How to Clean a Dab Rig

Dab rigs are smoking devices used to consume concentrated cannabis products like wax, shatter, budder, and other concentrates, usually referred to as dabs. Dab rigs can look complicated with many interchangeable parts, and keeping them clean can seem just as complicated – but it doesn’t have to be. 

A dirty dab rig can contribute to many situations in your cannabis routine that are not ideal. In this guide, you’ll learn how to clean a dab rig step-by-step to help ensure you’re getting the most out of your wax rig and the concentrates that go through it.

What is a Dab Rig?

So first things first, what is a dab rig? Dab rigs are smoking devices used to consume various cannabis concentrates and are sometimes referred to by names related to the concentrate types, like oil rigs, shatter rigs, wax rigs, nectar collectors, or simply, rigs. No matter what they’re called, most dab rigs function similarly. 

With a dab rig, usually, some part of the rig, called the banger, is heated with a butane torch or sometimes electronically to a specific temperature based on user preference. When the banger is hot enough, the concentrate is added (or dabbed) onto the hot banger, vaporizing it. The user then breathes through the pipe, pulling the vaporized concentrate through the pipe, which often has water filtration to help cool the vapor before it reaches the user.

Cannabis concentrates, as the name suggests, are highly concentrated, and the hit from a dab rig can be very potent, which is something to consider if you’ve never done a dab before. 

The Importance of Cleaning a Dab Rig

Just like when you clean gravity bongs, glass bongs, and other smoking apparatuses, keep an eye out for mildew and buildup. As you continue using your dab rig, you’ll notice a build-up of excess oil and concentrate in the banger and other pipe parts.

Though it may not seem like a big deal at first, this build-up can accumulate to the point where the dab rig does not function properly, or it starts to affect the flavor and effectiveness of the concentrates consumed. A dirty dag rig can lead to wasted money on concentrates and an overall bad experience when using a dab rig. 

It's important to clean your dab rig and the water in it to get the most out of it and to enjoy the concentrates that cost your hard-earned money. There are dab rig cleaning solutions to help you do this, as well as specialized tools. Keeping a clean and efficient dab rig is easy to do once you know how and have all the materials you need. With that, let’s get right into cleaning a dab rig.

How to Clean a Dab Rig?

Since there are many types of dab rigs made from different materials, we will focus on how to clean a glass dab rig as they are very common and available, so there's no need to get a special rig cleaner or anything like that. This is a tried and true method and the best way to clean a dab rig. To get started with cleaning your dab rig, you’ll need:

• A resealable plastic bag, like a freezer bag or similar

• Isopropyl Alcohol (Rubbing Alcohol)

• Sea Salt or Coarse Rock Salt

• Q tips and Paper Towels

With your cleaning supplies assembled, it’s time to clean your rig!

Step 1:

Disassemble your dab rig, and carefully lay out each part as you will be cleaning each piece individually.

Step 2:

Starting with the banger, place the banger in the resealable plastic bag, and add enough isopropyl alcohol so that the banger is submerged. Add a generous amount of coarse salt as well. This is optional, but you can also let the dab rig piece soak in the alcohol solution for five to ten minutes to help loosen up the concentrate. 

Step 3:

While being as careful as possible not to drop or break your piece, shake the bag to help dislodge all the concentrate build-up in the part. The longer the dab rig piece sits and soaks in the solution, and the longer you shake it, the better the results will be. Try to spend at least 10 minutes cleaning each part.

Step 4:

Remove the piece from the bag, and rinse it in water. Use paper towels to wipe off any remaining residue. Use the q tips to help wipe any hard-to-reach places in the banger or dab rig piece. Once you’re done, you can give it one more thorough rinse to make sure and wash away any of the alcohol, and leave it to dry. 

Repeat steps two through four with any other small dab rig part that can fit into the plastic bags you’re using. Be sure to use a new bag and a fresh isopropyl and salt solution for each part you clean.

Step 5:

Now to clean the main dab rig pipe. Dab rigs are usually very similar to bongs or water pipes and can be cleaned in a similar way. Instead of placing it in a bag, fill the rig with some isopropyl alcohol and rock salt. Let it soak in the solution, and after five to ten minutes, you can start to shake your dab rig to help loosen up the concentrate build-up. Be very careful not to drop your rig or break it. 

After spending some time agitating your dab rig, you can pour out the solution and rinse it with water thoroughly to wash away the isopropyl alcohol. Like with the smaller dab rig parts, use the q tips and paper towels to wipe off any remaining residue in hard-to-reach places. Rinse it one more time, and leave it to dry.

Step 6:

With all your dab rig parts clean and dry, reassemble your rig. Now you’re ready for a nice clean dab!

It’s really not that hard to keep a clean dab rig, and doing so will not only help you use your dab rig efficiently, but it will also help you enjoy the clean flavor of the concentrates you consume through it. If at all possible, you should try to clean your dab banger after each use and in between major dab rig cleaning. There are other types of dab rigs and dab rig bangers made from different materials that may need different ways of cleaning them, but this guide should help you get the most out of any glass dab rigs.

Happy trails, and remember that a clean dab rig is a clean hit!