Stinky silicone whip...

So I just upgraded the stock vinyl whip hose that came with my V-Tower. I am now using silicone tubing. It solved the flexibility and length issues I had with the stock whip, but now I have a new problem. The silicone stinks. I've only been using it for about 5 days now, and the hose smells really bad, not just on the ends, but all up and down it. It doesn't even really smell like marijuana, it smells more like body odor.

Are there any suggestions for cleaning? I'd like to make this tube last a bit, I don't wanna have to keep replacing it all the time. Will soap and water work well, or is there a better idea out there? I don't want to damage the silicone, and I know some stuff can make it sticky.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Clean it with ISO and hot water, should get rid of the smell. Silicone can get sticky from use since the tubing soaks up some of the oils from the herb that bleeds through to the outside.

I soak mine in ISO then rinse in hot water. Then spin it over my head to dry.

RUDE BOY said:

Clean it with ISO and hot water, should get rid of the smell. Silicone can get sticky from use since the tubing soaks up some of the oils from the herb that bleeds through to the outside.

I soak mine in ISO then rinse in hot water. Then spin it over my head to dry.

Click to expand...

How long do you suggest I soak it? I usually just leave glass pieces in ISO overnight, but that seems excessive for silicone. I want to make this last as long as I can, and if I have to do a weekly ISO soak I imagine that would kill it pretty quickly.

I only leave mine soaking for a few minutes then swish the ISO Back and forth end to end then rinse in hot water and it's good. Some are more OCD and leave it longer I'm sure. The tubing will last longer then your thinkin'.

It will stain but be clean as long as you hit it with the ISO. The 1/2 inch or so near your herb chamber may get spongy and soft after time, Cut it off.

That's what works for me at least.

Awesome. I'm just looking to deodorize. I read a bit of info about the silicone tubing on here, but never did I realize it would develop such a stink so quickly. People are on here talking about how to harvest resin out of the stuff, and I am wondering how they managed to deal with the smell long enough for that much resin to accumulate. Maybe I am oversensitive, but it's pretty wretched after a week of moderate use with quality MMJ.

I'll reclaim from stems and glass sometimes But I can't deal with it building up much and stinking so its not worth the effort for tiny payoff. I'll swish a bit of ISO in the Whip and rinse every night. so as to not stink up the house and have fresh taste for the next session.

Prevention is key.
Try a wisp of cotton or hemp fiber as a reclaim filter so the hose doesn't get dirty in the first place.

grokit said:

Prevention is key.
Try a wisp of cotton or hemp fiber as a reclaim filter so the hose doesn't get dirty in the first place.

Click to expand...

I've been doing this lately with my SSV and enjoy the benefits - smoother hits and cleaner whip and glass.

The filters also increases the resistance slightly and this resistance increases as it builds oils over time. Once the resistance is too much I replace the filter with a new one and use pieces of the oil-soaked filter in my portable. I suspect you could likewise hit the reclaim filter in your V-Tower bowl.

So the cotton goes inside the end of the tube, on the end that connects to the glass elbow piece? And then I just tweeze it out when it needs replaced?

If that helps with the odor problem, I am going to be super stoked. Part of the appeal of vaping to me is eliminating as much odor as possible. I found that when you stop smoking, the smell becomes downright intolerable after a week or so of not being around it. I hit a pipe at a friends party, and it stunk like an ashtray full of cigarette butts. It's only been a week with this tube, and it smells like sweaty gym socks.

I was thinking of storing it with something that has a nice smell, too. Maybe something to help mask the odor that wouldn't be harmful to me, chemically. I'm still new, I'm learning here. Thanks for the great advice so far!

This gets me thinking. If this silicone tube absorbs oils and smells, has anyone ever tried infusing it, or like seasoning it, with some essential oils? I can't be the first person to think of that.

I don't know about whips, but I have read about people using coconut oil for bad-tasting rubber mouthpieces. It certainly wouldn't hurt anything to try it!

zxro said:

So the cotton goes inside the end of the tube, on the end that connects to the glass elbow piece? And then I just tweeze it out when it needs replaced?

Click to expand...

You could insert in there, but I would try instead in the glass elbow, perhaps the ribbed part of the glass. However, that area is quite narrow as is the whip with the V-Tower. I have the cotton in my much larger bore SSV glass wand below the screen. One tries to carefully insert the filter w/o squishing it and yes, just tweeze it out when due.

zxro said:

This gets me thinking. If this silicone tube absorbs oils and smells, has anyone ever tried infusing it, or like seasoning it, with some essential oils? I can't be the first person to think of that.

Click to expand...

Earlier today I lubed up an inch of mflb tubing with beeswax and added ONE drop of peppermint oil on it. I use it for the T-Vape mouthpiece.

Just hit it now and my mouth is left with minty feeling instead of blue dream. To me the silicone still has herb smell but maybe that is me relating it to the mint smell. The mint has way more odor and I notice it immediately when it out of my pocket.

I have noticed that the peppermint does not last long and will not work well to mask the odor (in the long run). I did not soak my tubing or anything but have noticed that depending on your vape and how close the oil is to the heater you will end up vaping most of the oil away pretty quickly. But it definitely is really nice for the T-Vape to mask the horrible abv taste that comes around the fifth hit.