Spring has officially sprung! The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and it’s likely that the hookah you have been smoking inside all winter long has not seen the light of the sun in a while. Before you take that hookah out on the patio, to a picnic, or to a friend’s backyard, give that hookah a good spring cleaning to make sure that it shines brightly, tastes great, and smokes like a dream.
Step One: Clean That Dirty Shisha!
First things first, get your hookah clean as can be. A thorough cleaning of your hookah stem, bowl, base, and hose (if it’s washable!) will banish all lingering flavors and general crud to the land of wind and ghosts. We’ve covered the specifics of giving your hookah a good thorough cleaning before, but if you are unfamiliar with the process, check out the following blogs for some tips and guides.
- Hookah Cleaning & Maintenance
- How to Clean a Washable Hookah Hose
Step Two: Polish Your Shisha Stem & Make it Shine Like New!
Now that you’ve cleaned out the inside of your hookah and all of its components, to ensure the cleanest and tastiest smoke possible, take a look at the outside of the hookah. Does it look tired? Polish it up!
The first thing to determine is what material your hookah stem is made from. Generally, hookahs are going to be made from stainless steel, aluminum, glass, wood, or in some cases composite material made to look like wood. Once you have determined what your hookah is made of then you can determine the best way to shine up your hookah.
- Aluminum Shisha Stems
- These are generally the easiest to clean as they do not corrode or gain an exterior tarnish that old-school hookahs can. One thing to note is also to know if your hookah has a decorative coating for color. Using an abrasive sponge or another scrubber on color-coated stems can scratch the finish. For the most part, aluminum stemmed hookahs can be cleaned simply with a soft sponge and warm water.
- Stainless Steel Shisha Stems
- Clean the surface of your hookah with a soft cloth and either a mixture of mild detergent and warm water or a small amount of white vinegar. When the hookah is clean, polish it to a nice shine with a clean, soft cloth. Some people use a tiny amount of glass cleaner, olive oil, or baby oil to add an extra bit of shine.
- Glass Shishas
- We recommend using a normal household glass cleaner on the outside. Do not use this to clean the hookah on the inside, just use it to make the outside as clean as can be. For the inside, it is best to use Bling. A decent amount of this glass cleaner, which contains a light abrasive within its liquid formal, can be swished around inside all the nooks and crannies. Bling works miracles when removing water stains as well!
- Wood Shisha Stems
- There are two things to note when it comes to wood hookah stems. For most natural wood hookahs like Wookahs or Regals, a protective finish is added to the wood. A simple wet rag should be used to wipe down these types of stems. If you have some sticky shisha juice on the wood, dish soap can be used.
For other wooden hookahs, like the BYO Bella or Aira, have a thicker protective finish. This means a soapy sponge can be used to polish these stems back to their glory days.
- There are two things to note when it comes to wood hookah stems. For most natural wood hookahs like Wookahs or Regals, a protective finish is added to the wood. A simple wet rag should be used to wipe down these types of stems. If you have some sticky shisha juice on the wood, dish soap can be used.
- Cloisonne Shisha Stems (such as the Mya Bambino)
- Use a soft rag, or in a best-case scenario a jeweler’s cloth, and clean the cloisonne by gently rubbing in small, circular motions. If the cloth becomes dirty, replace it. We do not recommend using cleaning solutions on Cloisonne metalwork.
