Custom bongs are a favorite among smokers for their smooth hits, large rips, cooled-down smoke, and visual appeal.

We've all let our bongs go too far, way too far, and have had to deal with cleaning up a mess that feels beyond repair.

For members of our present-day society, it's natural to take some modern technology for granted. Instagram knows what we want to buy before we even do. Tiktok personalizes our feeds so that we have the perfect stream of dogs, social commentary, and hilarious videos. Some of us even have cars that stop on their own when danger looms.

Something we take for granted is the dishwasher. So between our newly developed laziness and disgusting bongs- are they a match made in heaven, or hell?

The benefits of a clean bong

Nobody wants to show up to a smoke session with an embarrassingly dirty bong. Even worse is having a dirty bong in the corner of your room that you know you should clean, but never get around to it. Learn to respect yourself and your customized bong!

Mold and mildew in your bong will get picked up by the smoke passing through your bong and enter your lungs. Not ideal!

Additionally, the more you put off cleaning your bong, the harder it gets to clean. A bit of maintenance along the way is much better than a disgusting deep clean!

In addition, a clean bong will let you experience the full terpene flavor profile of your weed without the smoky aftertaste that comes along with a dirty bong.

Whether you're just now realizing the shame that comes with having a dirty bong, or if you always keep your custom bong spotless and sparkling-new, you're here for one answer: will dishwashers do the trick?

The revolutionary dishwasher

Dishwashers were invented in 1886 by Josephine Garis Cochran after she noticed that her family's beloved fine china, dating back to the 17 ^th century, kept chipping from hand washing.

She measured her china and created wire racks to keep the dishes secured. Then she put the compartments on a wooden wheel, resting in a copper boiler filled with steaming hot water.

Via a small motor, the wheel turned and splashed the hot water on the dishes. She got a patent and formally debuted her Cochrane dishwasher at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where she won the highest prize for her design.

She started up a manufacturing company that eventually became KitchenAid and Whirlpool. Not a small feat!

Although dishwashers were originally invented to protect fine china, they completely revolutionized the kitchen for women and took a huge burden off of their chores. Gone were the days of handwashing a huge family's worth of dishes!

So are we going to use this feminist masterpiece to…clean our bongs?

Can you clean your bong in the dishwasher?

Technically, you can do anything you want. But should you?

Dishwashers will never do the job that 90% ISO alcohol and salt will (to be discussed later!).

But if you're feeling lazy, if you're in a pinch, if you like to experiment…whatever your reason, let's explore what dishwashers have to offer.

Glass bongs

There are a couple of different kinds of glass to consider, and it's important to know which kind your bong is before tossing it into the dishwasher.

Pyrex glass won't crack under the rapid temperature changes of the dishwasher. But if you have a real heady piece of glass or a custom water pipe with complex percolators, you might want to think twice.

You know firsthand- they're expensive! Chances are, if you have a high-end bong, the brand explicitly states that it's not safe to use in the dishwasher.

Acrylic bongs

Acrylic bongs are the safest to put in the dishwasher.

There are three reasons for this:

• It wouldn't be the end of the world if it broke because acrylic bongs are on the cheap end.
• They tend to be simpler in design without intricate percolators.
• They're often advertised as dishwasher safe.

How to clean your bong in the dishwasher

There are a few simple steps to cleaning your bong in the dishwasher:

• Be sure that there isn't any other glass in the dishwasher.
• Take out the bowl and downstem.
• Put the bowl and downstem where the silverware goes.
• Put the bong upside down as if it's a cup.
• Run the dishwasher how you normally would!

Alternative ways to clean your bong

Truth is, a dishwasher cycle is never going to get your custom bong as clean as 90% ISO alcohol and sea salt.

Here are the basics:

• Remove the bowl and downstem.
• Soak them in a bag of 90% ISO alcohol.
• Pour salt and 90% ISO alcohol into your bong.
• Shake the hell out of your bong while plugging the holes. (Trust us, you really want to make sure those holes are plugged!).
• Pour the mixture out and rinse your bong with hot water a couple of times.

Final thoughts

Clearly, cleaning bongs in the dishwasher isn't the most effective method.

But if your bong is only a little bit dirty, maybe after one session of light usage- and you're a stickler about keeping your customized water pipe spotless- the dishwasher isn't the worst option out there.

Just be sure to check the material of your bong and not to get overly zealous. You don't want to break expensive glass percolators just for the sake of convenience!

So there you have it. Can you clean your bong in the dishwasher? It depends on the type of bong. Should you? It depends on how clean you want it. Is a combination of 90% ISO alcohol and salt more effective? Absolutely.