How to Prevent Your Rig from Getting Dirty

Are you a dabbing enthusiast who has recently invested in a rig? Great, then it’s time to talk about maintenance.

Even the fanciest, most expensive rig on the market needs to be taken care of while it’s in your possession, or it will start to let you down. Not because of the manufacturer’s fault, but because of personal neglect.

A dab rig needs to be cleaned on a routine basis in order to continue satisfying your dabbing needs. Many of us, sadly, go far too long between cleaning sessions, and end up with compromised dabs. The good news is that cleaning a rig is really not all that complicated. If you’ve ever cleaned a water pipe, then you already know what the process entails.

A Dirty Rig is a Poorly Functioning Rig

At the end of the day, a dab rig that’s dirty is going to give you a disappointing dabbing session. Each time we dab, trace amounts of residue from vaporized concentrates build up along the inside of the rig. You can see this for yourself as the material takes on a yellow tinge, and if the lack of cleaning goes on long enough, it will eventually turn brown.

So, what happens when we dab with a dirty rig? Well, a couple of things.

1. You’re not going to get the best flavor experience that you can out of your concentrates. Why? Because each dab hit is carrying small amounts of old, stale residue buildup with it, and this is going to get in the way of tasting those fresh, delicious terpenes – and who would want that?
2. If enough residue accumulates, it can cause airflow problems, and this is actually the most common cause for a clogged rig. While it takes some time to get to that point, heavy dab enthusiasts who never clean their rigs are going to run into this problem sooner than later. Also, when your airflow is subpar, you’re just not going to get those smooth, abundant clouds of vapor that make dabbing such an awesome experience.

What Causes a Rig to Get Dirty?

Of course, a big part of keeping a rig clean is preventing it from getting dirty in the first place. So, what is most likely to cause it to get dirtier than what is to be expected from dabbing?

Cause #1: You're Not using a Reclaim Catcher

A Reclaim Catcher is the most important piece for keeping any rig clean and for getting the most out of your concentrates. Reclaim Catchers does what its name indicates, it catches reclaim, preventing the gunk from getting into your rig. The best part of catching the reclaim is that you can then reuse that reclaim!

Cause #2: You're Not using a Piece Water (Mineral Water) in your Rig

All liquids have not been created equal! Piece Water is thick mineral water which enables better filtration and suspends any reclaim or impurities within the water preventing it from sticking to the rig. 

When using your dab rig for flower is is definitely suggested to be using an ash catcher, which functions similar to a reclaim catcher, but for flower. In addition throwing on a Tar Charcoal Filter will also prevent buildup. 

Cause #3: Not Cleaning Your Water

A common culprit is not switching out the water. The water in your rig is going to attract molecules of your vapor, and because it’s stagnant, that dirty water will just be sitting against the interior, causing residue to build up on the walls. We recommend replacing the water after each use. Besides the cleanliness aspect, it’s better for your flavor since dirty water can cause a stale taste. 

Cause #4: Dabbing Too Hot

Dabbing at temperatures that are unnecessarily high will lead to more residue build up. Naturally, the hotter we burn our dabs, the more residue is going to accumulate. Make sure that you’re not dabbing hotter than you need to so that you can enjoy your sessions – most find that somewhere between 350-500 degrees is just fine.

Cause #5: Chazzing

Chazzing is the result of scorching the banger of your rig by applying too much heat to it at once. Basically, if you hold your torch against the banger too long, it’ll burn and become black or charcoal in color.

How Often Should You Clean Your Rig?

So, here’s the part that a lot of enthusiasts don’t want to hear- ideally, you should clean your rig after each session. Now, we know that this sounds inconvenient, but remember that the more frequently you clean it, the less hard you have to work to make it clean, as there’s less residue that accumulates between your sessions. But, if the idea of cleaning it constantly just doesn’t work with your lifestyle, we can recommend that you simply clean it once a week, as this will likely be adequate at preventing that residue from interfering too much with your ability to enjoy your sessions.

How Not to Clean Your Rig

Yes, there are a couple of wrong ways to clean your rig. These are important to cover, because some methods can be dangerous, and others can be damaging to your rig that you’ve spent so much time picking out.

Using Questionable Household Cleaners

First off, NEVER, under any circumstances, use some household cleaners that you have lying around your house to clean your rig. Products like bleach, glass cleaner, and countertop cleaner must be strictly avoided. These materials are extremely harmful to breathe in, and even if you rinse your rig thoroughly after cleaning with them, you can still end up inhaling trace particles that can damage your respiratory and nervous systems. Stick to the approved cleaners that we’ll be explaining below.

Using Highly Abrasive Materials

The other big no-no is using abrasive materials to clean your rig. This includes steel wool and similarly abrasive sponges and cloths. These may seem like they’re doing a great job at scrubbing away resin, but at a cost. They will wear down the material of your rig, interfering with its structural integrity while creating microtears that end up trapping more resin in the future. Translation: Makes cleaning harder and harder each time.

Does it Make a Difference What Kind of Rig You Have?

Ultimately, the best cleaning process for a dab rig does not change depending on the material, whether it’s glass, silicone, ceramic or some other material. Therefore, the cleaning process that’s recommended for rigs is the same no matter what type of rig you have.

The Steps for Properly Cleaning Your Rig

Now, we can finally discuss the proper process for cleaning a rig. Follow these steps carefully, and again, try to commit to this process at least once a week.

Step #1: Give It a Soak

To do so, take it apart if applicable, and submerge it in an approved cleaning solution. –

• Option #1: A solution made with salt, water, and isopropyl alcohol.
• Option #2: Purchase a pre-made cleaning solution formulated specially for pieces such as dab rigs.

Soak your rig for at least two hours, and preferably overnight. These cleaning solutions are designed to loosen up the residue so that it can be easily wiped off later. The longer you let your rig soak, the more effective the solution will be, and the less elbow grease you’ll need to invest once it is time to wash.

Step #2: Carefully Wash Away Lifted Residue

Remove your rig from its soaking solution and clean it. Best to use some type of soft, non-abrasive material like cotton, and gently but thoroughly wiping away any residue on the outside or inside of the rig. Do this until the rig appears clean.

Step #3: Rinse It Well

Now, naturally, you will need to give your rig a nice, long rinse. This will rinse away the remaining residue that’s been lifted off the device. Do this until your device looks nice and clean.

Step #4: Repeat if Necessary

So, what if you followed the above steps and they didn’t work? Well, simply repeat the process all over again. Bear in mind that if you’ve gone a very long time without cleaning your rig, it may be permanently stained with a subtle yellow tinge. If this is the case, there is only so much you can do. Most important thing is removing gunk rather than discoloration.

Step #5: Let It Dry

At last, you can let your rig dry so that you can go back to using it. Letting it air dry is the best method, since handling it when wet can mean breaking it by accident if you’re using a non-silicone rig.

Keep Your Rig Clean for a Satisfying Dabbing Session

Without a clean dab rig, you can only enjoy your concentrates so much. The good news is that the process of cleaning a rig is not nearly as complicated or tedious as some may think. Just remember that certain cleaning methods are absolutely NOT recommended and must be avoided completely. The basic soaking method, in an approved cleaning solution, is perfectly effective at keeping your rig nice and clean for the duration of your owning it.