What to use to clean my pipe?

Any high-alcohol content liquor should work fine. I prefer Everclear, but I've heard it's not sold in all areas.

The only reason that grain alcohol would be considered better than vodka is because it contains less water. Either will work, though.

There are four distinct regions of the pipe that might need cleaning, and each must be approached differently. It's not clear from your post _which_ region needs it. The possibilities are:

1) Outside of the bowl (including shank)
2) Inside of the bowl (including shank)
3) Outside of the stem
4) Inside of the stem

Bee sweetener is only for #4. Ethanol will also work (that's pretty much all that Bee is)--some like the teensy bit of added flavor that they get by using ethanol in the form of booze (something sweet like rum or brandy, typically). A little bit on the outside of the stem probably won't hurt much. But none of these should be allowed to get onto the outside of the bowl or shank. Typically, the wooden parts of the pipe have a stain and wax on them. These can be discolored if a solvent, like alcohol, gets on them. So be careful of drippage!

Typically, the inside of the bowl _shouldn't_ be cleaned. Just knock out the loose ash. You actually want some ash to stay stuck--this is a key component of the all-important "cake". (I would argue that the single most important component of a pipe is its cake. I wouldn't fight to the death over that point, but I won't let it go without a bit of a struggle.) On occasion, pipes can acquire a bitter taste. When that happens, alcohol (ethanol, not isopropyl; a bit of methanol probably won't hurt, but ethanol that is as close to pure as possible is best) kept in contact with the walls of the bowl with salt or cotton balls can be used to remove the rancid oils responsible for this. (Do a google search of "salt alcohol pipe" and you'll get several hits that describe the process.)

The outside of the bowl and stem are cleaned in a variety of ways depending on their finish and material.

Other than one or two pipecleaners run down the borehole and loose ash knocked out after each smoke, pipes don't need frequent cleaning. You're more likely to do harm than good by using solvents too often, IMHO.

. I am sorry I did not make myself clear. I was refering to the stem. I have overly active salivary glands.LOL I think it comes from being somewhat of a chewer. What ever it is I seem to have alot of saliva in the stem. I have a rotation of 5 pipes and I put a cleaner in them while they are not in use. I clean the stem with vodka every other use and it seems to keep them kind of fresh. I am going to try grain alcohol maybe less water will help keep my stems dryer. Thank you for the other information and tips. I have been smoking a pipe for two years and have never had people to talk with about pipesmoking (other than my wife , but she does not care) Anyways Thanks for the info. Jeff

For Internal Cleaning I generally use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol. It dries fairly quickly and doesn't seem to leave any nasty taste. Also much cheaper than everclear and available at any Walmart

It is always a personal preference, but I would not leave pipe cleaners in your stems when you are not smoking them. In actuality the wet cleaner is going to sit in there and "stew" so to speak. You are better off allowing them to sit and dry. Run a cleaner through when you are done to remove the moisture that is in there, and then just allow them to sit and dry the rest of the way naturally.

That dirty cleaner sitting inside that dark, moist stem with no airflow is not going to help keep your pipes fresh.

Yeah, you're probably better off running the pipe cleaners through them right after smoking to soak up any loose goo then just leave the cleaners out of them so that they can effectively air dry.

That makes sense. I was told that it absorbs the stuff in the pipe. I have heard both ways and you are right, it comes down to personal preference. I think I am going to try not leaving the pipe cleaner in the pipe. Maybe it will fix the taste and keep it fresh. Thanks, Jeff.

Yes, do not leave the cleaner in the stem. Also, there's nothing wrong with sticking a pipe cleaner down the stem _during_ your smoke. If things start getting wet and gurgly, just run a pipe cleaner gently down into the bowl (you'll have to do it by feel, but it's not difficult to know when you're there) and pull it out and continue with your smoking. (I recommend only a single use for the pipe cleaner in such a case--it will come out _nasty_!) This is also a good way to slightly loosen the pack if you've tamped too hard.

Pick a time, in the near future, sit down with your pipes, a package of cleaners (bristle and regular are good to have) some Q-Tips and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Fill a shot glass with some alcohol (easier for dipping)

First, remove the stem from the pipe. Then, dip a Q-tip in the alcohol and swab out the bowl of the pipe. I usually wind up going through about 10 Q-tips per bowl myself. The Q-tips can also work well for cleaning out the shank and mortice. I find that you will not get it perfectly clean because you have a cake buildup, which you want. But you can get the goop out, and clean out any oils, soot, etc which could be souring up your smoke. The shank and mortice are very important, and you want to get those clean as you can. Alternate soaked Q-tips and cleaners and dry ones, until a soaked Q-tip or cleaner comes out almost white.

Then with a bristle cleaner, or regular if that's all you have, dip it into the alcohol, and run through the stem. You will also go through several cleaners. I usually us a bristle, then a regular (both soaked in alcohol) then alternate with one soaked and one dry. I recommend doing this until a soaked cleaner comes out almost totally clean.

I then usually take dry Q-tips and cleaners, swab out the bowl, the shank and the stem to make sure that they are dry. Not to worry, the alcohol will evaporate either way. Then, voila, you have a clean pipe and after sitting for a day, they are ready for a clean, fresh smoke.

and probably very cheap as well.

40-60 % alcohol would do it. or 80-120 proof that some call it

...after every smoke and remove it right away to allow the pipe to cool and air dry. Keep pipes in rotation, don't smoke them more than twice in a row without giving them a rest overnight. Just my two-cents worth.