"You're literally inhaling through your bong and mold can grow in as quickly as 24 hours," says Baum. "If you had mold in your house you'd probably freak out, so why would it be acceptable to inhale it?" In fact, inhaling the bacteria and mold in dirty bong water can lead to lung infections and pneumonia.
What Are the Health Risks of Smoking from a Moldy Bong? Inhaling mold spores from a contaminated bong can lead to health issues, particularly for users with allergies or compromised immune systems. Common symptoms include: Coughing and wheezing.
To clean a moldy bong you can use natural remedies: Dump out the bong water and rinse out the water chamber. Studies found that vinegar can effectively kill 82% of mold spores. Mix white vinegar and baking soda and let the solution sit overnight in your bong's water chamber.
The brown residue in your bong is primarily a mix of tar, resin, and other organic compounds created when you burn your smoking material. As cannabis or tobacco is heated, it releases chemicals that get caught in the smoke. These particles cool, condense, and stick to the inside of your bong.
The glass on your window isn't organic, which means mold can't consume it as its food source. However, mold can still technically grow on glass as it can consume substances that stick to its surface. For example, it can stick to dust and consume it as its primary food source.
Experts agree that as long as the dishware at hand is made from a non-porous material, like glass, stainless steel, or porcelain, it is safe to clean and reuse. Dishes made from wood or certain plastics are not safe to keep after they have gotten moldy.
An association between cannabis smoking and bullous lung disease has been described. 7, 8 Johnson et al8 coined the term “bong lung” when they described 4 patients ranging in age from 26 to 47 years who had extensive apical bullous disease and with one of them having previously suffered a spontaneous PTx.
How often you clean your bong is really up to how much you use it and what you're smoking. But hey, a good rule of thumb is giving it a scrub down every week to keep it hitting smooth and tasting fresh. If you're lighting up daily, you might want to clean it more often to keep it from getting grimy.
Reclaim is a sticky brown or black substance that is a byproduct created from ash, tar, and carbon in the process of combustion. It typically accumulates on the surfaces of pipes or bongs.
Rinse out your bong with water, fill it halfway with isopropyl alcohol (91 or 99 percent is best), and pour in a bit of course salt, like Epsom or rock salt, which works as an abrasive. (With regular upkeep, you might not even need to use the salt).
And it leads to a happier bong: Because distilled water is free of minerals, your glass will stay cleaner after prolonged use. Even home-filtered water is better than tap, but any form of drinking water will spot your glass eventually.
Pour 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol into the bong and add some coarse salt, such as Epsom or rock salt, as an abrasive. Shake your piece for about five minutes, then rinse with water and soap. Vinegar and rice will also work, but Navarro and Reyna prefer the former method.
Bongs, unfortunately, can sometimes become the breeding ground for molds and mildew. Look out for signs like pink discoloration, white or gray fuzzy growths, white speckled powders, or even black specks. These are red flags, and smoking from such a bong can introduce harmful pathogens to your lungs.
In the beginning, bud rot attacks a plant's stem, which will appear mushy and gray. As the infection progresses, signs of bud rot are characterized by wilted, yellow and burnt leaves. It's tricky to spot bud rot ahead of time because the fungus first takes hold inside the plant and works its way to the outside.
Regularly changing the water in your bong is key to keeping it clean and odour-free. Ideally, you should change the water after every smoking session or at least once a day if you use it frequently. Stagnant dirty bong water allows bacteria to multiply rapidly, intensifying the unpleasant smell.
Appearance phenomenon of mildewed glass:
White fog, white spots: The slightest mildew on the glass surface due to storage time, air humidity or glass quality problems. Rainbow: When the white mist and white spots appear for a long time and are not treated in time, a rainbow will form.
High-quality bongs are typically made of durable materials such as borosilicate glass, ceramic, or silicone. Look for bongs with thick bases and smooth joints for added stability and ease of use.
When you quit smoking, dormant cells in the lungs will start to replace the damaged lung cells lining your airways. This leads to gradual healing and regeneration of your lungs, as well as a decreased risk of lung cancer. The rate at which your lungs heal depends on how long you were a smoker.
Mould can start to develop within 24 to 48 hours if the bong is not cleaned on a daily basis. It is crucial to regularly clean and maintain the bong to prevent the growth of mould and guarantee a hygienic smoking experience.
Using ice in a bong can improve the smoothness of your hit, but it might not always be the best option for everyone. There's a chance that extremely cold smoke can cause slight irritation in some users' lungs, especially if you already have respiratory sensitivities.
Common symptoms include sneezing, coughing, congestion and eye irritation. It rarely causes serious illness or death but may worsen asthma symptoms.
While it can't technically grow on glass, mold can attach itself to the dust on your glass and grow there. If you have double-pane windows, you may even notice mold between your window panes.
Mold is often described as smelling musty. Others have described mold as having an earthy or meaty odor, resembling the smell of wet socks or rotten wood. For many homeowners, the smell is unpleasant and pungent. As mold grows, it can emit gasses known as microbial volatile organic compounds, or MVOC's.