Fresh water keeps flavor crisp, pulls smoother, and stops that brown ring from forming. If you remember just one rule, make it this: change the water every session. For light daily use you can get by with once per day, but taller multi-perc pieces and dab rigs build up faster and should be refreshed each time.
Quick answer (at a glance):
- Daily/light use: at least once per day
- Big percs/recyclers & dab rigs: every session
- Sat overnight or smells off: dump and refill
- Outdoor/dusty rooms: every session (debris adds up)
You don’t need a timer to know it’s time. If the water looks tea-tinted or cloudy, has a surface film, or smells musty/burnt, replace it. Lingering “soapy” bubbles and random floaters are also a hard no. An ash catcher helps, but it doesn’t replace clean water—empty both.
One-minute routine (glass):
- Empty the chamber right after your session
- Hot-water rinse (swirl through the pathways)
- Refill so water just covers the downstem slits or lowest perc
- Optional cold splash at the end for a crisper first pull
Silicone note: use warm water for the rinse, and deep-clean with mild unscented soap. Skip long isopropyl soaks on silicone; keep direct torch heat for glass/quartz/titanium parts only.
Keeping up with water changes means less deep cleaning later. Do quick changes daily and a weekly reset: ISO + coarse salt for glass; warm water + a drop of unscented soap for silicone. Screens reduce debris, and storing the piece upright and dry slows buildup.
FAQs (fast):
- Tap or filtered? Either is fine—filtered can leave fewer mineral spots on glass.
- Does ice replace fresh water? No. Melted ice becomes old water—refresh afterward.
- Ash catcher = fewer changes? It helps, but you should still change the bong’s main water regularly.
