Vapor residual harder to clean off glass??

If you use the Cranberry Extract in your bong water can you go a few days without cleaning or is it better to just clean it every use?

JiggyJack said:

If you use the Cranberry Extract in your bong water can you go a few days without cleaning or is it better to just clean it every use?

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I go "Type A" with glass and ISO rinse after each use but truth be known the piece will let you know (taste & smell) when its gone too long.

Well i tried again with the PBW, this time a full teaspoon and i let it sit for a little over 3 hours.

Now, i have PBW stuck to the inside in a few spots. I used extremely hot water trying to dissolve it but that didnt work. I tried ISO and salt but that didnt knock it loose either.

I was able to get a pipe cleaner down inside enough to knock off a few of the small PBW chunks, but there are still a few that wont come off.

Any suggestions to getting the PBW out??

If i cant get it out is the piece still safe to use? Im worried maybe ill inhale some of it or something... somehow...

Oh... And the brown haze never came off either LMAO

Cranberry extract ordered.

Acetone.. just dont get it on anything plastic and dont pour it down the drain.

JiggyJack said:

If you use the Cranberry Extract in your bong water can you go a few days without cleaning or is it better to just clean it every use?

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That depends on if you are adding citric acid to the mix or not. If you don't add citric acid to your mix expect microbiological growth in 2 or 3 days. Using citric acid I have been able to go a week to ten days before the "black goo" starts to appear. A PBW wash will clean things but remember, PBW is NOT a sanitizer. Thats why I do a final rinse with One Step.

Regarding removing excess PBW and the white stains . . . this is why I recommend short dwell times and repeated cleanings using a flush hose system to provide rinse water under pressure to remove all traces of the cleaner and provide additional cleaning power to hard to reach areas. PBW is hard alkali and it seems to remove things right at the water line where hard water stains appear. Getting rid of this effect is troublesome and the only success I remember from the PBW thread involved direct mechanical cleaning of the affected area.

I have acetone!! I will give that a shot, thanks mate!!

WoodVillain said:

I have acetone!! I will give that a shot, thanks mate!!

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Let us know what you end up with. Ive had some PBW issues myself in the past.. I still use it and I soak it a REALLY long time but power flushing Ive never had any issues. If you still end up with residuals, I have another idea.

My PBW method has always been very hot water, very short period of time soaking to avoid white stains, good rinses, another short soak if necessary.

No luck with acetone.

Also i had actual pieces of PBW stuck on the glass. Little chunks. There was also a couple small white spots, but i was more worried about the little chunks.

SO far ISO, iso/salt and shaking, vinegar, acetone, dish soap, near boiling water... All with shaking...All failed. I have been trying and soaking since yesterday evening.

HOWEVER... I managed to get it off, i took rock salt... the kind you throw out on the sidewalks and roads for snow, and put quite a bit in it, even the hard gravel like pieces. if it would fit, it went in.

Then i added just a bit of cold water, i didnt want to dissolve the salt, and wanted more of a paste than a liquid.... and then i shook like hell.... At this point i didnt care if i scratched the glass on the inside, i just wanted the chunks of PBW out. I dont notice any scratches either... But a few pieces of the rocks did get caught up in the perc.... A few hot water rinses and they were all out as well though.


I believe im retiring PBW. Only 2-3 teaspoons used but i cant say im a fan. It never did remove the brown stain and caused more headache than the stain itself. Obviously this is likely my fault for how i used it or something... but ISO has never caused me ANY headache at all. It didnt get the stain out... but nothing has, so i cant fault ISO.

If you don't want your salt to dissolve use ISO, it doesn't dissolve salt. Also, your method is exactly why you had a problem. The reason your vapor stain isn't gone is because you need to repeat the process. Over time it will ablate. Adding mechanical energy, shaking, will hasten this process. If people who combust with their pieces can get them clean with PBW so can you. Assuming of course that it is vapor resin that is making your stain.

I have no doubt that PBW works for a lot of people. Just not me it seems. I combust in my pieces as well, never had any issues cleaning them before with only ISO. Just started vaping in it, then got the stain. I also did shake with both iso and pbw. A lot. Violently in fact. I repeated the process 4 times total now with pbw. And even more with ISO. I only use bottle spring water in my pieces. Never had any issues before with iron impregnating glass.... I do understand that distilled would be better though.

I got 16 years in of using water pipes, always cleaning them with iso. Granted there has been times on multi-section multi-perc pieces where i couldnt get them spotless with iso... But never had any issues on a little bubbler like this. In fact i got a 2nd one of these FC-187s after breaking the first because its always only taken me a couple minutes to get it back looking new.....Just started vaping through this bubbler, then started having problems getting it clean. Then couldnt get the pbw all out...

Iso is just easier for me and does just as good of job from my VERY limited experience with PBW.

WoodVillain said:

I combust in my pieces as well, never had any issues cleaning them before with only ISO. Just started vaping in it, then got the stain. I also did shake with both iso and pbw. A lot. Violently in fact. I repeated the process 4 times total now with pbw. And even more with ISO.

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So you have a stain that appeared only after you started vaping and even ISO and salt won't remove it? You sir have a bad piece of glass or an unknown problem that is uniquely yours alone. Before you give up try some drain opener or bleach. Rinse extremely well. I wish you luck . . .

Edit: Acid Magic might be something else to try and although it is much safer than muriatic acid you MUST observe and adhere to all safety protocols or risk serious injury.

"So you have a stain that appeared only after you started vaping and even ISO and salt won't remove it?"

Correct.

Its a mystery, but im over it

WoodVillain said:

Its a mystery, but im over it

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So am I. You will be receiving no more "help" from me I assure you.

Did i say something offensive? If so i apologize as i didnt mean to.

I simply give up trying to get the stain off is all. Seems to be on pretty good but is barely visible now and is not effecting anything so ill leave it be.