How to Clean Pipes and Bongs and Stay Eco-Friendly

Fresh flower with a vibrant terpene flavor is top priority for Denver cannasnobs, but it’s not uncommon for regular smokers to unintentionally neglect their paraphernalia-cleaning duties. Over time, dirty smoking utensils can omit those tasting notes that were so diligently researched. Enter: Resolution, an eco-friendly way to clean your most prized pieces.

Dakota Wesley founded the Colorado-based company during his sophomore year in college, hoping to capitalize on the evolving cannabis consumer. Now just 23 years old, he represents a new form of cannabis enthusiast, more interested in safe consumption practices than a cheap bag of shake. “Toxic substances are not meant to be inhaled, and can cause damage to the environment,” he explains.

Resolution’s two products eliminate the use of volatile organic compounds and are completely safe for drains and reentering our planet’s water table, he says, unlike common glass-cleaning supplies like isopropyl alcohol, acetone, Epsom salt and other chemical cleaners. But how often should you really be cleaning your pipe, bong or dab rig? “It depends on how often you smoke. We prefer to clean our smaller glass bowls and stems after every smoke session,” Wesley says. “We like to do a thorough glass cleaning of our bigger pieces, like water pipes and rigs, once a week."

Resolution’s signature cleaner, ResGel, comes in a pouch of clay-based cleansing formula. Paired with silicone ResCaps (which are meant to stretch over the openings of larger pieces), the self-contained product is meant to be safely shaken in ResGel and then rinsed, yielding clean paraphernalia in a matter of minutes. ResCaps is also valuable for storage, eliminating odors that might otherwise waft in a home when pieces are not cleaned or in use. The pouch is reusable up to eight times or more, which also cuts down on waste.

To see how his eco-friendly cleaner worked, we sat down with Wesley, who helped us with step-by-step instructions for small and large smoking pieces.


Small Pieces

Step 1
Cut the top off of ResGel’s resealable bag. This is a feature that allows you to drop down-stems, bowls and pipes inside for easy cleaning.

Step 2
Place smaller resinated glass pieces into the bag.

Step 3
Seal the bag and allow the glass to sit for three to five minutes.

Step 4
Remove smaller items from the bag, rinse them clean with warm water, and re-seal the pouch.

Step 5
Enjoy consuming cannabis out of your clean glass piece.


Large Pieces

Step 1
Remove the cap from the ResGel spout and pour the cleaner into larger glass rigs and pipes.

Step 2
Apply ResCaps.

Step 3
Shake vigorously, coating all walls of the glass.

Step 4
Remove ResCaps from the larger rig or water pipe, and run warm water until clean.

Step 5
Enjoy consuming cannabis out of your clean glass piece.