How To Clean A Washable Hookah Hose

A main ingredient of a great hookah smoking session is a freshly cleaned hookah hose.  Here we present easy step-by-step instructions on how to clean a washable hookah hose for the most excellent of smokes!

It is important to note that these instructional steps are only for hookah hoses advertised as "washable" such as the Shisha House Ripper, Aluminum D-Hose, or BYO Silicone hose. If your hookah hose has silicone tubing, it is most likely a washable hose. Running water through a non-washable hose will damage the inner lining and cause unwanted corrosion and/or rusting.

Remove the mouth tip and heel end from the siliicone tubing and fill the tubing about halfway up with water from a tap.  You can also pour in the water from a pitcher or use purified bottled water if you so desire. If you'have a large sink straight from the faucet works too, just have something on the other end of your tubing to catch the exiting water!

We've found that a squeeze of lemon juice mixed with the water is great for neutralizing any odors, as well as giving off a "fresh" scent to your hose.  We've also heard a pinch of baking soda helps as well.  You can also add a squeeze of natural cleaning solution such as Bling!

You're going to want to swish around the water/lemon juice mixture, much like your dentist makes you swish fluoride.  Plug up the ends of the hose with your thumbs to prevent spillage, and do this for at a good solid minute at least.  Pour the water back into the sink and repeat this step as many times as necessary, depending on how dirty the hose is.

After you have poured out the water, there will still be some moisture left in the hose that gravity alone won't get out.  Here's where a little centrifugal force comes in handy (you're going to want to do this outdoors, by the way).  Make sure that your mouth tip and heel end are still detached from the hose and then grab the hose near one of the ends and swing it around by your side, which will force out any loose drops of moisture.  You should only have to do this for less than a minute. 

Alternatively, you can also blow air in through one side of your hose to push any excess moisture out through the other end, though this method may take a bit longer than the centrifugal force method listed above. Either way, it's still a good idea to allow your hose to hang dry after either one of these methods! 

Depending on the material of your handle and heel tips, there are a couple different options for getting them clean as well. Aluminum handles can stand up to a good warm water bath (again with the optional lemon juice). For other hose handles that may have foam grips or specialty hose handles with resin or wood, a simple warm water rinse will best.

Pro-Tip: Pipe cleaners (like the ones you used for arts and crafts in school) can be used to give a little scrub inside your hose handle. A small, thin strip of an old t-shirt can also be pulled through a hose handle, whilst being careful to not cause damage to your handle or get it stuck inside! 

Once the hose is dry, reconnect your mouth tip to the hose and you're ready to fire up that hookah!

I'll say it once more. Remember to make sure you have a WASHABLE hookah hose before following these steps. If you have a traditional, non-washable style hookah hose. Should you have a traditoinal hose with some life left in it, all you can really do is to blow air through one end.

Most hookah hoses on the market today are washable. Typically they will have silicone tubing with removeable handles made from various materials. It's always an easy, and one of the most important, upgrades you can give your hookah set up. Washable hookah hoses will take care of you for as long as they receive proper care. Traditional, non-washable hoses can have a shelf life from 2-3 weeks up to around 6 months on average, depending on how they are stored and how often they are used. 

A clean hose leads to better hookah sessions! 

Happy smoking!