WHY IT MATTERS
A dirty dab rig ruins the flavor of premium rosin. Resin buildup on the glass, baked-on carbon in the quartz banger, and terpene condensate in the percolator all add harsh, burnt notes that mask the strain profile.
Cleaning every 3–7 sessions keeps the rig tasting like the rosin, not like the last week of dabs.
WHAT YOU NEED
99% Isopropyl Alcohol (ISO) — 70% works but 99% is significantly faster.
Coarse sea salt or Epsom salt — acts as an abrasive to break resin loose.
Pipe cleaners — for the narrow glass sections.
Cotton swabs (Q-tips) — for the banger.
Ziplock bag — to soak removable pieces.
Hot water — for the final rinse.
THE GLASS RIG
1. Drop the rig water. Pour out any old water.
2. Fill halfway with ISO and a tablespoon of salt.
3. Cover the openings with your palms and shake vigorously for 30–60 seconds. The salt scours the interior glass as it moves.
4. Let sit 20–30 minutes for heavy buildup.
5. Rinse 2–3 times with hot water until ISO odor is gone.
6. Fill with fresh water to just above the percolator holes.
THE QUARTZ BANGER
After each dab, swab the banger with a Q-tip while still warm (hot banger = easier cleaning). This prevents the deep cleaning sessions you'd otherwise need.
For a deep clean: dunk the banger in ISO for 10 minutes, scrub with a Q-tip, rinse. Avoid using dab-tool scraping on cold quartz — you'll scratch the surface.
Chazzed (darkened/discolored) quartz from overheating doesn't clean off — that's permanent damage. Replace the banger if it looks gray/black permanently.
THE CARB CAP
Glass or ceramic carb caps: drop in ISO for 5–10 minutes, wipe with a paper towel, rinse.
Avoid scraping a hot carb cap on the banger — the temperature shock can crack either piece.
