Smoking Bong Reclaim: What You Need to Know

Yes, you can smoke reclaim from your bong or dab rig as it still contains THC and other cannabinoids. However, it also carries degraded compounds, no terpenes, and may cause sore throat, coughing, or headaches. Smoking reclaim is possible, but not recommended for regular use.

The Truth About That Sticky Stuff in Your Bong

Your rig’s looking rough. Brown residue creeping down the neck, sticky film building in the joints, and you’re staring at it thinking, “Can I smoke this?” 

Short answer: yes. Longer answer? You probably shouldn’t. That gunk is reclaim or resin, depending on whether you’re dabbing or burning flower. It’s the leftovers, what’s left behind after the good stuff already did its job. And while there’s still some THC in there, the experience doesn’t exactly scream quality.

Why smoking bong reclaim isn’t ideal:

• It contains degraded cannabinoids, tar, and ash

• Nearly zero terpenes, harsh taste, no flavor

• High temps needed, rough on throat and lungs

• Might worsen asthma or trigger coughing fits

• It can clog percs and reduce airflow

If you are really hellbent on making the most out of your stash, I strongly recommend that you get a good dab rig and use only concentrates. The taste of the reclaim will still be bad, but you can actually get a decent high that way. Here is one suggestion that makes sense.

This article will break down what reclaim actually is, whether it gets you high, and why scraping the inside of your bong shouldn’t be part of your smoking routine. Let’s get into it.

Why Reclaim Collects on the Glass?

Residue buildup isn’t just grime, it’s a sign your glass is doing its job. Whether you’re hitting dabs or burning flower, every session leaves something behind. The thicker your concentrates or the more often you smoke, the faster it shows up. 

And if your rig or bong isn’t designed to manage that flow efficiently, reclaim builds up fast.

Where Does It Come From?

Dab rigs collect reclaim when vaporized concentrates cool down and stick to internal surfaces. Every time you take a dab, some of that oil fails to fully vaporize or makes contact with cooler parts of the rig and condenses into reclaim.

Bongs collect resin from combusted flower. 

That includes a mix of tar, ash, and leftover cannabinoids that didn’t get burned off. Since the smoke is hotter and dirtier, the buildup is more aggressive and harder to clean.

Where It Builds Up

Reclaim and resin don’t just sit in one place. They spread into parts of your piece that are the hardest to reach. If your glass has tight angles, stacked percs, or thin tubing, expect more mess in less time.

• Downstems

• Joint connections

• Inside percs and chambers

• Neck and mouthpiece area

Pro Tip: Grab the TAG 18” Beaker 50x9MM. Its straight airflow, wide bore, and solid 9mm thickness make it one of the easiest bongs to clean. No tiny corners, no awkward shapes, just smooth surfaces that rinse out fast. 

Reclaim vs. Resin: Can They Actually Get You High?

Plenty of smokers reach the end of a session, glance inside the rig or bong, and wonder if that leftover buildup still has something to offer. 

The answer is yes, there are cannabinoids left behind, and yes, it can get you high. But how it feels, tastes, and affects your body depends entirely on what kind of residue you’re dealing with.

Reclaim comes from vaporized concentrates. What doesn’t make it into your lungs settles along cooler parts of your rig. It tends to be sticky, amber-colored, and far more concentrated than anything from a flower piece. 

Resin, on the other hand, forms when combusted flower leaves behind a trail of tar, carbon, and degraded material. It looks darker, smells worse, and carries fewer usable cannabinoids.

The quality of your high depends on what’s left in that reclaim or resin and how much your body can still absorb. 

Reclaim might still have usable THC, but it lacks flavor, hits rough, and can come with impurities depending on how clean your rig was. Resin delivers far less THC and brings more soot and ash with every hit.

Here’s how they compare:

If you’re hoping to stretch your stash or get one more session out of what’s left in your piece, this chart should help you decide what you’re really working with.

What Happens If You Smoke That Dark Stuff?

When your stash is gone and the rig or bong still has a sticky layer baked onto the glass, it can be tempting to scrape it up and call it a bonus round. The stuff is already there, and some THC must be left behind. 

That part is true. The problem is everything that comes with it.

Reclaim from a dab rig and resin from a flower bong both contain leftover cannabinoids. You can feel something, but the high won’t match what you get from a fresh bowl or a clean dab. 

It’s unpredictable, often unbalanced, and loaded with compounds that were never meant to be smoked twice.

Can It Get You High?

There is still THC in reclaim and resin. Some of it survived the first session, especially in reclaim from concentrates. But because those compounds have already been exposed to heat, oxygen, and water, the result is inconsistent. 

You might get a little buzz or feel sedated, but it rarely lasts long. Potency varies depending on what you used and how often you’ve reheated the same piece.

Reclaim from rigs tends to be more THC-rich than resin from flower. It is better preserved, easier to collect, and more likely to retain active cannabinoids. 

But that doesn't make it clean or pleasant to use.

Why Most Stoners Avoid It

The smoke hits harsh and tastes like scorched leftovers. It's not the kind of thing you reach for unless your jar is empty. Even if it gets you high, the tradeoffs stack up quickly.

Here’s what many users report:

• Sore throat

• Headaches

• Lung irritation or wheezing

• Short-lived, couch-lock high

• Inconsistent potency from session to session

Long-term Health Risks

Smoking reclaim or resin means taking in a mix of burnt compounds, leftover tar, and other byproducts of combustion. That adds unnecessary strain on your lungs. 

Carcinogens may be present as well as molds, especially if the reclaim was sitting in a dirty or wet rig. 

For people with asthma or respiratory issues, it can make symptoms worse. Many who have tried it report immediate coughing, chest tightness, or that heavy feeling you get after a low-quality smoke.

Cleaning It Out: When, How, and Why to Toss It

Letting reclaim or resin sit in your piece for too long doesn’t just make cleaning harder. It changes how your glass performs. Airflow gets tight, flavor takes a hit, and every pull feels like work. 

Whether you plan to reuse the reclaim or toss it, proper cleanup keeps your glass working the way it should.

How to Remove Resin or Reclaim

Start by breaking your piece down into separate parts. Removing the bowl, downstem, or reclaim catcher gives you better access to the buildup. 

Once disassembled, rinse each part with warm water to loosen surface residue.

If the reclaim smells burnt or looks black and sludgy, don’t use it again. That material is overcooked and has lost most of its value. Discard it safely and clean your glass thoroughly.

How Often Should You Clean?

Cleaning frequency depends on how often you use your piece and whether you're collecting reclaim or just trying to keep things fresh.

• Light use: Every 3 to 4 sessions

• Daily dabber: At least once a week

• Reclaim collector: After every session to preserve flavor and airflow

And if your piece was used for flower, skip the resin altogether. That buildup is packed with ash, soot, and tar. It holds little THC and a lot of lung irritation. Smoking it does more harm than good. 

Avoiding Reclaim Buildup: Smarter Smoking by Choice

Keeping your glass clean doesn’t mean spending hours with salt and iso every week. Most of the mess can be avoided by choosing better gear from the start. Smarter airflow, cleaner joints, and the right accessories make a big difference in how often you need to clean and how much reclaim ends up baked into your rig.

Use Better Design

The way your bong or rig is built has a direct impact on how much reclaim collects inside. Precision joints make a tight seal that stops residue from leaking into corners. That keeps buildup contained and easier to clean. 

High-flow percs, like the super slit downstems on many TAG pieces, reduce drag and help prevent clogging during use. With strong airflow, you get a cleaner burn and less sticky leftovers.

Short and simple airflow paths also help. A compact design with fewer bends or stacked chambers means the reclaim has fewer places to hide. Every part is easier to rinse, scrub, or soak without needing pipe cleaners or harsh scraping.

Add-On Accessories That Help

Even with good design, the right accessory can extend the life of your rig and make cleaning way less of a hassle. If you add 6.5’’ Super Slit Matrix Bubble Can Ash Catcher to your setup, it works like a filter before the smoke even touches your main chamber. It traps ash and tar early, keeping your bong clean for longer.

For concentrate users, the TAG Reclaim Catcher Adapter is a game changer. It collects condensed oil in a removable section so you don’t have to scrape sticky reclaim out of your rig’s joints or neck. Just pop it off, clean it, and you’re good to go without torching or soaking your main piece.

Reclaim Reeks of Desperation

Yes, you can smoke it. But if the plan is to enjoy your session and not just survive it, reclaim and resin won’t deliver. You’ll feel it in your throat, taste it in your mouth, and maybe regret it halfway through the hit. 

There are better ways to make your stash go further without scraping the walls of your glass.

Cleaner hits start with smarter gear. If your piece is built to flow, collect, and clean with less effort, you won’t find yourself enduring foul taste just to catch a buzz.

We know exactly where to find a piece like that. Head over to the TAG bong collection and find something that has just the right shape for your needs.