How Often Do You "Deep" Clean Your Pipes?

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Originally Posted by c.ortiz108

So far, never. Should I?

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My policy has always been only if it smokes sour. I asked the question here because I find it interesting.

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Originally Posted by Pipe Smoker

I don't ever deep-clean pipes. I smoke only one pipe on any given day. At the end of the day I spend close to an hour cleaning that pipe. I clean the rim with Everclear (140 proof) and EVOO. And swab out the bit and shank with pipecleaners wetted with Everclear.

If the pipe has a vulcanite bit I polish it with Colgate toothpaste applied to a tensioned piece of flat shoelace. Then a final polish of the bit with neutral Kiwi shoe polish.

Not regularly, but as needed, I ream. And clean the outside of the pipe with EVOO.

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If you are spending an hour cleaning said pipe, IMO you do deep clean. Every night :lol:

Anytime the use of alcohol is involved, I consider that deep cleaning.

I deep clean estates,but usually just a quick scrape to remove any dottle and blow thru the stem to clear any ash in there.Maybe once a week I'll run a bristled cleaner thru them.

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Originally Posted by Branzig

My policy has always been only if it smokes sour. I asked the question here because I find it interesting.



If you are spending an hour cleaning said pipe, IMO you do deep clean. Every night :lol:

Anytime the use of alcohol is involved, I consider that deep cleaning.

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Does that include the scotch I'm drinking? in that case they get cleaned at least once a week (probably (a lot) More)

I do deep cleaning about every 3 months for the pipes that are in my active smoking rotation (usually 10-12 pipes). To me, deep cleaning is to use some sort of alcoholic solution (everclear, vodka, rum, etc.) along with bristle pipe cleaners to clean out sludge deposits in the shank and sweeten things up a bit. Then I run regular pipe cleaners through until they come out clean. Reaming is something that I only do when it is needed, as is the case with the salt/alcohol treatment. Most of my pipes will never need the salt/alcohol treatment, which I only use for when I get estate pipes that are badly ghosted or generally nasty.

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Originally Posted by Aguineapig

...my cobs especially see very little maintenance and still work fine (better than when new, in fact) for it.

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ditto. I don't think I'd deep clean a cob for fear of dissolving it :)

I don't really dig a new cob - have to suffer thru the first few bowls of corny-tasting smoke before they get good.

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Originally Posted by Bruck

ditto. I don't think I'd deep clean a cob for fear of dissolving it :)

I don't really dig a new cob - have to suffer thru the first few bowls of corny-tasting smoke before they get good.

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Ditto.

Hate the new corn taste here

I have cleaned the stems with some alcohol before. But never the shank, mortise or bowl....I use and abuse cobs like no other lol.

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A clean pipe is a happy pipe. I tend to always keep my pipes on the clean side as I've tasted a pipe that has been neglected and swore I'd always keep things clean.

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Originally Posted by Cool Breeze

Not very often for me.
Just dry pipe cleaners after each smoke and a light scrape of the bowl with a czech tool (not enough to remove cake, just enough to remove loose tobacco).

About once every 2 months I'll dip a pipe cleaner in whatever liqour I have on hand (Scotch most of the time) and run it through them and swab out the bowls with it. That's it for me.

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Don't waste good Scotch! The rare times I actually clean my only pipe is with a salt & rubbing alcohol soak.

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Originally Posted by Chad Vegas

Don't waste good Scotch!

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You're assuming I buy "good" Scotch. lol

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Originally Posted by Pipe Smoker

I don't ever deep-clean pipes. I smoke only one pipe on any given day.

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Just out of curiosity, how many bowls on average do you smoke out of the pipe per day?