How to clean my pipe?

In this blog article, we tackle the question of pipe cleaning. This basic operation concerns every pipe smoker. This is why we are going to explain you the easiest and most efficient way to do it.

Why should I clean my pipe?

That's simple: if you do not clean your pipe, it is going to become dirty and bad to smoke. It is therefore necessary to regularly maintain it to prevent this from happening. By taking care of your pipe, it will follow you wherever you go for a long period of time!

Precautions to take:

Let's begin with a few useful reminders:

• First of all, never disassemble it when it is still hot. Materials expand differently from one to another, and you might break your pipe or modify the adjustment between the head of the pipe and its stem. We actually made an entire blog article to explain you how to disassemble your pipe, so do not hesitate to have a look at it!
• To empty the ashes and unburnt tobacco strands, use the spoon of your pipe tamper (if it has one). Be careful though not to use the pointy blade of a knife for example, because you might damage your pipe. You can also slightly tap your pipe on an ashtray to empty the ashes, but be careful to never hit it on a hard surface. For that, we advise you to preferably use an ashtray equipped with a cork half-ball. The latter will allow you to softly empty the ashes without damaging your pipe.

The right tools to use:

Did you know the saying: "Good tools make good pipe smokers"? To succeed in your cleaning mission, here is what you will need:

• a pipe tamper (and more precisely its "spoon")
• a few pipe cleaners (absolutely essential)
• a cleaning liquid (not everytime you clean your pipe)

Yes, that is enough! You do not need any other thing to clean your pipe the classical way.

TOOLS FOR PIPE SMOKERS

Interior cleaning:

To start with, the first step is to disassemble the pipe. Hold the stem as close as possible to the shank, and remove the stem by turning it on itself and pulling (like if it was screwed to the shank). For convenience, do not hesitate to watch our video that explains how to disassemble the stem of your pipe.

If your pipe is equipped with a filter, remove it. Put the pipe cleaner in the stem, like a sweeping rod. You will therefore be able to remove tar and humidity that got stuck. Repeat this operation with a clean pipe cleaner. About every ten pipes, you can use cleaning liquid. For this, simply dip the pipe cleaner in the cleaning liquid, and then put it in the stem. Do the same for the briar part (the shank).

Different kinds of pipe cleaners:

If you need several pipe cleaners for your pipe to be peferctly clean, do not hesitate! There are different kinds of pipe cleaners:

• conical pipe cleaners (softer, you can use them everytime)
• hard-bristled pipe cleaners (scratching more, you can use them from time to time)
• extra thin pipe cleaners (to use on pipes with a very thin drilling)

Changing the filter:

When smoking with a disposable filter, you will just have to change it (every 3 to 4 pipes maximum). If you are smoking with a metal filter, clean it with soapy water, and then dry it with a cloth.

Once it is done, you simply have to reassemble your pipe, always turning the stem on itself, like we have seen before when disassembling it.