Use acetone. 100% pure. Seriously. This bottle cost less than a dollar at a well-known big box store. It really does work like magic.
***WARNING*** Acetone is very flammable. Please be careful. Eliminate any possible ignition sources near your work area. Take your time rinsing, it will ensure ALL of the acetone is gone, and also further dilute the acetone in the drain so it won’t damage PVC pipes/glues/etc in your plumbing.
You can find acetone near the nail polish, or anywhere that sells house paint. You won’t use rubbing alcohol again, I promise… If you must, most acetone-based nail polish removers will do the job acceptably, but the solvent is watered down.
The salt is there to scrub, that’s all… There’s no magic reaction going on. The acetone is doing the dirty work. The salt is there to break things up and speed along the process, it stays solid… That’s why I really like this method, it keeps the solvent and the scrubbing agent contained within the pipe, where it needs to be.
Leave some air in there. You want plenty of acetone and salt in the pipe, but you don’t want it completely full – you won’t get enough movement of your solvent/salt mixture. Leaving some air allows for much better agitation.
When you shake your piece, think about how the mixture is moving around inside the pipe. Try shaking in different angles and directions, especially for complicated pieces or water pipes with nooks and pockets…
Don’t forget: lots of acetone, a good amount of salt, and a little air is the perfect combination.
The electrical tape is a suggestion. Anything that can seal off the bowl and carb is good. I like tape because you can wrap it really tight and it won’t leak. Also, it allows some solvent to get inside the bowl while you’re shaking the pipe, making the bowl job easier too. Tightly wrap the tape back over on itself multiple times, and try not to “ripple” the edges, it can cause leaks.
Wear gloves.
Peace, happy smoking…
