When is it clean.or clean enough?

[Slickside]

As I was cleaning two pipes I had smoked today the thought occurred to me, when do I stop running pipe cleaners Though them? I generally run two cleaners through the pipe. One in the stem and one in the stummel. I soak one end in everclear and mop up with the other end. I can tell you that I don't get every bit of crud, goo and glop out. I will continue to use the pipe in my rotation till I feel it getting sour or unpleasant. Then, I do a more thorough cleaning.

So, how clean is clean enough for a pipe you will continue to use in your rotation?

 

[COHunter]

I run a pipe cleaner through mine when I remember to, or happen to have a gooper that wets down the works. I just run them until they come back mostly clean. I do have some pipe cleaners with little plastic "scrubbers" on them that I'll use every now and then to do a more thorough cleaning.

 

[DC_MPA]

To me it's like a charcoal grill, you want to clean it, but you don't want to clean it clean. I run a pipe cleaner thru he stem a few times to both dry it of excess moisture and any crud that built up during that smoke. I bend a pipe cleaner over and use the now stiff doubled over pipe cleaner and give the bowl an up/down scrub. I find doing this doesn't impact the growing cake you want, yet I can stick my finger in the bowl and it comes out dry and clean.

 

[Senshi]

The more I read how often people clean their pipes, the more I feel that I'm on the lax side of the spectrum. I always run a pipe cleaner through after the smoke and if there is still moisture in the bottom of the bowl I will run another cleaner through. Maybe once every month or two I'll run a pipe cleaner through with some ever clear to "sweeten" the pipe. I usually take about 4-5 pipes that feel like the need a cleaning for this process. Then I let them rest for a day or two.

 

[captaincaveman]

 

[oc_in_fw]

I am with Andrew.

 

[Robster]

I'm a bit gross maybe. A single pipe cleaner after a bowl... Mostly ;-) The rest same as Andrew.

 

[Senshi]

I am with Andrew.

I'm a bit gross maybe. A single pipe cleaner after a bowl... Mostly ;-) The rest same as Andrew.

Looks like the the minority is becoming the Majority!!!

 

[Kilroy6644]

Anymore, after I dump the ash, I just blow through the pipe and call it good. I'll run a cleaner down during a smoke if it starts gurgling, but otherwise I save them for more in-depth cleaning. I do that whenever a pipe starts to get funky.

 

[Slickside]

I thought I was not doing enough cleaning of my pipes. Now I'm feeling like I've been overdoing it. You all seem to be having success using simpler/better methods.

 

[OtherMoe]

I'm a bit more CDO (it's like OCD but the letters are in the proper order like they should be ).

After each use the pipe cools with a pipe cleaner in the stem. Then usually go through 1-2 pipe cleaners with ever clear to clean the inside of the stem and then the shank. Another pipe cleaner or two rounded over with ever clear to wipe out the bowl; that might retard the accumulation of cake but it works for me.

Looks like i'm in the minority, but as I said, it works for me.

 

[Slickside]

I see a lot of you clean out the bowl with a pipe cleaner. I clean with the index finger. This way I can feel the condition of the bowl every time. And yes, my finger gets dirty as crap.

 

[captaincaveman]

To be honest, I rarely clean the bowl at all. I dump it. If necessary I stir the contents to loosen. Occasionally if a bunch of dottle sticks I'll knock it off with the poker or lightly scrape it with the spoon. Intentional cleaning of the bowl only happens if the pipe has soured and I'm giving the whole thing a Jim Beam cleaning.

 

[Kilroy6644]

I'm a bit more CDO (it's like OCD but the letters are in the proper order like they should be ).

After each use the pipe cools with a pipe cleaner in the stem. Then usually go through 1-2 pipe cleaners with ever clear to clean the inside of the stem and then the shank. Another pipe cleaner or two rounded over with ever clear to wipe out the bowl; that might retard the accumulation of cake but it works for me.

Looks like i'm in the minority, but as I said, it works for me.

If it works for you, that's all that matters. Your pipes should never get funky with that routine. Your routine = preventative maintenance; mine = fix it when it's broken. Your routine is what I use for my in-depth cleaning.

To be honest, I rarely clean the bowl at all. I dump it. If necessary I stir the contents to loosen. Occasionally if a bunch of dottle sticks I'll knock it off with the poker or lightly scrape it with the spoon. Intentional cleaning of the bowl only happens if the pipe has soured and I'm giving the whole thing a Jim Beam cleaning.

That's what I do. I used to run a pipe cleaner through the stem, then double it over inside the bowl, but then I noticed that none of my pipes were building cake. I thought that maybe I was rubbing it off before it could build up, so I quit doing the bowl. It didn't make much sense to me to have a pipe cleaner with only the ends dirty, so I quit doing the stems too. Now I still don't have any cake, but I haven't had any bad smokes due to improper cleaning, so I don't bother with it. The only pipe that routinely gets the pipe cleaner treatment is the Dr. Grabow Omega, because I don't want the moisture to sit in the well. Everything else waits until it gets funky. Usually they don't get too bad because I clean them once I have a smoke that's a bit "off," but last month I had to do my MM Legend. It still tasted fine, but when I pulled it out of my coat pocket, I could smell it.

 

[oc_in_fw]

If it works for you, that's all that matters. Your pipes should never get funky with that routine. Your routine = preventative maintenance; mine = fix it when it's broken. Your routine is what I use for my in-depth cleaning.

Yep. For some reason, with pipe maintenance, I have a "why do today what I can put off until tomorrow" mentality.

 

[Winchester38]

I run a pipe cleaner through every four or five bowls, and give a quick clean with jack daniels or similar if/when it starts tasting funky.

 

[alpster]

After bowl cools, I run a pipe cleaner with a little "Everclear" through the stem & Stummel and dust the bowl out with a folded pipe cleaner just to get the left over ash. It only takes 1/2 a minute and pipes are always fresh & ready.

 

[nortac]

I like the charcoal grill analogy, clean but not too clean. I strive to make sure the moisture and goop is removed and that there is no sour taste. As I am an infrequent smoker with many pipes, they all get plenty of drying time, which I believe is very important.

 

[SO23]

Though i haven't smoke that many bowls , i have been running a cleaner through it after each bowl. But will keep a watch and see if anymore is needed

 

[ctr]

2 cleaners thru them stem after every smoke. One doubled one in the bowl.

Every 4 - 5 bowls I take the pipe apart. Wipe the stem good with a bit of vodka, especially the bit and tenon. A wet cleaner thru the stem, then 1 - 2 dry cleaners as needed. I will carefully rub the rim of the bowl if charring is present, otherwise, a slightly wet patch inside the bowl, and a wet cleaner in the shank, followed by dry.

Left to dry overnight before reassembly.