's a degreaser and it removes resin and stuff really well. I just soak my pieces in it overnight and they come out sparkling clean.
     
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  7. I think vinegar also works to a certain extent. Mix it with salt and shake vigorously and leave it overnight. Then rinse.
     
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  8. Acetone & salt works just as good as Iso does:smoke:, as long as you wash it out with soap & water once it's clean you'll be good to go:) I've been using Acetone for a while now since iso prices went up because of Covid :laughing:
     
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  9. That and it's hard as shit to find. I still have plenty of ISO at home but need to keep it saved for actual emergency uses.
     
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  10. Easy off oven cleaner, works and not flammable
     
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  11. I soaked it in LA’s Totally awesome cleaner for a few hours and then rinsed it out and it looked brand new. Thanks for the tips.
     
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  12. I have no idea if this would work but Coco Cola seems to work on almost everything you want cleaned .
     
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  13. Acidic.
    KP in the army we would sprinkle kool aid over the pans an pour coke all over them and watch them fizzle themselves clean. Crud that was baked like concrete would just sponge away.
     
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  14. I was a Boiler technician in the Navy , we would use the Bug Juice from the galley ( Kool Aid ) an mop the stainless Steel Decks in the boiler room .
    We had to stop because the Bug Juice was eating holes in the deck/cat walks in the boiler room .
    At sea the laundry service suck ass So we would put our clothes in a fish net laundry bag and toss the bag off the fantail and the the propeller wash ,wash the clothes ..
    The salt water was brutal on your clothes and you could only leave the clothes in that salt water for about 5 minutes then you rinsed the clothes out in fresh water and hung up in the boiler room .

    I would think Coke or Pepsi and salt water would work good for cleaning pipes only made from Glass or metals ..
    My pipes are made out of exotic woods over some kind of metal or glass tubing .
    My pipes are made to be cleaned ,, both ends are open/carbureted
    I use a heated 3/16 brass ram rod , it works great .

    Have a great day
     
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  15. That is sounds great!
     
  16. I'm glad I saw this post! Thanks for the suggestions cuz I didn't have enough alcohol but had plenty of nail polish remover so I'm giving that a try. I used the polish remover and salt. I have my glass soaking overnight.

    I've always used alcohol and I've never let it sit overnight so I'm excited to see how this goes. I was so tempted to buy a new pipe cuz I love breaking in a new piece but the one I'm cleaning really is cool it was just dirty.
     
  17. Just good old isopropyl and salt.
     
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  18. Now that the holidays are over, we have full stocks of them.
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  19. Yup, I'm starting to see a few bottles on the shelves now. It's twice the price it used to be, but it's becoming available.
    I read that acetone is made from isopropyl. There is a way to convert acetone back to isopropyl, but it takes many more steps making it cost prohibitive. It's cheaper and easier to start from scratch and make new isopropyl if that's what you need.
    Acetone can be used as a disinfectant, but not as an antiseptic.
    You can use it to wipe down objects, but you don't want to pour it on an open wound. I don't know, probably because it dries out so bad. ???
    I used to use acetone to clean brake parts. It evaporates quickly and leaves no residue. Or like isopropyl it is water soluble and rinses clean with plain cold water.

    I might continue using it and save the isopropyl for other things. I think acetone works better. Leaves the glass a little more sparklier looking when done.
     

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