How to Clean a One Hitter with Alcohol, Vinegar & More

• Soak your one hitter for 1-2 hours in a container filled with isopropyl alcohol and 2 tsp (7 g) of table salt, then rinse it with warm water and let it air dry.
• Or, scrape the inside clean with a toothpick, soak it in white vinegar and 2 tsp (12 g) of baking soda for 3 hours, then rinse it with water.
• Alternatively, soak the one hitter in a pot of just-boiled water for 1 hour, then scrape it clean with a toothpick and cotton swabs.

Cleaning a One Hitter with Isopropyl Alcohol

Fill a jar with isopropyl alcohol and 2 tsp (7 g) of table salt. Perhaps the most effective (and most common) method of cleaning a glass one hitter is in an alcohol and salt bath. To start, simply fill a container large enough to hold the one-hitter, like a jar or a plastic bag, with rubbing alcohol and 2 tsp (7 g) of kosher salt. Alternatively, fill the container with a commercial pipe cleaning solution, which works in much the same way. Or, swap the isopropyl alcohol with acetone nail polish remover or hydrogen peroxide for an even more powerful soak. Avoid using alcohol, acetone, or peroxide with ceramic pipes, or pipes with any sort of glaze or paint that may dissolve in the solution.

Let your one hitter soak in the alcohol solution for an hour. Place your little pipe into the solution and give it a swirl to release any air bubbles and make sure that the alcohol touches every surface of the one hitter, inside and out. Then, leave it to soak. If your one hitter is particularly grimy, you’ll start to notice the solution getting darker, which means it’s working! This same solution also works for cleaning a glass bong. Just pour the solution inside the bong, rather than submerging the bong in the solution.

Scrub the one hitter with a cotton swab, then soak it again. Take the pipe out of the solution and dry it on a paper towel, then, swipe away any built-up grime that the solution didn’t dissolve with a cotton swab. Scrape at the more stubborn or caked-on grime with a toothpick. Then place it back into the solution for another few hours. If the solution is especially dark after the first soak, go ahead and make a fresh mix of rubbing alcohol and salt for this second soak.

Rinse the one hitter under warm water and let it dry. Remove the one hitter from the solution again, then run it under a warm tap for 30-40 seconds to rinse off the alcohol and salt. Be sure to get the water into all the nooks and crannies. Then, wipe down the outside of the one hitter with a paper towel, and let it air dry for 1-2 hours before use. Twist a paper towel into a tight corkscrew and and thread it into the one hitter to dry the inside more quickly.

Cleaning a One Hitter with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Scrape away any residue inside the one-hitter with a toothpick. Baking soda and vinegar aren’t quite as effective as alcohol for pipe cleaning, so scrape your one-hitter first to help the solution do its job. With a toothpick, chip away at the gunk and resin clinging to the sides of the pipe, removing as much gunk as you can.

Fill a container with vinegar and add 2 tsp (12 g) of baking soda. Find a container big enough to fit your one hitter, like a large jar, and fill it ¾ of the way with white vinegar—about 2–3 cups (470–710 mL). Then add 2 tsp (12 g) of baking soda. This classic pair of household cleaners will bubble away and lift the grime from your piece. This more gentle solution is ideal for cleaning ceramic or metal one-hitters, which may have paint or glaze that could be stripped away by alcohol.

Soak your one-hitter in the solution for a few hours, then rinse and dry it. Pop that tiny pipe into the baking soda and vinegar solution, then jostle it a little to shake loose any air bubble inside the pipe. Let the pipe soak for at least 15 minutes, or up to a few hours for best results. Then, remove it from the solution and rinse it for about a minute under a warm tap. Finally, lay it on a paper towel to air dry for 1-2 hours before you pack it up again.

Cleaning a One Hitter with Boiling Water

Use a toothpick to dislodge any stubborn grime inside the one hitter. Cleaning a one hitter with boiling water is great in a pinch, but it’s not the most effective solution. To compensate, give that one hitter a good once- or even twice-over with a toothpick, scraping at the insides to loosen and remove any built-up ashes or resin. Run the one-hitter under warm water first to help break down all that sediment.

Soak the one-hitter for an hour in freshly boiled water. Bring a pot of water to a boil on the stove. Once it’s roiling, cut the heat and wait a few moments for the bubbles to die down. Then place the one hitter into the pot and let it sit there for at least an hour, swirling it to dislodge any air bubbles.

Scrape the one hitter again, then rinse and dry it. By now, the hot water has soaked into the residue and helped to loosen it. Remove the one-hitter from the bath and go at it again with a toothpick, while also using a cotton swab to wipe away some of the gunk. Once you’ve removed as much residue as possible, rinse the one hitter with warm water and lay it on a paper towel to dry for at least an hour. Note that this is a temporary solution to refresh your one hitter between more intense cleaning sessions. Get your hands on some rubbing alcohol or baking soda and vinegar ASAP to properly disinfect your pipe.

Cleaning a Dugout and Grinder

Disassemble your grinder and use a cotton swab to dislodge any stray buds. To clean a grinder, first take apart and separate every piece of it. Some grinders are simple, 2-piece mechanisms, while others include other parts like a mesh screen or a secondary compartment for catching bud dust. Use a cotton swab or a toothpick to clean out all the crevices and get it as clean as you can. If your grinder has a mesh, use a toothbrush to dislodge any dust caught in the mesh. Just be sure to use a spare toothbrush—it’s going to have a funk afterward.

Soak the grinder in rubbing alcohol for about an hour, then rinse it clean. Fill a dish or a jar with isopropyl alcohol and place the grinder inside. Let it soak for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then, rinse the grinder pieces under warm water, using a cotton swab again to remove any stubborn residue. Place the grinder on a paper towel to dry for 1-2 hours. Alternatively, use a vinegar bath with 2 tsp (12 g) of baking soda mixed in, if you don’t have rubbing alcohol.

Clean your dugout by blowing the inside with compressed air. Dugouts, or containers that store both your one hitter and your weed, can be tricky to clean, since they have lots of tiny spaces inside. To give your dugout a refresh, tap out as much weed as you can onto a paper towel (to save for later), then feed the hose of a compressed air canister into the openings. Give the dugout a few bursts of air, shifting the hose as you do to hit the inside from multiple angles. Then, tap out the dislodged weed again. Use this method every time your dugout runs out of weed, to make sure the bud inside is fresh for your next smoke sesh.