RezBlock /Cranberry Extract

[MinnBobber]

One last thing, Simple Green/PBW, which is the preferred product and do you have any tips for me to use these for overnight soaks?

......................................................................
My favorite is PBW.
Caution with PBW-- I always do short soaks, like 15 minutes max. It works quickly. Overnight soak can lead to white stains/marks, especially right at the waterline. If horribly dirty piece (or piece used for combustion) two short soaks are better than one long soak.

Also, make sure it is totally dissolved or white marks can happen. I use very hot water and completely dissolve by stirring in separate container, then pour into glassware. It is also very slippery so proceed with care.

I find less is more- a mere 1/8 teaspoon for a piece. Too much hinders dissolving and it just doesn't take a lot.

@Ratchett at Delta 3D Studios has silicone plugs that help with the cleaning process

---see his thread

1. 

 

[ReeferChiefer]

......................................................................
My favorite is PBW.
Caution with PBW-- I always do short soaks, like 15 minutes max. It works quickly. Overnight soak can lead to white stains/marks, especially right at the waterline. If horribly dirty piece (or piece used for combustion) two short soaks are better than one long soak.

Also, make sure it is totally dissolved or white marks can happen. I use very hot water and completely dissolve by stirring in separate container, then pour into glassware. It is also very slippery so proceed with care.

I find less is more- a mere 1/8 teaspoon for a piece. Too much hinders dissolving and it just doesn't take a lot.

@Ratchett at Delta 3D Studios has silicone plugs that help with the cleaning process

---see his thread

1. 

Thanks for the quick reply. I have already stained one of my rigs from neglect long ago and am afraid of doing so to any of my much more expensive rigs. Does Simple Green stain as well? Also, the link to the thread isn't working

EDIT: I forgot to ask about using these solutions to clean Ti nails. Same process? Nothing special to do differently?

 

[John Lewus]

Thanks for the quick reply. I have already stained one of my rigs from neglect long ago and am afraid of doing so to any of my much more expensive rigs. Does Simple Green stain as well? Also, the link to the thread isn't working

EDIT: I forgot to ask about using these solutions to clean Ti nails. Same process? Nothing special to do differently?

I use Simply Green daily. After following this thread since its inception I have gone back and forth on whether or not to use NACE.

What I do that works really well is to keep a big tub of simply green/water under my bathroom sink. About once a day or up to once every 3 days I will let my glass soak overnight. I have 3 pieces I like a lot so two are always in rotation and one is always being soaked. If I don't go any more than 3 days (about 20 total sessions) then just soaking overnight in SG is enough to get my class perfectly clean. I like SG because it is not nearly as harsh on my hands as PBW and I have been using the same tub for almost 3 months now. Once it starts to smell like ass (literally smells like poo) then I change the water out. I am probably due around now. I've used half a $10 bottle of SG over the course of last year so it is an extremely efficient way to clean if you have a place to store it.

Whether I use NACE or not my glass gets perfectly clean in SG if I don't let too much residue build up. If too much does build up then I do a PBW soak but that is always more work than I want cause I have to go downstairs. I've optimized my process to be cheap, convenient, and quick.

For me the nice thing about NACE is that if I am using one of my bigger tubes like a 60t knockoff then I don't get the Opaque white buildup on the walls nearly as bad. Is it worth it to do that? I dunno... I change my mind every month. One thing I don't do is use NACE and just empty/refill my tube. It is never as clean as actually soaking with SG. Many of my pieces like a hydratube have parts of the glass that the NACE just will never touch and you will get buildup. However for my 60t knockoff you can have the NACE touch every part of the glass that the vapor touches and really reduce the residue buildup. Those I almost can empty/refill without soaking but soaking always gets it clean.

I hope that helps.

 

[ReeferChiefer]

I use Simply Green daily. After following this thread since its inception I have gone back and forth on whether or not to use NACE.

What I do that works really well is to keep a big tub of simply green/water under my bathroom sink. About once a day or up to once every 3 days I will let my glass soak overnight. I have 3 pieces I like a lot so two are always in rotation and one is always being soaked. If I don't go any more than 3 days (about 20 total sessions) then just soaking overnight in SG is enough to get my class perfectly clean. I like SG because it is not nearly as harsh on my hands as PBW and I have been using the same tub for almost 3 months now. Once it starts to smell like ass (literally smells like poo) then I change the water out. I am probably due around now. I've used half a $10 bottle of SG over the course of last year so it is an extremely efficient way to clean if you have a place to store it.

Whether I use NACE or not my glass gets perfectly clean in SG if I don't let too much residue build up. If too much does build up then I do a PBW soak but that is always more work than I want cause I have to go downstairs. I've optimized my process to be cheap, convenient, and quick.

For me the nice thing about NACE is that if I am using one of my bigger tubes like a 60t knockoff then I don't get the Opaque white buildup on the walls nearly as bad. Is it worth it to do that? I dunno... I change my mind every month. One thing I don't do is use NACE and just empty/refill my tube. It is never as clean as actually soaking with SG. Many of my pieces like a hydratube have parts of the glass that the NACE just will never touch and you will get buildup. However for my 60t knockoff you can have the NACE touch every part of the glass that the vapor touches and really reduce the residue buildup. Those I almost can empty/refill without soaking but soaking always gets it clean.

I hope that helps.

Thanks so much, it really helps a lot. I just have a few questions for you if you don't mind.

Do you actually submerge your glass in the solution or do you just fill up the rigs and use plugs at the ends? Also, how do you go about determining the amount of SG you need to mix with the water? And, are you saying once you're done soaking you just leave the used SG water in a tub and use that again and again until it begins to smell?

Thanks again, I really appreciate it. I am finding out that my struggles with cleaning glass could have all been avoided had I just found this forum a long time ago.

 

[John Lewus]

Thanks so much, it really helps a lot. I just have a few questions for you if you don't mind.

Do you actually submerge your glass in the solution or do you just fill up the rigs and use plugs at the ends? Also, how do you go about determining the amount of SG you need to mix with the water? And, are you saying once you're done soaking you just leave the used SG water in a tub and use that again and again until it begins to smell?

Thanks again, I really appreciate it. I am finding out that my struggles with cleaning glass could have all been avoided had I just found this forum a long time ago.

I completely submerge my pieces. I am using a plastic storage box I bought at Fred Meyer for less than 10 bucks to store it. I end up laying my pieces on the side as this is a rectangular box. I spent months trying to find something vertical that fits my biggest piece but never could find anything other than a trash can that is still way too big.

I don't have any guidelines on how much to use. I just poured maybe a cup worth of SG for probably a couple gallons of water. I made the solution strong but not so much it hurts my hands.

 

[ReeferChiefer]

Would something like this be worth it?

http://www.plastic-mart.com/product/8576/10-gallon-plastic-water-tank

I'm having trouble finding something similar in size but cheaper.

 

[John Lewus]

Would something like this be worth it?

http://www.plastic-mart.com/product/8576/10-gallon-plastic-water-tank

I'm having trouble finding something similar in size but cheaper.

Welcome to my world! It is hard to find something to fit your piece. The problem I found with a solution like that is that you can't really tip your piece once you submerge it so getting out water bubbles is difficult. A clear container helps you see where the bubbles get trapped. I never can remove the bubbles completely so if my piece is a bit dirty I have to rotate it at least once while soaking to expose every surface area to the cleaner.

I think your best bet is one of those plastic storage bins you find at Target or another place and lay your piece on its side. Thats what I did. It cost maybe 7 dollars for that. Be careful of the ones with lid handles attached. Sometimes there are holes there you don't think about and you don't figure out until you filled up the thing all the way.

Another option that might work is one of those dog food containers. That is probably in the 20 dollar range.

Make sure to measure your piece to see if it fits first before buying. Also, measure from the bottom of the container because many of these storage boxes are tapered.

 

[TeeJay1952]

NY Time restaurant reviewer said yesterday that some concoction at dinner was as appetizing as bong water and I LOL.

 

[John Lewus]

Would something like this be worth it?

http://www.plastic-mart.com/product/8576/10-gallon-plastic-water-tank

I'm having trouble finding something similar in size but cheaper.

BTW here are the pics of what I use. It works well for me and fits under my sink. I recommend a see through container so you can see trapped water bubbles.

You can see the water bubble trapped. In pieces like this I try to remember to rotate it once during my soak cycle.

 

[ReeferChiefer]

BTW here are the pics of what I use. It works well for me and fits under my sink. I recommend a see through container so you can see trapped water bubbles.

You can see the water bubble trapped. In pieces like this I try to remember to rotate it once during my soak cycle.

Thanks man, I appreciate the pics and I'm sure other people reading the thread will also appreciate it. I already pulled the trigger on a similar container, size 21x15x10. I have 4 rigs that are pretty tall from 16" - 19" tall. I just got the SG solution today and noticed they recommend 2oz for every gallon of water for anyone out there wondering.

About the bubbles, why don't you first try to pour as much of that water into the rig first by plugging the joint, pouring water in through mouthpiece, working the bubbles out by moving the rig around and then submerge it?

 

[John Lewus]

Thanks man, I appreciate the pics and I'm sure other people reading the thread will also appreciate it. I already pulled the trigger on a similar container, size 21x15x10. I have 4 rigs that are pretty tall from 16" - 19" tall. I just got the SG solution today and noticed they recommend 2oz for every gallon of water for anyone out there wondering.

About the bubbles, why don't you first try to pour as much of that water into the rig first by plugging the joint, pouring water in through mouthpiece, working the bubbles out by moving the rig around and then submerge it?

Because that is a lot of work I just dunk it in, rotate it around a bit to work out bubbles, and that is generally good enough. If you use the rezblock as well then I can go upwards of 20 sessions (possibly 30) through glass and not have to use PBW to clean. If I get a pretty good white haze on my glass because I did not use rezblock then any air bubbles will cause that bit of glass to not get fully clean. If I can remember to rotate my glass at least once during my soak to make sure the glass exposed to air is submerged it usually comes out clean.

 

[ReeferChiefer]

Here is my contribution. I am using SG, about 5.5 gallons of water with 11 ounces of solution. Container dimensions are 21 x 16 x 10. The stains shown here have given me the most trouble. I have tried it all except PBW/SG soaking or Cranberry extract. I have tried ISO with salt, brushes, hot water rinse/soak, you name it. I will post the results later, I have this thing on a 8 hour timer, since most people do this "overnight" I consider that to be an average 8 hour sleep..? Anyway, here is the setup. I also have a smaller container with ISO to soak Ti accessories.

 

[ReeferChiefer]

So here are the results. This was after an 8 hour soak, thorough rinse with warm water and some help with ISO and salt to get every bit off as I could. When I took them out of the solution I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting for everything to be completely clean or rinse away with water. It did do that for the most part but I had to finish it off with alcohol to get more of the stains out and clean off the white residue on the inside from the SG. Turns out like everything else, there is no one solution to cleaning your glass. The combination between the SG soak and ISO/salt has helped this glass look like new. It has been years since I saw these rigs glisten like this. It's not perfect, you can still see some residue in the Helix and that damn spot in the SoL but I am more than happy. This is the cleanest they have been for years. The good thing is I no longer neglect my glass like I used to, so I will never have to worry about these sorts of stains again. I imagine it will be easy cleaning from now on that I have a proper cleaning routine thanks to the fine folk on this forum!

 

[alittledabwilldoya']

Well I wanted to come back having been using NACE with my new D020K bubbler, and I cannot believe how well this works.

I wanted to run a trial with and without, so I could judge its effect, so when I first got my bubbler, I did an overnight soak with PBW, rinsed, and then used with just water and not any NACE.

Within two days, gunk started to show stuck to the usual curves in the glassware.

After a week it was pretty minging, so I did another overnight soak with PBW, rinsed, but this time put three drops of NACE in the water, stuck some cleaning bungs in each end, gave it a shake... started to use it.

3 weeks later, and I have just emptied the bong because the water inside was looking rather gunky, but there wasn't a single smudge of anything on any of the glass inside.

I have simply rinsed, refilled with water and NACE, and away I go again.

I am blown away with how well this cranberry extract in the water thing works, who ever came up with this is a genius, or had no water to hand so used cranberry juice and stumbled across these properties.

All the oily / sludgy scum, gets suspended in the water solution and does not stick to the glass, amazing!

I assume this screws those who reclaim, but this is not an issue for me.

NACE is highly recommended, especially having now just read about the rather worrying label on the BCCE package!

Hmmm, I just bought a new piece that I love.
But it's 8-hole perc gets noticeably restricted after ~ 1/4g of wax.
I'm washing this piece daily versus every 3-4 days on my other main piece.

Anyway, NACE should help with this build up in the small holes, yes?
And I'm sure it's in this voluminous thread, but does it affect taste?

 

[ReeferChiefer]

Hmmm, I just bought a new piece that I love.
But it's 8-hole perc gets noticeably restricted after ~ 1/4g of wax.
I'm washing this piece daily versus every 3-4 days on my other main piece.

Anyway, NACE should help with this build up in the small holes, yes?
And I'm sure it's in this voluminous thread, but does it affect taste?

I have the same problem with my David Goldstein fritted disc perk except it's way more tiny little holes. It gets clogged easily with oil but I plan on testing it out with NACE solution soon. In theory it should help keep it from clogging altogether.

And no it does not affect taste from what I have read in this thread. One negative is that if you use too much on the concentrate the bubbles will become foamy and build up.

 

[1DMF]

@alittledabwilldoya' In my experience NACE has prevented buildup on all parts of the WT, including the percolator on my D020-K & diffuser on my GB186.

And no it does not affect taste from what I have read in this thread. One negative is that if you use too much on the concentrate the bubbles will become foamy and build up.

Spot on, I don't feel it affect the flavour in any way, but you can create a lot of bubbles if you use too much. A couple of trial and error's and you'll have the eye dropper down to a tea!

 

[Stevenski]

I have been using cranberry extract for a few weeks & it works well. I just change my water daily at a minimum.

 

[cybrguy]

I have been using cranberry extract for a few weeks & it works well. I just change my water daily at a minimum.

It is Definitely worth using to keep your glass cleaner, but it does REQUIRE me to change the water daily (with a hot water rinse) as it will invariably create some bacteria colonies. I only need to PBW quarterly at most so it IS worth the extra effort for me.

 

[ReeferChiefer]

It is Definitely worth using to keep your glass cleaner, but it does REQUIRE me to change the water daily (with a hot water rinse) as it will invariably create some bacteria colonies. I only need to PBW quarterly at most so it IS worth the extra effort for me.

Seeing how cheap NACE is and how little amount of it is required, I don't mind doing this too much. Besides, if you're willing to use extracts to keep the glass clean, changing out the water frequently should also be on the to-do list. I'm trying to get in the habit of this because I hate cleaning hard stained glass more than I do changing out water daily. lol

 

[1DMF]

invariably create some bacteria colonies

You guys have me concerned, I don't empty my water till it's a little cloudy, @ 1-2 weeks.

Am I risking lung infections and I need to empty more often if using NACE?

 

[ReeferChiefer]

You guys have me concerned, I don't empty my water till it's a little cloudy, @ 1-2 weeks.

Am I risking lung infections and I need to empty more often if using NACE?

The bacteria buildup should be visible to the naked eye. I once left water in a oil rig for days and when I picked it up again it looked like it had mold growing inside. However that was only once, and I used to leave water in my rigs ALL the time and never had that happen. I'm not quite sure why, maybe I think that one time I used tap water instead of the usual bottled water, I don't know.

 

[1DMF]

I don't see any green slimy crap, like you'd get on top of a coffee cup left on the side for a week or two.

Either way, I think I will air on the side of caution and change it daily, once again FC has show me the way....thank you!

 

[ReeferChiefer]

I agree, it's minimal effort to change the water out.

 

[Stevenski]

My bong water is cloudy & looks like it has a sediment of sorts suspended in the water. This is from 2 day old water (filled & used Wednesday evening it is Friday evening now) & has been unused for 40 hours or so? Never had that issue with ordinary water filtered or tap but it has been rater hot & humid where I live so maybe that has encouraged rapid bacteria growth?

I add 6 drops to a bubbler of water & change it daily. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[ReeferChiefer]

Here are the results of that white haze after using distilled cleaning vinegar. Thanks to this forum my glass literally looks brand new again after years of what I thought were permanent stains.