General Hookah Qustions

[Sisonpyh]

I am wondering if you guys could give some advice or info on the following:

1) I usually clean my hookahs before I smoke out of them but have been getting worried about it rusting, which I would hate to inhale. What do you guys do to get excess water out? Or is rusting really an issue?

2) I have heard of people giving wonderful chemistry advice on the forums. And I am wondering how toxic aluminum foil is when heated? I have heard people say vapors being released off it to people say its fine. What do you guys think/know?

[DistortedTruth]

I am wondering if you guys could give some advice or info on the following:

1) I usually clean my hookahs before I smoke out of them but have been getting worried about it rusting, which I would hate to inhale. What do you guys do to get excess water out? Or is rusting really an issue?

2) I have heard of people giving wonderful chemistry advice on the forums. And I am wondering how toxic aluminum foil is when heated? I have heard people say vapors being released off it to people say its fine. What do you guys think/know?

Rusting shouldn't be a problem in the stem itself, but can be a problem in the ports if not cleaned properly and dried. However, if rust does occur in the ports, Naval Jelly Rust Dissolver will do the trick just fine. If you clean before AND after smoking, it shouldnt be a problem in general. I'd invest in a pipe cleaner. And about your second question, I don't know the chemistry, but tons of people smoke hookah and just about every day and none of them have complained of problems =p.

[Arcane]

1) its highly unlikely that your hookah will rust from the time you wash it to the end of your session. i'd just wash it again after your session...blow hard a couple of times through the stem, hose port and purge valve and let it air dry. that's what i do and my hookahs haven't rusted on me yet...

2) dunno, but with the amount of hookah lounges/bars and members on this forums...i'm sure one of them will drop dead from the fumes before i do, so...when that happens, then i'll be concerned.

[Sisonpyh]

I am wondering if you guys could give some advice or info on the following:

1) I usually clean my hookahs before I smoke out of them but have been getting worried about it rusting, which I would hate to inhale. What do you guys do to get excess water out? Or is rusting really an issue?

2) I have heard of people giving wonderful chemistry advice on the forums. And I am wondering how toxic aluminum foil is when heated? I have heard people say vapors being released off it to people say its fine. What do you guys think/know?

Rusting shouldn't be a problem in the stem itself, but can be a problem in the ports if not cleaned properly and dried. However, if rust does occur in the ports, Naval Jelly Rust Dissolver will do the trick just fine. If you clean before AND after smoking, it shouldnt be a problem in general. I'd invest in a pipe cleaner. And about your second question, I don't know the chemistry, but tons of people smoke hookah and just about every day and none of them have complained of problems =p.

When I was searching for this on the forums I noticed a lot of the rusting did happen in the ports, thanks for the tip lol. Should have those laying around somewhere, I am guessing that would be more of an issue as you inhale directly from the ports.

Haha true that, just heard from different people that it could cause alzheimers later in life, don't know how true that is and google gave me different answers.

1) its highly unlikely that your hookah will rust from the time you wash it to the end of your session. i'd just wash it again after your session...blow hard a couple of times through the stem, hose port and purge valve and let it air dry. that's what i do and my hookahs haven't rusted on me yet...

2) dunno, but with the amount of hookah lounges/bars and members on this forums...i'm sure one of them will drop dead from the fumes before i do, so...when that happens, then i'll be concerned.

Haven't had one rust on me yet either, just a little paranoid about inhaling rust. My friends hookah recently had some green looking stuff come out of his which made me ask this question to myself.

Haha guess not many people are worried about it. Just hope the "what you do now effects you fifteen years down the road" saying does not come true.

[Zinite]

Here's a great post about the aluminum foil issue

Hiya!

1. According to the Merck Index: Aluminum doesn't vaporize until very high temperatures, above its melting point. This is why it has no smell. Metals that have a smell are actually releasing small amounts of metallic vapor.

2. People in some countries are forced to use aluminum sulfate or alum for spot water purification. Their aluminum intake is 30-40 times that of the average American and their incidence of Alzheimer's is roughly the same as Americans.

3. The idea 'aluminum causes Alzheimer's Disease' began when researchers noticed increased levels of aluminum in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. It is more or less accepted the same thing that causes Alzheimer's allows the transport of Aluminum into the brain, where it accumulates (with other chemicals that might cause Alzheimer's) If you don't have Alzheimer's it isn't a risk. A similar thing happens with people that have a specific genetic trait that makes their liver not filter out saturated fat molecules, hence the saturated fats build up in their arteries causing heart attacks and strokes. If you don't have the genetic trait, its not an issue.

That analogy isn't really too good, because the prevailing theory, as I understand it, is the aluminum is just an odd indicator, its not actually causing the damage/degradation of the brain tissues its an indicator that something else IS there.

4. In fact, if metallic vapors are dangerous, steel screens are more of a risk since iron actually does vaporize and you are inhaling iron vapors (which IS toxic). The metallic dyes in ceramic bowls (especially lead-based slip glazes on heads made outside the U.S.) would also tend to give off metallic fumes including lead(Green/black), chromium (Yellow), barium(Green-blue), cobalt(Royal blue), etc.

It comes from the oddity that aluminum isn't biologically active in humans. That is our body's biology ignores it. Arsenic, lead, iron, copper etc. build up and become toxic because the body thinks its useful or necessary ("Oh, this is Iron! I'll store this away for later!"), Some metals (Arsenic, Lead) the body thinks are things it wants but really doesn't (and are confused by the valence electrons). Something has to have a chemical effect on the body for it to effect the body. Aluminum is highly reactive, but oxidizes rapidly in air to form aluminum oxide which is fairly inert. Gold is also inert, hence it isn't poisonous nor does it react with your body. Copper on the other hand is a nutrient, which is why your skin turns green under a brass piece of jewelry...its the reaction of copper with your skin.

Edit: Seconds on what MattAthayde said.

TL;DR version:

There's no major information either way, but it's considered safe to use foil. Plus, it beats the hell out of using a crappy screen.

[Sisonpyh]

Thanks Zinite! Just what I was looking for with the aluminum foil! I appreciate it.

[Sonthert]

Wow. Days when I'm feeling dumb (like this month), I read stuff like that and think wow.

[Sisonpyh]

Wow. Days when I'm feeling dumb (like this month), I read stuff like that and think wow.

What is so bad about asking questions about rust and vapors that could potentially harm my (and others) health?