Drying The Hookah

[sss8789]

how do you dry your hookah?

[SafeSearchOff]

i use super hot water that tends to dry itself alot of the time. other than that shake it out alot. maybe take a wire hanger straighten it and push some paper towels throught like a squeegee

[sss8789]

I let mine air dry usually because it is brass and the inside it very rough, is that bad or should I blow dry it?

[austinthecity]

i used to let mine air dry, but i can look down the stem and still see water particles...

now i clean it and then use a hanger+paper towel to dry the inside..

[gaia.plateau]

Never air dry a hookah, it will lead to oxidization and eventually corrosion.

For a routine clean I use boiling water, then little bits of paper towel strung through a metal rod. For a deep clean I use lemon juice and baking powder, followed by boiling water, followed by a shot of cheap vodka, with the same drying method.

An air compressor works fine too, but it can be a bit of a hassle.

[Switch]

Do all hookahs corode though, like mya ones that are "stainless steel" will they oxidize?

[MechAnt]

As it is well known, I just alcohol to clean my hookah. After a diluted mix to clean it, I put a small amount in pure, shake it about a little, then drain it out. The alcohol catches whatever water is left and it dries very quickly

[erufiku]

Damn I always let all of my hookah parts air dry... Gaia do you dry the Bambino as well or just the bigger pipes?

[Balthazar]

This might just be my priceworthy lack of creativity, but how on earth do you attach paper towels to metal rods? I can picture myself trying this with lots of paper-bits stuck inside. Pictures please?

[Codename067]

i usually clean it before i want to smoke it. a good 20 minutes before i start. its come back and its dry as can be [i leave it out in the backyard]

[gaia.plateau]

Damn I always let all of my hookah parts air dry... Gaia do you dry the Bambino as well or just the bigger pipes?

Yeah, my Bambino is the only steel pipe that has oxidized on me, actually (a little bit in the chamber, near the screws - hard to dry). I dry that sucker out good.

Do all hookahs corode though, like mya ones that are "stainless steel" will they oxidize?

As far as my understanding of chemistry goes, all metals known to man will eventually corrode from extended water exposure. Stainless steel doesn't oxidize as quickly as quickly as brass, but steel oxidization makes rust, which leads to corrosion faster. It's always best to dry your hookah either by hand or compressed air to avoid corrosion. Edited February 20, 2008 by gaia.plateau

[Balthazar]

compressed air

This sounds like something I could pull of. Do you just spray it down into the stem, or what?

[gaia.plateau]

compressed air

This sounds like something I could pull of. Do you just spray it down into the stem, or what?

Yep, pretty simple to do. It works really great for hoses too.

[Oggie505]

I have been air drying my hookahs for 2 years, and no signs of rust

[mackiain]

Creating suction with a vaccuum works pretty good too through the stem to knock loose all the charred shisha stuck in there.

[Snoopy1966]

Since I got my Red Pear KM I have not used my Syrian until today. I thought I had it nice and dry before I put it away, and when I used it this morning, I could see some oxidation, and it smelled kinda weird. I brushed it out real good with lemon juice, but I could taste it while I smoked,(not the lemon juice) BLAH!!
How do I get rid of this smell now? Do you think some vodka would do the trick?

[MechAnt]

Yes. A good cleaning with vodka will do the trick. I use [drinking] alcohol all the time. Works better than anything else out there.