If you’re an avid cigarette smoker, you know the challenge of smoking from a bong can be difficult to master. In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you navigate this type of glass inhalation device. If you’re new to smoking out of any kind of pipe or tank, or if smoke always seems to escape your reach no matter how hard you try, read along and learn how to create your own perfect set-up!

Start with a clean bong

This might seem obvious, but you’ll never see your smoke if the first thing you don’t do is take the time to properly prepare. Take your pipe and fill it with water (this will also work to clean any residue that might have previously been in there.) Allow it to soak for 15-20 minutes, then wipe it down with a paper towel until there’s no more residue on the glass. Take the stem out and clean it with water. You should always be able to see a light through the stem on your shiny new piece. Try lighting a candle next to it for comparison of size; you should never see more than one flame in any direction from the bong.

Always keep that wax in reserve

Just because you’ve gotten your bong clean doesn’t mean that you’re finished with it yet. Bring your pipe over to the sink and fill it up with boiling water for some extra steam cleaning. Take the wax out of the bowl and place it somewhere safe so it won’t get burned from the steam. Be sure to use a bottle that you don’t mind getting all sticky with wax. While you’re at it, try lighting up a cigarette while you’re waiting for the water to boil. If you smoke like I do, this may take up to 20 minutes while we wait around for everything to be ready!

Find your natural black magic stick…

The most important thing that will help your smoke get higher is a quality natural bamboo charcoal stick –the canadian online headshop can help you look for one if you haven’t already found one yet. It also has a filter that could help you lock in your smoke, but you should still buy a bong with a stem that can be taken apart and cleaned by you. You can use some of the steam to loosen up that natural bamboo charcoal stick if it is stuck so that you can put the natural fibers directly into the bowl for easier hitting.

Using an extra pipe will give you an advantage

If you want to make your pipe work like a lot more than just an object with a bowl – like a weed whacker, then use an extra pipe from your stash to go along with it. Get together three pipes from your stash for some extra steam cleaning. Keep a bowl that is smaller than the other one to use when you don’t have the whole thing ready to hit with. This is for any situation where you are going to need an extra pipe on hand – this can also be very useful if you want to start smoking out of a bong but aren’t yet familiar with how to do it well.

Use gravity as your friend! This trick will really help you get the most out of your smoke, and it’s something that I’ve seen used in many smoking sessions over the years. When you put the pipe down, keep it from falling over by using the extra gravity of your body weight on it. I see this done most often with a joint. That way, the bowl is kept from falling down and resting on a surface where it can be burned, causing a “dry hit.”

Use one of those little vases that I keep underestimating

Trying to get high in a bong without these things available can take an awful amount of effort if you’re doing it all solo. You can get these at the dollar store, and you should keep an eye out for them when you’re walking down the aisles. You’ll need to put that bowl or natural bamboo charcoal stick somewhere until you’re ready to take another hit. If you’re smoking with someone else, you can share that duty of holding it for them while they focus on their next move.

Use a lighter with a flame on your bong…

The most frustrating thing you can do is to try to smoke out of a bong without having a lit lighter around. If you don’t have that luxury, then you’re going to have to wait until the wax and the tobacco are warm enough before you try again. You also don’t want your flame to be too big, or else there will be the risk of making your smoke harsh.

When smoking out of a bong, use something that can hold onto the lighter while you take those big hits! You shouldn’t be holding onto anything for longer than 2 or 3 seconds at a time. Grabbing at whatever you’re trying to light up with, and then dropping it after the hit –yes– is not the best solution.

Make sure that you have something to butt out with – a lighter works great for this! After every hit, retrieve your bowl from where it’s been resting, and go ahead and take another one before putting it back. You can also use a cleaning brush to hold onto that extra pipe if you have one, so that you don’t drop it while taking a big hit. Don’t be afraid to use the lighter all over your hand.

Lastly, use a metal straw to suck into your bong

This tip is especially useful if you have an ice cold drink that you want to sip on, but you can’t because your straw is made of paper. Instead of using one like this, make sure to pick up a metal straw from your local headshop. If the smoker at the headshop doesn’t have a metal straw that will fit, don’t worry – just talk to him and he can help you get exactly what you’re looking for.

I really hope everything works out for everyone who makes it through this winter of smokey frustration with ease.