Ask a Stoner: What Is "Washing Weed?"

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Dear Stoner: I’ve recently learned that people wash weed with water. I just have one question: Why?
Sufficiently Hydrated

Dear Hydrated: “Washing” our buds with water sounds as if it would sweep away all the trichomes and terpenes, leaving them devoid of any potency or flavor. However, trichomes and most terpenes aren’t water-soluble, so submerging your weed into water doesn’t pose that great of a risk. If you’ve ever trimmed cannabis and tried to wash the resin off your fingertips, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

click to enlarge

Jacqueline Collins

Washing buds is a process involving several gallons of water and a solution typically made with baking soda and lemon juice. Growers submerge their freshly harvested (and trimmed) buds into buckets with the solution to gently wash off dirt, pesticides, bug eggs and other contaminants. Washing weed requires a longer and more attentive drying period, obviously, and won’t get rid of any fungal contaminants, but a vocal portion of growers swear by it. Don’t wash weed once it’s cured, though, or it’ll get moldy.

Send questions to [email protected].