Nauseous Fumes From New Hookah?

[scrued]

I've been smoking hookah for about two years now off and on and finally decided to get one myself. I came across this forum and decided to buy a Mya Acrylic, after smoking it a few times, (different bowls, different days, washed with hot water in between) a certain fume lingers that keeps making me sick. It's not the tabacco because I currently am borrowing my friend's glass one and everytime I pack a bowl for that, its always a nice smoke. (btw, I'm using Al Fakher Watermelon, a 250 gram tub)

Is there something I can use to clean this out with that will get rid of these fumes? The inside of the stem seems to be unfinished brass or copper which seems to absorb this smell. Are there any others who own these Mya acrylics that have had this problem?

[Victim026]

I've had a few Mya's and I've never had that problem. How many other things have you tried changing that would affect your smoke? You've switched hookah's, but are you using the same hose? Maybe a good washing with lemon juice and salt, or salt and cheap vodka is in order. Edited December 28, 2007 by Victim026

[Eifah]

Sometimes new hookahs have a kind of glue that dries inside the stem. I would definitely clean the stem thoroughly before you use it again.

[scrued]

Haha, I've just turned 18. Don't know where I'd get any vodka, don't think my parents would believe me saying I want to...wash my hookah with it. I was thinking about cleaning it though, how's baking soda?

[lonasindi]

the beautiful thing about vodka is that it more or less completely neutralizes odors. We use it in the theatre, mixed 50/50 with water, to spray down costumes after each show when they're not going to be washed.

[trapman]

i clean mine with bakein soda and lemon juice. They DO foam up, but that helps make it nice and clean.

[scrued]

K, I am 100% sure its coming from the stem now, both the pipe and the heart. I think it has something to do with it being copper/brass underneath, if i put the two pieces in very warm water and breath through them, an odor is present that is very repugnant. I scrubbed with baking soda and vinegar, still there. I'm soaking the two pieces in liquid soap and water for now.

I'm surprised these pieces aren't plated on the inside like they are on the outside. The outside is plated and polished, I didn't expect the inside to be polished to a mirror, but at least plated, if they were, something tells me these smells and fumes wouldn't be present. The bare metal is obviously giving off the odor, is everyone's mya stem rough and unfinished on the inside? Is there a replacement stem that is just stainless steel all the way through?

[MechAnt]

18? Either you're old for you grade (I am) or you should be in college. Vodka should come easily Beer is a good alternative. Normally when you buy a new hookah, the first thing you should do is give it a thorough cleaning.

[scrued]

18? Either you're old for you grade (I am) or you should be in college. Vodka should come easily Beer is a good alternative. Normally when you buy a new hookah, the first thing you should do is give it a thorough cleaning.

Born in Nov. '89, past september which is when school starts, so I will be 18 for the better part of my senior year.

...wait, when did I mention my grade before?

[MechAnt]

You mentioned that you're 18 and I was 18 for 3/4 of my senior year in HS and 19 right now as a freshman in college. So its some easy logical conclusions

Brass has a very distinct smell when it's exposed to water for periods of time and that distinct smell never truly goes away. I'm a trombone player and it has a light brass odor to it similar to my MYA acrylic. The fume that comes up while smoking a bowl is just the baking of the tobacco from what I've deducted in my hookah smoking life. If it doesnt affect the flavor, its nothing to worry about.

One more thing, what style shaft is it?

This? http://www.hookahcompany.com/mya_hookah_stem_2244_prd1.htm
Cause this one is actually just aluminum cored

or This?
http://mnhookahs.com/product_info.php?cPat...98d89b940ff51ec
Cause this is just solid brass

[mathuv]

Check the stem thoroughly. there was one forum member who had this problem and after checking the stem he actually found a string of glue in it. I'll definatley be checking my stem when i buy my mya acrylic...

[scrued]

Mech, its neither of those, its actually this one:

http://www.myasaray.com/store/item.asp?ITE...EPARTMENT_ID=46

It's got four hose expandability on the top stem half.

And Math, you're right! Woke up this morning, no particular reason, I took a good look through my downstem while holding the other end up to the light. Noticed a protrusion somewhere around the top inside the tube, like something was sticking out. Tried like hell to poke at it with a coal pick but it wouldn't budge, I was convinced it was part of the fabrication of the tube, probably just some excess metal.

Then I came across that thread on this forum about the guy who found plastic/glue in his mya. That pretty much convinced me. 5 more minutes of poking and prodding, I was able to get it out. It was a clear piece of plastic, hard as a rock but plastic nonetheless.

At this point I believe MYA covers the inside of the downtube with a hard plastic to ensure there are no leaks, but they don't take into consideration that this plastic may give off a flavor. I took a whiff of what came out and yeah, it smelled weird.


As for the faint brass smell though, that's still there, and I find it annoying. After much washing with vinegar and baking soda, letting it soak in dishwashing liquid, its halfway gone. I'm assuming having the finished piece sit in a box inside a plastic wrapper for months before I probably opened it allowed the smell to collect.

Anyways, thanks for the help guys, much appreciated.

[mathuv]

Mech, its neither of those, its actually this one:

http://www.myasaray.com/store/item.asp?ITE...EPARTMENT_ID=46

It's got four hose expandability on the top stem half.

And Math, you're right! Woke up this morning, no particular reason, I took a good look through my downstem while holding the other end up to the light. Noticed a protrusion somewhere around the top inside the tube, like something was sticking out. Tried like hell to poke at it with a coal pick but it wouldn't budge, I was convinced it was part of the fabrication of the tube, probably just some excess metal.

Then I came across that thread on this forum about the guy who found plastic/glue in his mya. That pretty much convinced me. 5 more minutes of poking and prodding, I was able to get it out. It was a clear piece of plastic, hard as a rock but plastic nonetheless.

At this point I believe MYA covers the inside of the downtube with a hard plastic to ensure there are no leaks, but they don't take into consideration that this plastic may give off a flavor. I took a whiff of what came out and yeah, it smelled weird.


As for the faint brass smell though, that's still there, and I find it annoying. After much washing with vinegar and baking soda, letting it soak in dishwashing liquid, its halfway gone. I'm assuming having the finished piece sit in a box inside a plastic wrapper for months before I probably opened it allowed the smell to collect.

Anyways, thanks for the help guys, much appreciated.

Yay treasure in the hookah ^^ actually thats bad. sorry to hear about the plastic. I'd definatley inform MYA about this Edited December 28, 2007 by mathuv