While there is some squabbling about who can claim credit for inventing the dab rig it’s generally accepted that they’ve been around for about 15 years. While strictly a curiosity at first the popularity of the dab rig had exploded in recent years as legal restrictions on the use of cannabis and cannabis-derived products have been lifted nationwide. In this post, those of us at your favorite online head shop are going to take a deep dive into the dab rig, what it is, how it works, and how to keep it clean so that it always provides optimal performance.
What Is A Dab Rig?
To those who have smoked herb for some time, the dab rig will look strangely familiar. That’s because it closely resembles the venerable bong, except that dab rigs are smaller and often feature more elaborate designs. The dab rig resembles the bong because form follows function and the function of the dab rig is basically the same as that of the bong: to filter (in this case) vapor through water to remove heat and impurities.
That bit about removing impurities should be a hint that, just as with a bong, it’s important to keep your dab rig clean, both for the sake of your own enjoyment and your health. But back to what the dab rig is.
So, the job of the dab rig is to filter what you inhale before you inhale it. There is no bowl with a dab rig like there is with a bong because you’re not firing up dry herb. Instead, the dab rig is designed to enable you to vaporize concentrate. The concentrate is placed on a “dab nail” (sometimes called a “banger”) and heated. The user inhales through the mouthpiece drawing the resulting vapor through the water, the neck and ultimately into their lungs.
Why You Should Keep Your Dab Rig Clean
Consistent dab rig and bong cleaning is crucial for regular users. You wouldn’t drink stagnant water because stagnant water can become a breeding ground for bacteria and other malicious microbes. It’s the same with water that’s used for filtering, whether in a bong or a dab rig. The longer it sits in the rig the more likely it will become infested with microscopic meanies you don’t want to be inhaling. If it’s doing its job that water will also become tainted with all the various impurities that it filtered out of the vapor. And you don’t want to be inhaling those either.
The smartest thing to do is to change the water in your dab rig every time you use it. It will only take a minute and will pay both short and long-term benefits. If the water is left to fester it will eventually develop a layer of skank across the top that is commonly referred to as “biofilm”. Biofilm is a truly unholy substance that can harbor viruses, bacteria, mold and mildew. If you see biofilm it means you’ve essentially turned your dab rig into a petri dish. Yuck.
We sell a lot of dab rigs through our online smoke shop and advise all our customers to get in the habit of cleaning their rig on a regular schedule. That’s because even if you change the water every time some of the filtered residue will stick to the inside of the glass and slowly accumulate. So, even if you think you’re safe you could still be inhaling potentially problematic compounds no one should be inhaling.
What’s Needed to Clean a Dab Rig
Customers of our online head shop often send us messages asking what’s needed and how to clean their new rigs. Fortunately, the following is all you need to thoroughly clean your rig.
- A torch
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Sea salt
- A resealable plastic bag
- Cotton swabs
Cleaning the Dab Rig
Once you’ve collected all that stuff here’s how you go about cleaning the rig.
1a: Put the dirty nail to the torch – Torching the nail is often sufficient to remove built-up carbon residue on the nail. You might want to rub the clean nail down with alcohol once you finish torching it.
1b: Soak the dirty nail – If there was too much buildup on the nail to remove with the torch, place the dirty nail in a resealable plastic bag along with isopropyl alcohol and some sea salt to act as an abrasive. Shake the bag vigorously to help loosen the buildup and then let it sit for several minutes before removing the nail and cleaning it off with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs.
2: Empty the water from the rig – Pretty self-explanatory.
3: Add alcohol to the rig – Fill the tank of the rig with the isopropyl alcohol. If the rig is particularly dirty add some sea salt, again, as an abrasive. Then cover the holes on the rig and shake vigorously.
4: Empty and rinse – After shaking the rig for 20 or 30 seconds, empty it out and then rinse it out with clean, warm water.
It usually takes about 15 minutes to complete the dab rig cleaning process.
Conclusion
While dabbing is considered safer than smoking cannabis the dab rig itself can pose a hazard if it is not properly maintained. And cleaning is basic dab rig maintenance. Use the information above to keep your dab rig clean and hygienic and ensure that it functions safely and properly for years to come. And if you’re looking for one of the best dab rig selections anywhere make sure you check out the 710pipes online smoke shop today.