How to properly wash a hookah - 5 mandatory steps

Hi, friend! Today we will figure out how to properly wash a hookah. Just recently, a good friend of mine bought an amazing hookah. After a couple of hammerings, his condition “deteriorated a little”: the bowl smelled of stale tobacco, the shaft already had its own unique taste, and the new water in the flask began to resemble oil. And then I realized that this should not be allowed to happen to anyone, and I decided to tell you about these topics:

How to wash a hookah?
Why do you need to wash your hookah often?
How to clean a shisha?
How to wash a hookah hose, shaft, flask, bowl?

We are all used to simply putting it away until a suitable occasion after a wonderful evening with a hookah. But this is wrong. You need to take care of your pet. But many, unfortunately, do not know how to properly clean a hookah. Don’t be upset, because after reading this article you will know this and your hookah will be the smokiest and most delicious!

And if you are thinking about buying a new hookah, then be sure to check out the TOP 10 hookahs of 2022.

Why wash your hookah?

Is it possible to wash a hookah?

You may ask: Is it possible to wash a Hookah at all? I will answer: Cleaning the hookah is a must!

In general, I am sure that simply washing off the remaining tobacco from the bowl and rinsing the flask will not be enough. Laziness and an unwashed hookah are generally a terrible combination. If you do not clean, then as a result you will get:

Sediment on the walls
Taste spoiled
Liquid smoke
Externally dirty hookah
Plaque and mucus on the internal surfaces of the hookah (This environment becomes ideal for the growth of bacteria, microbes and other nastiness)
Rust

In order to avoid heavy deposits, you need to properly plug the hookah. An article on this topic can be read here.

But if you systematically wash your pet and take care of it in every possible way, then it will definitely retain its factory appearance. It won't hurt if you remove dust from it. But in order not to spoil the internal filling, you need to know how to properly wash a hookah. We will analyze this further! So, the main methods and options for how to wash a hookah at home.

Is it possible to wash a hookah at home?

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 heat 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.

What do you need to properly wash your hookah?

How to wash a hookah? To carry out a comprehensive cleaning you will need:

A special brush-brush, which you can buy in special stores. store. Be sure to look at its size. Naturally, a large brush is not suitable for a small hookah.
Small piece of cloth or sponge
Clean running water
Special solution (water + soda)
Citric acid (added to soda solution to clean some surfaces)
Raw cereals (rice or buckwheat)
Other tools (instead of a brush, you can use fishing line and toothpicks)

Let's take a closer look at each component from the described arsenal that will help us wash the hookah.

If you are interested not only in how to properly wash a hookah, but also in how to light it, then click here.

Hookah cleaning options

Warm running water - How to wash a hookah correctly

An option that answers the question: What is the easiest way to clean a hookah?

The first universal cleaning agent is simple running water. Just pour and shake. It will remove minor dirt well and help get rid of foreign odors in your pet. You can wash all the parts with it without worrying about something going bad. And if you are afraid of getting poisoned or the materials of the device do not tolerate the aggressive effects of chemical reagents, then using water is generally the only correct solution. Suitable for all people and all hookahs!

What water should I use to wash my hookah?

Baking soda or citric acid - How to clean a hookah

If you're looking for something a little more serious, another basic dirt-fighting solution is baking soda. What we do:

Just dilute baking soda in water in a glass or small bowl
Pour liquid into the shaft, flask or other part
Shake it all up
Rinse everything again with running water
Leave the part to dry

The substance has pronounced abrasive properties that will effectively eliminate unpleasant odors and remove stubborn deposits on your hookah.

Are there any other ways? How to clean a hookah using an alternative method? Answer: Citric acid will definitely cope with the task no worse than soda. Dissolve the crystalline powder in water and use the resulting solution to wash the dirtiest areas. This method is also universal and suitable for almost all hookahs!

Soda or citric acid

Rice or buckwheat - How to properly wash a hookah

In my opinion, this method is one of the most effective! What should be done:

Pour the grain into any part of the hookah
Pour some water
Shake gently a couple of times
Wait 2-3 minutes
If necessary, remove clogged grains and parts
Now your hookah is ready to smoke again

But take the grain size seriously. From personal experience I can say that small grains are better cleaned, but they have a serious drawback. Small particles remove plaque well, but also clog the tiny holes and grooves of the hookah. Therefore, it is advisable to control the process so as not to waste time extracting cereal from your Shisha.

If you are not sure about your choice, then just take medium grains. This way you will not clog the holes with cereal, and you will be able to thoroughly clean the inside of the hookah.

Rice or buckwheat, how to rinse a hookah?

Hookah brush - How to properly clean a hookah

The most convenient option of all. Especially if you already included a hookah brush for cleaning your hookah. The algorithm is incredibly simple:

Take a brush and the part that needs to be cleaned
Place the part under water
Carefully clean the part from plaque with a damp brush, rinsing all holes
Hookah shines again

But the option with a dish brush is not suitable for all hookahs. You can use a similar method if you are sure that your hookah will not be scratched or any part will not fall off. It is better to use a special hookah brush with appropriate soft bristles. With such a brush, you can be sure that nothing will happen to the hookah and the shaft with many holes will be sparkling clean!

Hookah cleaning brush

Line and rag - How to wash a hookah after smoking

Sometimes such difficulties arise that even a hookah brush does not help. Then you can clean inaccessible places using fishing line and a cloth. Actions when using this method:

Attach a piece of rag to a nylon thread
Pull one edge through a narrow hole (for example, in a mine)
Using reciprocating movements, remove foreign deposits and dirt from the hookah
If the rag is very dirty, simply replace it with a new one.

This method is simple and can save you both time and money on buying a new brush.

How to wash a hookah with a fishing line and a cloth?

Toothpicks - An option for cleaning a hookah

I think that almost everyone knows about this method. What should be done:

Take a set of small bamboo toothpicks
Clean all small holes in the bowl and shaft of the hookah
You can also remove the layer of scale on the saucer
Be careful, because even toothpicks can damage the filling of the hookah part
Done, you have a clean hookah, and I have a clear conscience!

I would also like to add that if you do decide to use toothpicks, it is better not to use household chemicals. Firstly, everything can corrode (even a toothpick) and then it will be even more difficult to clean something. Secondly, household chemicals can easily cause poisoning the next time you smoke. So it's better to use plain tap water.

You can clean the hookah in hard-to-reach places with toothpicks

Special cleaner for hookah

Let's take a look at the methods on how to wash a hookah. Of course, you can wash your hookah using available products. But why bother if there is a special cleaner for hookahs? For example, I use ButterFly. In short, this is a disinfectant for cleaning hookahs. Instructions for use:

Spray or pour approximately 20 ml into the part. (total volume of the bottle is 100 ml.);
Then pour a little water into the part;
Shake;
Go over it again with a brush;
Air the parts for 5 minutes;
Voila! The stool is clean again, without plaque or dirt.

A really convenient joke if you don’t want to constantly get dirty in water and then have to dry all the parts for several hours.

If anything, here you can order ButterFly directly without any markups. It's better to spend your time smoking rather than rinsing.

Learning how to wash a hookah with a special ButterFly product

Recommended sequence of actions and process features

So, in addition to running water, soda and citric acid, we will need a thin brush or a strong fishing line with a soft, lint-free rag. If you follow all the recommendations correctly, the desired result can be achieved without much hassle in a quarter of an hour. To clean the hookah, you must perform the following manipulations:

Remove the foil from the hookah bowl and remove all remaining tobacco mixture. It is best to use a soft brush or cloth for this.
We disassemble the structure into its component parts as much as possible, pour out all the liquid from it.
Next, we assemble the device again, attach its mouthpiece to the water tap and let in the liquid. We make sure that the water flows in the direction opposite to the movement of smoke while smoking a hookah.
Next, we replace the mouthpiece with the upper part of the shaft and continue the process, but now in the opposite direction. The stage using clean running water should last at least 8-10 minutes. We remember that, if possible, the liquid should be as hot as possible (if the material of the elements allows it).

Next, we disassemble the hookah again, now we need to clean all its parts separately.
First we are working on the hose, for which we will need a very thin brush with soft bristles and a long handle. If you use a regular brush, you can damage the rubber. The use of wire can also cause damage to the material in case of careless movements. It is best to use a profile device or wire securely wrapped in rags. We move the device back and forth for a couple of minutes, if necessary, changing the fabric or washing the bristles of the brush. You need to blow out the hose or rinse it several times to finally get rid of dirt and deposits.

Next, we begin to process the bowl using a clean cloth and household chemicals. First, prepare a solution of weak concentration, pour it into a bowl, leave for a couple of minutes, drain and clean with a cloth soaked in the same composition. If necessary, repeat this several times or increase the concentration of active substances. Next, be sure to rinse everything with clean water.

After the cleaning procedure is completed, you must use a clean, soft and dry cloth to remove excess moisture from all accessible surfaces of the hookah parts. If this is not done, they will gradually oxidize and become unusable.

The final stage is drying the elements. It is best to leave the structure disassembled in a place with good air flow so that all parts dry naturally. It is strictly forbidden to use artificial heat sources, hair dryers, fans, especially on rubber elements. On average, drying a hookah takes at least 18-24 hours. You should not use it during this time; it is better to wait until it dries completely. Immediately after cleaning, the device also does not start, because... drops of water can affect the quality of steam and even cause burns to the laryngeal mucosa.

Today, specialty stores offer specialized hookah cleaning products. From a practical point of view, they are very convenient, they thoroughly wash away dirt and do not leave behind an unnecessary aromatic trail. True, they cost a lot, are consumed quite actively, and their shelf life expires a few weeks after the first use. Therefore, if the hookah is not used very often, it is better to limit yourself to using familiar household chemicals.

Recently, hookahs for smoking have begun to appear in our homes, which many people bring with them from trips to eastern countries or buy in related stores. This device is quite easy to use, but, like any other household item, it requires attention. In this article we will talk about how to properly wash a hookah, how to care for it, and step by step we will look at the method of cleaning it.

How to properly wash a hookah?

Here I have tried to outline certain rules that need to be followed in order not to damage your favorite device. They, in principle, universally answer the question of how to properly wash a hookah:

Clean only when the hookah has completely cooled down. If the hookah has not yet cooled down after smoking, then you may simply get burned
I mentioned earlier that I highly recommend avoiding the use of chemical cleaning products. A safe alternative to strong reagents are soda and citric acid. It is in no way inferior to its artificial counterparts. In addition, household “chemicals” are difficult to wash off from cleaned surfaces. Residues on the walls distort the taste of the smoke and can poison you when smoking.
To remove dirt more thoroughly, take additional available tools: a special brush, clean rags and a sponge.

Now, armed with a complete set of professional hookah cleaners, you can finally disassemble your Shisha into its component parts and begin the dirt removal procedure.

You can read how to choose the perfect hookah in this article.

How to properly wash a hookah at home

Washing the cup

As for the hookah cup, the most important thing is to let it cool down after smoking, first removing the cauldron from it. Let it cool naturally, because clay is a porous material; when it heats up, the clay pores increase, where water can get in, which in the future, when smoking, will lead to a deterioration in taste. Also, due to temperature changes, the bowl can simply burst and begin to ooze. Cooled clay bowls can be washed with water, and when washing glazed bowls, we can use the above-mentioned detergents.

In addition to the bowl, we also cool the kalaud, but you should not fill it with cold water, because... the metal may begin to deform, so let it cool naturally.

How to wash a hookah hose?

First of all, let’s touch on a point that many people for some reason lose sight of or simply forget. And this is very in vain. Resin deposits accumulate on silicone pipes during smoking, so you need to thoroughly clean the part.

First, take the end of the hose to connect the mouthpiece and bring it to the water tap
Fill the liquid until clear water starts flowing out of the back end.
After washing away minor stains, proceed to total cleaning.
For these purposes, you can use a brush, as well as a solution of soda and citric acid.
At the end of the process, rinse the tube again in water and dry thoroughly

But if you have a leather hose, then everything is more complicated. Simple wet cleaning will not work here, since the skin extremely absorbs odors and is subject to plaque. Later, this plaque with particles of the same skin, when smoking, enters the smoker’s lungs. That is why for leather hoses I recommend only “dry” cleaning, that is, blowing through the tubes and working with a brush.

Method on how to wash a hookah hose correctly

Detergents

When thinking about how to wash a hookah, you should take care of selecting a suitable detergent. It is strictly forbidden to clean or wash the hookah with soap, washing powder or other household chemicals.

Such restrictions are due to the fact that it is almost impossible to completely wash off household chemicals from the surface of the device. Particles of washing powders can change the taste of smoke, as well as harm the hookah itself and its elements. It is also not recommended to use liquid detergents, as they leave behind a specific odor.

Please note that if the hookah has leather elements, for example, hoses, it is highly not recommended to wash them, since they do not tolerate water well. Such elements simply change over time.

If there is a metal spring in the hoses, it is also unsafe to fill them with water, since such contact may cause the metal to rust. It will be no fun at all to inhale rusty dust into your lungs. By the way, this is why when buying a hookah it is best to choose a device with hoses made of special plastic, which can be thoroughly washed after each smoke.

To properly rinse the shaft and bowl of the hookah, you should use only hot water. A hot hearth will help soften and remove plaque formed on the walls of the device. Cold water will not be as effective in this case.

How to wash a hookah flask?

How to clean a hookah flask without leaving any traces? In order to clean the hookah in this part, use this method:

If you haven’t cleaned the flask for a long time, then plaque has 100% accumulated there
To remove it, pour soda solution into it.
Leave to soak for 2-3 hours
After this, add water or citric acid solution to the container again.
Clean the walls with a special brush and sponge (if you don’t have a brush for cleaning a hookah, then use a fishing line or a rag)
Rinse again with water
For additional cleaning, you can rinse everything again with grains (buckwheat or rice)
Let everything dry for 1-2 hours
The washed and dried flask is ready for further use.
PS Systematic cleaning reduces the amount of dirt. For the next cleaning, a short “de-scaling” of the flask is enough.

How to properly wash a hookah flask

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 wash a hookah bowl?

One of the easiest cleanings in the entire process. To rinse the calne bowl you will need to do the following:

Take a bowl of hookah
Cool the bowl a little
Then rinse under running water
If a large amount of tobacco mixture is stuck to the surface of the saucer, soak the part in warm water for 10 minutes
Clean large holes with a brush, for small holes it is better to use toothpicks
Use a special brush to “polish” the inside of the bowl to kill the taste of past tobacco.

Method for washing a hookah bowl

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.

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.

How to clean a hookah so that there is no smell left?

The hookah shaft is cleaned in a similar way to cleaning rubber hoses:

Take a hookah mine
Rinse it with either water or baking soda
Use a brush or fishing line with a rag (that is, one, securing the rag in the middle of the fishing line, insert the fishing line from the top of the shaft to the bottom
Rinse the clean part
Dry thoroughly

When eliminating old unpleasant odors, many hookah lovers make a grave mistake. They are trying to cover up the smell of past tobacco with the “noble aromas” of chemicals. Let me remind you that this, as a rule, leads to poisoning and damage to the hookah. Then the question is: How to clean a hookah to eliminate extraneous aromas?

In my opinion, the most effective way to eliminate unwanted odors is to clean the hookah with citric acid. Pour the lemon juice solution immediately after treatment with soda concentrate. The product delivers a double blow: it kills odors and destroys harmful bacteria .

On a cleaned hookah, the smoke is usually thicker. And with such smoke it is already possible to perform killer tricks, which I previously wrote about here.

How to wash a hookah shaft

Tips and tricks

Before you start cleaning your hookah, it is recommended to learn a few rules:

After smoking, you need to wait for the shaft to cool completely, and only then proceed to cleaning.
It is not advisable to use chemical compounds for cleaning - it is not always possible to thoroughly rinse the internal surfaces of detergent residues. With subsequent use, the components will begin to burn, causing the smoke to acquire an unpleasant taste. Foreign matter may harm your health.
Buy special brushes.

Is it possible to wash a hookah

Nargile must be regularly cleaned of dirt. All structural parts are made of materials that are resistant to wet cleaning, so there is no need to be afraid that the parts will rust or deteriorate.

However, it is important to learn how to wash a hookah according to the rules in order to keep the structure functional. You should select the right detergents and cleaning devices, and also adhere to a certain sequence of actions.

Why cleanse

During the combustion of tobacco, resins are deposited on the internal surfaces of the shaft. If you do not wash them off, when you subsequently use the nargile, the decay products will mix with the smoke, giving it bitterness. Due to plaque, traction may worsen. Bacteria will multiply on contaminated walls, which can cause respiratory diseases.

Lack of maintenance will also significantly shorten the life of the hookah. This is why it is important to keep your smoking device clean.

Regularity of care

How often the narghile needs to be washed depends on the intensity of its use. It is advisable to rinse the hookah after each use, and rinse thoroughly, disassembling the entire structure into components, it is recommended every 5-6 smoking sessions.

What tools to use

To care for narghile, natural products are used that are easy to wash off: citric acid, soda and others. They effectively cope with most contaminants. In addition to these compounds, special cleaning devices will be required.

How to wash a hookah:

a small brush for cleaning the hookah shaft;
long brush;
flask brush;
sponge;
clean rags.

If it is not possible to purchase these devices, you can use dish brushes. Preference should be given to those that bend well, with soft, not very long pile.

Conclusion - How often should you wash your hookah?

So, today we fully found out:

How to wash a hookah
What to use for cleaning
How to rinse every part of a hookah
And much more

Ideally, the hookah should be cleaned every time after smoking. At the same time, remember that you cannot use household chemicals, but rather give preference to natural products (soda and citric acid). I can say from myself that the procedure itself is indeed long and labor-intensive, but the result is definitely worth the effort!

Thank you very much for reading this article, friend! Leave a comment, give 5 stars, we are grateful to you for any of your ratings. Become part of our team and be the best hookah master!

Issue No. 18. How to wash a hookah? Glycerol! And what is Ike’s favorite hookah?

Hookah Time blog about hookahs - author of the Youtube channel

Let's sum it up

A hookah is an excellent device that can brighten up even the most boring evening. However, careless handling of this product is guaranteed to ruin your smoking session. The procedures we have listed seem banal, but many people do not think about them, wondering why hookah smoking has ceased to be enjoyable. Hygiene is the foundation of an enjoyable experience, and by keeping this in mind, you will never encounter unpleasant odors or contamination in your hookah.