Things You'll Need:
- Pipe
- Paper clip
- Coat hanger
- Lighter
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Step 1
Identify where you will be scraping your pipe by locating areas where the greatest build-up seems to have accumulated. If your pipe glass is too thick or dark to see through, assume that the thickest clogging lies directly between the pipe's bowl and its mouthpiece.
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Step 2
Unfold the paperclip and slide it into the pipe through the mouthpiece. Scrape the clip along the inside of the pipe in a rhythmic, circular motion. This will loosen build-up in the interior of the pipe.
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Step 3
Periodically remove the paper clip and turn the pipe vertically, with the mouthpiece facing down. Shake the pipe or lightly tap it against a flat surface to dislodge the loosened material.
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Step 4
Continue to scrape and tap the pipe until the paper clip reaches the bowl of the pipe. (For larger pipes, you will need to switch to the unbent coat hanger to reach the bowl.) When you have reached the bowl, methodically scrape the clip around the base of the bowl, moving in wider and wider circles until you have covered the entire interior.
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Step 5
Switch from scraping the base of the bowl to the interior of the bowl indentation. Repeat the circular scraping process, pausing periodically to tap out the loosened material.
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Step 6
Remove the paper clip and heat the exterior of the bowl using a lighter. Keep the flame on the pipe for between 15 to 30 seconds.
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Step 7
Reinsert the paper clip when the bowl is heated and repeat the same cleaning process. Material inside the pipe should have liquefied, causing it to collect in a semi-solid ball on the edge of the paper clip. Drag the clip through the whole interior of the pipe to remove the rest of the clog.
