Are Silicone Pipes Unhealthy?
Using plastic-like products for anything you put in your body should always be questioned. There are certain plastics that you should not reuse, certain materials you should not microwave food in, among many others. This same concern has arisen regarding silicone pipes. Are there health concerns you should be aware of with using silicone pipes? Let’s find out!
Are Silicone Pipes Unhealthy?
No! Using silicone pipes is perfectly safe. The silicone in pipes is made from silicon, an element in the periodic table. Due to its chemical structure, silicon loves to bind with oxygen, so you usually do not find pure silicon in the wild. However, silicon is the main component in quartz, which is the most common mineral found in sand.
Basically, silicone is largely comprised of sand and a few other elements, like oxygen and carbon, and it is quite versatile! Silicone is found in all different kinds of industrial materials, kitchen utensils, and smoking pipes! Most silicone is harmless, but you need to make sure that your pipe uses “food-grade” silicone.
What Is Food-Grade Silicone?
Food-grade silicone is manufactured specifically to be used with food, meaning it is non-toxic. Your pipe will be clearly labeled with whether it is made with food-grade silicone. If it is not, you should NOT be smoking with that pipe. It has other chemical additives that could be toxic if ingested.
If your silicone pipe is labeled “food-grade,” then it is safe to use. You could eat the silicone components without adverse effects (though this would be very gross and we do not recommend it).
Will Silicone Leech Into My Smoke?
There is a misconception that because you can sometimes taste the silicone while smoking, that it has leeched chemicals into what is being inhaled. Food-grade silicone does not leech any kind of chemicals into your smoke. Even if it did, food-grade silicone is non-toxic and would not cause adverse effects anyway.
However, just because the silicone in the pipe is safe does not mean that you can harm yourself using it. If you fail to regularly clean your silicone pipe, you could be inhaling some nasty grossness that could make you sick. Not only that, but you could be shortening the life-span of your pipe!
How Do I Keep My Silicone Pipe Clean?
Regular cleanings are key to making sure you do not grow something nasty in your pipe that could make you sick. This should be a particular concern if you are using a water pipe, like a bubbler or a silicone bong, since the water reservoir can get nasty quickly. Here are some great tips to keep your silicone pipe in tip-top shape!
1. Clean Your Pipe Once a Week, and Dump Out the Water Every Day
If you use a water pipe, you should dump your water out every day. Even after a single smoking session, water used to filter smoke gets gross quickly. We recommend that you never re-use bubbler or bong water. It can make you sick and it is also disgusting!
Your pipe should be cleaned weekly, regardless of whether it is a dry or water pipe. This can be done in a variety of ways, including soaking in a specialty cleaner, rubbing alcohol, or even boiling your pipes. For best results, we recommend Formula 420, which is specifically designed for silicone pipes.
2. Use Saltwater, Pipecleaners, or Cotton Swabs
Even after soaking, there may be some residue that does not want to come off. Luckily, silicone pipes are very user friendly when it comes to cleaning. You should be able to take your pipe apart and directly scrub off any residue that remains using a washcloth or cotton swab.
Should you have a silicone pipe that is not as easy to clean, you still have options. A cotton swab or pipe cleaner soaked in a cleaning solution can be used to reach inside the pipe to the dirty areas. You could also use a saltwater rinse as a micro-abrasive to gently scrub inside the pipe where you are unable to reach.
Where Can I Find Pipes Made From Food-Grade Silicone?
Most silicone pipes you find in physical retail stores should be made from food-grade silicone, though you should always double-check to be sure. The same goes for shopping online for silicone pipes, too.
While we cannot speak for other stores, we guarantee that all of our silicone pipes are made from food-grade silicone. Not only are they safe, but they will come with FREE U.S. shipping with no minimum purchase required!
If you have further questions about the safety of silicone pipes, reach out to us! We will make sure to ease your fears and get you into a silicone pipe that you will absolutely love!