Dab rigs are among the most efficient ways of consuming cannabis concentrates. This smoking device is fun to use and gets you very high when compared to glass bongs. Users also claim that the purity of flavor is well conserved in these wax oil rigs. Furthermore, just a small dose of concentrated cannabis is enough to get a powerful high.

For new users, it can be quite confusing to figure out how to clean a dab rig. A dirty dab rig has oil and charred residue buildup in its pipes which can be quite harmful to your health. Thus, here are some of the best ways to clean a dab rig. This article also explores how to clean a dab rig without alcohol. Let’s dive in.

what is a dab rig & why should you clean it?

Dab Rigs are smoking pots primarily used for vaporizing and consuming cannabis. Before jumping into the steps on cleaning a dab rig without alcohol and with alcohol, let’s discuss why you should actually clean a dab rig.

A dirty dab rig can affect the flavor of your next shot. The built-up oil and charred residue can also get stuck in the pipes and affect the function of the dab rig. Furthermore, the water inside the rig also gets more contaminated each time you take a shot. Thus, it is important to keep replacing water and clean the banger nail and pipe.

things you need to clean a dab rig

Cleaning dab rigs isn’t rocket science. And you can also do the job with some household items lying around. Below are some useful items that can get the job done for cleaning a dab rig.

isopropyl alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is a major ingredient in many disinfectants and cleaning solutions. It is alcohol in its pure form and is one of the constituents of rubbing alcohol. You can use this liquid to clean and sanitize your dab rigs.

coarse sea salt

Coarse sea salt is a close relative of table salt. It has wider and larger grains and can be easily found in many households. Other than cooking this salt can also be used as a scouring agent. Thus, it finds its use in cleaning dab rigs.

resealable bag

The resealable bag is used to clean the removable and small parts of a dab rig. The parts are usually placed inside the bag and soaked in cleaning agent.

q tips

Q tips are essential household items and can be used for cleaning dab rigs. They are quite useful in getting out the built-up oil and stains from unreachable parts of the dab rig. For further efficiency, q tips can be soaked in alcohol before cleaning.

how to clean a dab rig in 6 easy steps?

1. using torch nail

For rigs that haven’t been used frequently, using a torch nail is the best way to clean dab rig. When wax oil rigs are used, they have residual carbon and built-up resin in them. This residue solidifies when uncleaned for a long time.

The torch nail can be used to heat and vaporize all the residues in the dab rig. The carbon will get burnt completely and the torch will also eliminate the built-up oil in the pipes. To finish things off, you can use a Q tip soaked with alcohol to clean banger nail and other dirty parts.

2. using resealable bags

This method is quite effective in cleaning small parts of the dab rigs. You have to insert the banger nail into the bag and let it soak in isopropyl alcohol. For further efficiency, you can shake the bag and let the alcohol brush off wildly against the banger nail.

If the banger nail hasn’t been cleaned for ages, it is wise to add coarse sea salt in the mixture along with the isopropyl alcohol. This will increase the friction between the banger nail and the alcohol solution to make the cleaning more effective.

3. changing the dab rig water

After a quick dab rig session, you must build a habit of replacing the water in the dab rig. The residues travelling from the pipe to the body contaminate the water and can affect the flavor of the next shot. In addition, if you do not clean the dab rig water often, excess oil can build up around the body and pipes.

Finally, changing the dab rig water often can also conserve the flavor of terpenes.

4. using alcohol and salt

A very dirty dab rig calls for a deep cleaning. You can do this by using the isopropyl alcohol and coarse sea salt. These two ingredients are essential in all the best ways to clean a dab rig. If you think your wax rig only needs a little attention, you can simply pour the alcohol into the body and let it soak the junk for a while before pouring out.

5. shaking the rig

Another efficient way to clean the dab rig is to shake it. Make sure to fill the dab rig with warm water or isopropyl alcohol before giving it a good shake. Here, the key component is carb caps. These are caps that you use to cover the mouth piece and other openings of the dab rig.

In cases where you don’t have carb caps, you can simply use your palms to block the liquid from flowing out when you are shaking the dab rig. To finish things off, you can once again use q tips soaked in isopropyl alcohol to clean the rig completely.

6. rinse the banger nail and rig

This is the most important step in cleaning a dab rig. Thus, you must rinse the banger nail and the entire rig thoroughly. Otherwise, all that effort to break down the junk and built-up oil will be useless.

To rinse the dab rig, simply use warm water and shake the rig for about 4 minutes.

how to clean a dab rig in 6 easy steps?

Using alcohol may seem like a harsh and abrasive method to clean dab rigs. It is in itself a slightly toxic compound with some health effects. There are basically two ways to clean a dab rig without alcohol.

buying a bong cleaning kit

If you have spare bucks lying around, you can easily purchase a bong cleaning kit that has all the tools to clean a dab rig. The cleaning kits usually come with a cotton swap, liquid solution to clean the dirt, pipe cleaners, and wipes.

using basic household procedures

If you do not have access to isopropyl alcohol or you just don’t want to use it for some reason, you can also clean a dab rig without using alcohol. Below are some ingredients required to get the job done.

• Water
• Pot
• Stove/Kettle

The first step is the boil the water in the pot using heat from stove or kettle. Once the water starts boiling fully, it lets out steam. You have to let the steam build up and finally hold your dab rig in the vapor. The heat absorbed from the vapor by the dab rig will aid in breaking oil and gunk from the pipes and body. Furthermore, it is a treat to watch the residues and oil stains crumbling and burning in the steam.

You have to leave the dab rig in the vapor for some minutes and bring it down for additional treatment. After heating and destroying gunk, you have to wash and rinse it thoroughly. Take some of the water you just boiled and pour it into the dab rig. Following this, shake up the apparatus and let the warm water make its way through each compartment. This will flood any residues and mix them with water. Also, make sure to cover the mouthpiece with your palms or a carb cap when you are shaking the dab rig.

Finally, you can let the water out but only in one swift motion. If you empty the jar too slowly, the oil and dirt may stick back to the walls of the apparatus. In this way, you can clean a dab rig without using alcohol.

how to clean dab banger nail?

As soon as you use the dab rig, the first thing you must do is to clean the dab banger nail while it is still warm. This prevents the residues from solidifying in the surface and make it greasy. To clean a dab banger nail, you can use a cotton wipe and soak it in isopropyl alcohol for more effectiveness. The cloth can absorb the oil from the cannabis and also remove any charred residues from the apparatus.

If the dab banger nail hasn’t been cleaned for many dabbing sessions, you must use alcohol or other cleaning agents instead of relying on just water. You can also soak a q tip in alcohol and clean out the banger nail manually.

how to get weed wax off the glass of a dab rig?

The easiest way to get weed wax off the glass of a dab rig is to use the heat from the butane torch. Simply, heat up the place where wax has stuck to the glass and watch the residue evaporate into thin air. You can also use q tips with alcohol to wipe the place.

Furthermore, a full cleaning of the dab rig as mentioned in the earlier steps can also easily get weed wax off the glass of the dab rig.

conclusion

Dab sessions are fun. You can get high with your friends and chill out. And even though most users find it inconvenient, cleaning dab rigs don’t have to be that complicated.

This article explored some of the best ways to clean a dab rig so that you can get your high without too much effect on your health.