Well, I've read all types of ways to clean a glass pipe. Seems like ya'all got all these lengthy processes.
When I neeeed my "crystal pipe," I don't have anytime for a long and lengthy process. I neeeed the damn pipe right away.
I've only found two processes that "work really fast, so that I can get underway with the product immediately!!!!!
Idle dope is the devil's workshop!
Process 1:
use a butane torch, you know one of those little ones, don't blow a hole through your pipe but by getting it in the red-hot range will remove all the unwanted soot and materials.
Process 2 (my favorite)
This is so simple, it's hard to believe, but I assure you it cleans so fucking good, you'll be astounded!
Take a small glass plate. Get a couple of paper towels or toilet paper and soak it wet. (Make sure you soak the paper.)
On the glass plate, using the soaking wet paper, mold a stand for your pipe to sit on.
Make sure the stand is slightly tilted so that the stem will point up, just a bit.
Now, carefully, pour/fill your pipe full of laundry bleach (like Clorox).
The idea is to not mold the stand so that the bleach runs out of the pipe. Just a slight tilt works..
Carefully, move the plate, with your molded paper stand holding your pipe filled with Bleach into you Microwave Oven.
(The Microwave will be fine)
However--DO NOT FORGET to SOAK THE PAPER used for the stand.
If you fail to soak the paper in water, and put the paper in the microwave dry, it will catch fire inside the microwave and create a scene!
Now, with the whole unit together, plate, paper stand, pipe filled with liquid bleach=====inside the microwave========
set your Micro on two minutes or less and (you can stop, at anytime, to check it all out) allow the bleach to completely boil out the pipe.
Usually, one dose of bleach is enough, but you'll have to look and decide.
REMEMBER! The pipe will be extremely hot just after finishing the boiling process. I usually grab it at the stem with a pot holder and then after a minute or so, still holding it with the pot holder (if needed) run it under the hottest tap water.
The bleach will be "crusty-like," but will rinse with the slightest of ease.
Then simple inspect your pipe, and at the very least, the pipe should be alot cleaner. I dry it with toilet paper that I wind into it, and on occassion, using a Q-tip for fine-tuning and polishing the bowl.
It took longer to write this than the whole process takes.
The process from Dirty Pipe - to preperation to clean - to clean pipe takes about 5 minutes.