How to Boil a Pipe

Boil your pipes in order to clean out all the residue buildup that has accumulated after continuous use. Over time, tobacco smoke lines a pipe's internal walls with tar, causing the taste of the smoke to become affected over time. Boiling your pipes breaks free the resin, allowing you to clean it with much less trouble. If you are unable to clean your pipe out completely with a pipe brush, boiling it may be your best bet.

Things You'll Need

• Saucepan
• Tongs
• Towels
• Pipe brush

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Instructions

• 1

  Fill your saucepan with water, then set it on top of your stove. Make sure you use enough water that the pipe will be fully submerged.

• 2

  Place the pipe in the saucepan and set the stove's temperature to medium-high. Let the pipe sit in the water for 5 minutes after you notice the water begin to boil.

• 3

  Use the tongs to take the pipe out of the boiling water. Place it carefully on a towel after removing it from the saucepan.

• 4

  Scrub the inside of the pipe with the pipe brush to remove any residue not broken free during the boiling process. Use another towel to hold the ends of the pipe during scrubbing while the pipe is still hot. Clean both the mouthpiece and the stem with the pipe brush, then wipe the rest of the residue off with the towel once the pipe cools.

• 5

  Hold the pipe under running water from your sink in order to rinse out any of the materials that have broken free during boiling and scrubbing. Allow the pipe to dry face down, before attempting to smoke out of it again.