To clean a dab rig, empty the water, add isopropyl alcohol (91–99%) and coarse salt, shake the rig with holes sealed, then rinse with warm water. For accessories, soak them in ISO separately. Repeat as needed until all residue is gone.
A Clean Rig Hits Harder
You can drop serious cash on top-shelf concentrates, but if your rig’s full of stale water and last week’s reclaim, you're just vaporizing disappointment.
Thick resin buildup doesn’t just kill flavor. It clogs airflow, ruins diffusion, and burns your throat on the inhale. If you're wondering why your terpene-rich dabs taste flat or why every pull feels like a lung workout, you're probably long overdue for a clean.
Keeping your dab rig clear isn't complicated, but it does take consistency. You're not cleaning for aesthetics. You're restoring function. Every component, from the downstem to the banger, collects residue fast. That reclaim smells like burnt crayons for a reason.
Here’s what you’ll need to do it right:
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91%+ isopropyl alcohol
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Coarse salt (kosher or Himalayan works best)
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Q-tips or pipe cleaners
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Rubber stoppers or just your fingers
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Warm water for rinsing
If you're using a rig from Thick Ass Glass, you're working with glass that's built to take a beating. The heavy walls and smart design actually make cleaning easier, which is good because once you start doing it right, you're not going to want to go back.
In this guide, we'll break down exactly how to clean your dab rig using proven techniques. You’ll get a list of tools you actually need, learn how often to clean, how to prevent grime buildup, and how to make the most of your gear between cleanings.
How Often Should You Clean a Dab Rig?
Cleaning frequency isn’t just about cleanliness. It directly affects how your rig hits, how your concentrate tastes, and how long your gear holds up.
Neglect it for too long and you're dealing with resin baked into every inch of glass, airflow that barely moves, and a flavor profile that tastes more like burnt leftovers than terpenes. The good news is, none of this is hard to avoid. You just need a routine.
What Happens if You Don’t Clean It
The first thing to go is the flavor. What should taste clean and sharp starts getting murky, muted, or just bad. Resin lines the inside of the rig, and once it reaches the perc, it starts slowing down airflow. Pulls become harder, and the smoke or vapor comes out hotter and harsher.
That’s when the real damage starts. Reheating old concentrate residue doesn’t just taste terrible. It can irritate your lungs and leave behind buildup that permanently stains the glass if it sits too long. At that point, you’re not maintaining anymore. You’re trying to undo damage.
Our Favorite Dab Rigs to Keep Clean and Hitting Smooth
TAG 8" Bent Neck Inline Diffuser Rig stays cleaner longer thanks to its open inline perc design and smooth, compact airflow path. It’s easy to rinse and easy to shake out when cleaning.
TAG 5.5" Super Slit Froth Puck Rig is built for heavy daily use. The puck-style perc delivers solid filtration without trapping reclaim in hard-to-reach spots.
TAG 8" Hammer Head Perc Side Car Rig features wide open drag and a heavy borosilicate build that stands up to frequent hot water soaks and deep cleaning.
Rig-Approved Cleaning Methods
Some cleaning methods get your rig looking fresh but risk damaging the glass if you’re not paying attention. Others are safer but slower, and a few are great for maintenance between deep cleans.
The key is knowing what works with the type of rig you have and how you use it. Every method here has been tested, and each one has its place depending on how far along the buildup is.
Method 1: Boiling Water
Boiling water helps loosen sticky reclaim before the deep cleaning starts. It works especially well when paired with a full ISO and salt soak afterward. Just make sure you're working with thick, quality glass.
TAG rigs use heavy borosilicate that can handle the temperature shift, but it still helps to ease the piece into warm tap water first before pouring in the boil.
This avoids shocking the glass. Use it to soften residue and make scrubbing easier later.
Method 2: ISO Alcohol and Salt
This is the method people rely on for a reason. High-percentage isopropyl alcohol breaks down the toughest concentrate residue without needing much soak time. Use 91 percent or higher.
Add coarse salt to help scrape off buildup while you shake. Kosher or Himalayan salt works best since the grains are large enough to provide abrasion without scratching the glass.
After shaking for a minute or two, let it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing. The result is a rig that looks and hits like new.
Method 3: Vinegar and Natural Cleaners
When alcohol is not available or you want a softer clean, vinegar with lemon juice or citrus-based cleaners can be useful. This combo works best for lighter buildup or as a regular maintenance step between deeper cleanings. Add rock salt to increase cleaning power and give it a good shake.
While it takes more time to break things down, this method is good for people who want to avoid strong chemicals but still want a clean, functional rig.
Step-by-Step: How to Deep Clean Your Dab Rig (ISO + Salt Method)
Once your rig starts to feel sluggish or the taste falls off, it’s time for a full reset. The ISO and salt method is fast, reliable, and works well on everything from straight tubes to complex percs.
This method cuts through grime without needing specialized tools or cleaners. All you need is a few supplies and a little patience.
Cleaning Process
Step 1
Empty all the water from your rig. Make sure it is fully drained before starting.
Step 2
Fill the main chamber with isopropyl alcohol. Use 91 percent or higher for best results.
Step 3
Add about one to two tablespoons of coarse salt. The size of your rig determines how much to use.
Step 4
Seal every opening using either rubber stoppers or your hands. It needs to be airtight before shaking.
Step 5
Shake the rig for one to two minutes. Move it in every direction to let the salt scrub from the inside.
Step 6
Let it soak for up to thirty minutes if buildup is heavy or you have not cleaned in a while.
Step 7
Rinse the rig thoroughly with warm water. Be sure to flush every chamber and perc.
Step 8
Use Q-tips or pipe cleaners to scrub any tight corners or stubborn residue that remains.
Step 9
Set the rig aside and let it air dry completely before using it again.
Pro Tips to Prevent Nasty Buildup
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Stick to low-temp dabs under 500 degrees to reduce the amount of oil that burns onto glass
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Empty your water after every session to avoid recirculating used reclaim
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Run warm tap water through the rig before cleaning to loosen residue and make the shake more effective
How to Clean a Banger Without Damaging It
Cleaning your banger the right way keeps flavor crisp and surface smooth. After every dab, once the oil starts to cool but before it hardens, use a dry Q-tip to remove any leftover concentrate. This one habit prevents buildup and keeps you from needing deep cleans as often.
When a deeper clean is necessary, timing matters. Always let the quartz cool to room temperature before applying alcohol. Pouring ISO onto hot quartz can cause thermal stress and shorten the life of the piece.
For heavy residue or dark spots, soak the banger in a small dish of isopropyl alcohol for one to two hours. Once the soak is done, rinse with warm water and wipe it down with a microfiber cloth to restore clarity.
Avoid torching a dirty banger to burn off buildup. It might look clean afterward, but what you’re really doing is damaging the surface. That damage is called chazzing and it changes how the banger performs long term.
Product Spotlight:
If you’re using a high-quality piece like the Angle Cut Conical Pyramid Quartz Banger, taking care of it is straightforward. Keep it cool before cleaning, be consistent, and you’ll get longer life and better flavor out of every session.
Reclaim: Collect It, Don’t Waste It
Once you start cleaning, you might realize your rig is collecting more than just grime. That sticky film left behind is called reclaim and it actually contains usable concentrate. Instead of letting it go to waste, reclaim can be saved and used in smart ways, or at least stored to keep your rig cleaner.
Knowing what reclaim is and how to harvest it gives your setup more function and your concentrate more mileage.
What’s Reclaim, and Should You Smoke It?
Reclaim forms when vaporized oils condense on the interior glass of your rig. It looks dark and sticky but yes, reclaim is smokable. Expect a sedative effect rather than flavor clarity, since the terpenes have already burned off.
For many, reclaim is perfect for edibles or backup rips—especially if you value efficiency over flavor precision.
How to Collect It
Let your rig dry completely after finishing a session. That drying phase allows the oily residue to settle and drip into any catcher you have installed.
Remove the reclaim catcher adapter and let that collected residue fall into a silicone dish or tray. Then harvest the reclaim using gentle heat or a scraper to gather it neatly. Here is a simple way to do it:
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Allow the rig to sit until dry and reclaim settles
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Remove the reclaim catcher adapter from your joint
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Let residue drip naturally into a clean silicone dish
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Heat gently or scrape to lift reclaim into storage
Using a reclaim catcher helps reduce how much residue goes into your main rig.
Product Spotlight:
TAG’s Reclaim Catcher Adapter (Universal Fit) attaches easily to either 14 mm or 18 mm joints and includes a removable cup designed for easy harvesting and rinsing
Keep Your Rig In Top Shape And You Shall Be Rewarded
A clean rig delivers sharper flavor, smoother pulls, and glass that holds up session after session. This is about performance, not presentation. When your gear is engineered right and maintained well, you get more out of every gram without fighting stale hits or clogged airflow.
Cleaning should be part of the rhythm, not a reset button.
Every rig that carries the Thick Ass Glass logo is built with thick borosilicate and precision-cut joints that make cleaning faster and more effective. If you care about how your concentrate tastes and how your glass holds up over time, you’ll feel the difference.
Browse the dab rig collection to find a piece that performs as clean as it looks.