Smoking a hookah is quite a fashionable event. And it is not surprising that such a modern device finds a place in almost every home. But to get true pleasure from smoking shisha, you need not only to use high-quality hookah products (charcoal, tobacco, liquid for the flask). The result of hookah smoking depends on the condition of the device. In this article we will answer the question of how to care for a hookah and what products can be used at home to ensure that subsequent use of the hookah is not dangerous to the health of smokers.
How to care for a hookah
It is important to understand that caring for your hookah is not just recommended, but necessary.
Providing proper care eliminates the possibility of unpleasant odors in subsequent sessions.
The smell appears due to accumulated resins on the elements of the device. To ensure the installation has maximum service life, you need to know how to care for the hookah, how often it needs to be washed and what to use.
So, about everything in detail.
How often should you clean your hookah?
Speaking about the frequency of cleaning, it is worth noting that it is recommended to wash the hookah after each use.
Important: the hookah should be cleaned regularly, but only after the installation has completely cooled down.
After the cleaning procedure, all elements must be dried naturally. Only then is it recommended to assemble the installation and put it away until the next session.
What tools can be used
When choosing a means to wash the inside of a hookah, you should give preference to a solution of water and soda. The use of various chemicals is highly discouraged.
And there are good reasons for this:
- The chemical composition of the products can damage the elements of the hookah, and they will be unsuitable for further use.
- Particles of cleaning agents still remain on the nargil parts. They cannot be washed with running water, since some elements have a relief shape (for example, a hookah hose). This then affects the quality of the smoke: an unpleasant aftertaste of detergent appears.
- Inhaling chemical particles is very dangerous to health. After all, they enter the smoker’s respiratory tract and can provoke allergic reactions or poisoning of the body.
The choice of means for washing a hookah after smoking also depends on the specific element of the installation and the material of the part.
What you need for care
To wash your hookah you will need:
- special hookah brush. It can be purchased at narghile supply stores. It is worth noting that they come in different sizes. And the choice depends on the size of the hookah installation and the features of some elements;
- dry and clean cloth or sponge;
- running clean water;
- a solution of water and soda;
- to clean some elements, it is allowed to use a soda solution with the addition of citric acid;
- rice or buckwheat;
- You may also need toothpicks and fishing line (used if a special brush is not available).
Mine cleaning
You can clean a hookah without a brush, but this will require some skill and does not allow you to completely remove plaque and germs. You will need a piece of thin elastic fabric and a knitting needle or Chinese food stick. You need to wrap a rag around a knitting needle, wet it and soap it. Gently push it into the neck of the shaft and clean it using back-and-forth movements. After removing the knitting needle, rinse the shaft with running water.
We also recommend reading: Gestalt therapy
To clean the mine with a brush, first prepare a cleaning solution: mix 1 part citric acid with 4 parts heated water. Scoop up this mixture with a brush and treat all contaminated surfaces. Rinse thoroughly.
Caring for hookah components
Before cleaning the hookah, it should be disassembled element by element. Often, narghile is washed immediately after smoking. Therefore, the unit should be allowed to cool down. And only then do they start cleaning the elements.
Behind the hose
The hookah hose is a part that requires careful cleaning. A resinous coating accumulates in it. Before flushing the hose, you should understand whether the accessory may deteriorate after exposure to water. This applies to a leather hose or, for example, an accessory covered in velvet. In such cases, it is better to dry clean. Dry cleaning is also recommended for older metal hoses. When exposed to moisture, such an accessory will quickly rust. Dry cleaning involves cleaning the hose from deposits with a brush on a dry surface. Then you should blow out the hose.
Silicone hoses are easier to maintain. It is enough to hold them under running water until clean water flows out of the hose. Keep the hose under water with the side to which the mouthpiece is attached. Then we remove the accumulated dirt on the inside of the hose using a brush. The brush should be dipped in a soda solution. After cleaning, you must rinse the accessory. Drying should be natural, with the hose in an unfolded position.
Behind the flask
Of course, it is recommended to wash the hookah after each smoking. However, there are situations when no one washed the already cooled device. As a result, mucus and plaque appear in the flask. To avoid an unpleasant odor when using this flask later, it should be soaked in a soda solution and allowed to stand for some time.
Before washing the flask after some time has elapsed, it is recommended to add a little water to it and carefully walk the inner walls of the vessel with a brush.
A popular question among smoke lovers is: how to clean the flask without using a brush. For this you can use rice or buckwheat cereals. After the flask has stood with the soda solution, you should pour rice or buckwheat into it and shake the flask.
The outer side of the flask can be cleaned using special glass cleaners and a cloth.
Behind the bowl
The hookah bowl can be easily washed under running water immediately after cooling. If the tobacco is burnt, you need to soak the chili in hot water for 5 minutes. The holes in the bowl can be cleaned with toothpicks.
The chili should be cleaned after each use - this helps remove accumulated odors from the hookah.
For better cleaning, it is recommended to use a brush.
Behind the mine
Before cleaning the hookah shaft, it should be disassembled into its component elements. This will make cleaning much easier and increase its efficiency. If the shaft is solid, we simply clean it using a brush with stiff bristles and a soda solution with the addition of citric acid. The proportion of soda and acid is 4:1. And so much water should be added so that the resulting solution looks like a slurry.
If you don’t have a brush, you can use a regular rag. It should be twisted into a bundle of such thickness that it fits snugly against the walls of the shaft. We thread the resulting tourniquet into the shaft. It is important that the ends of the fabric are not hidden inside the shaft. And with progressive movements we remove dirt from the inside. Afterwards we wash the element and let it dry.
Caring for small parts
All small parts are also cleaned only after they have cooled. In this case, you don’t have to use a brush. All small elements can be easily washed from ash with hot water.
It is important to pay special attention to the mouthpiece. We must not forget about disinfection of this small but important detail.
Rules of care
Owners of hookahs must accept the inevitability that they will have to be washed periodically. Different parts require specific care. It doesn’t hurt to check in advance whether cleaning the inside of the bowl with solvents is allowed. Abrasives, brushes and scrapers should not be used. It is recommended to wash the device each time after use and wait until it has cooled down.
You may need a special thin and soft brush, which can be used to clean the shaft, hoses, glass or metal mouthpiece (but not wood). In general, it is better to study the structure of the hookah in advance in order to understand what it is made of and what cleaning products can be used.
How to clean an electronic hookah
Cleaning an electronic hookah is not difficult. Initially, you should disassemble it and clean the bowl from dirt, and pour the remaining liquid from the flask. Afterwards the device is reassembled. And a stream of water is released through the mouthpiece. The water will move in the opposite direction from the movement of the smoke. This way all elements will be washed. After the procedure, it is necessary to disassemble the installation again and wash all elements separately.
Only after the parts have completely dried is it possible to reassemble the installation and prepare it for the next session.
How to wash the bowl
Clay may darken over time, and it will not be possible to wash it completely. If it is covered with glaze, high temperatures cause small cracks to form on it.
Before washing the clay bowl from the hookah, it is recommended to immerse it in a container of hot water for a few minutes. This will make it easier to remove burnt tobacco from it. After soaking, the part is washed with water, if necessary, cleaning the holes with a toothpick.
We also recommend reading: The importance of choosing a professional for eyebrow tattooing
Which hookahs cannot be washed
Maintenance must be provided for any hookah installation. After a smoking session, they accumulate the smell of the tobacco used. And a very unpleasant picture can arise with further use of nargile: when the taste of the stuffing has the aftertaste of the previous tobacco.
The exception to the rule is the old style hoses, which have a metal spring. Due to exposure to water, it will soon deteriorate and begin to crumble. Therefore, it is recommended to immediately replace such an accessory with a more reliable and easy-to-maintain one, such as silicone.
Preventative measures and care tips
To make smoking a hookah enjoyable and safe, you need to not only know how to clean the device, but also how to further care for it.
Hookah parts
- After washing, all parts must be completely dried, only then can you begin assembling the device. It is advisable that drying lasts about a day;
- the device should be rinsed with water after each use, and thorough cleaning should be carried out after every 3-5 smoking;
- After using a hookah, you must immediately remove the liquid from the flask, as it serves as a favorable environment for the development of microbes.
If you do not plan to use the hookah in the near future, it is better to put the device in a closet or box, as this will help prevent dust from accumulating inside.
Is it possible to wash a hookah in the dishwasher?
It is much safer to wash the hookah yourself. Narghile elements cannot be washed well in the dishwasher. In addition, after such a wash, a soapy aftertaste appears when smoking a hookah. And this is such a pleasure.
And finally, some practical tips:
- if the hookah has been idle for a long time, before smoking it should be washed to remove dust under a stream of clean water;
- It is highly not recommended to wipe parts with a rag. Otherwise, tissue particles will remain on the walls of the elements and enter the body when smoking;
- If you are wondering how often to wash a hookah, make it a rule “always after use.” How children are taught to wash their hands after going outside. In terms of time, this is a fairly quick event, but the effect of this simple habit is magnificent.
Read us on Yandex.Zen: Planet of Hookahs
Why clean narghile
During smoking, decay products settle on the walls ; if they are not washed, then after a while bitterness will appear, the taste of tobacco will be transmitted much worse, and cravings may worsen.
In addition, contamination affects the service life of the device . The more carefully you take care, the longer the shisha will last.
It is important to maintain a sanitary condition so that pathogens do not multiply inside . Moisture and warmth are a favorable environment for them; poor washing will lead to the spread of germs and the smoker can become infected with colds and respiratory tract infections. This can happen even if you smoke alone, without company.
