To ash a bong, pull the bowl piece out and tap it upside down against your palm or the rim of an ashtray, or clear the spent ash through the stem into the water; to ash a joint or blunt, roll the tip gently along the edge of an ashtray instead of flicking it. The goal is the same with every device: get the dead ash out without cracking glass, tearing paper or scattering live embers. The right method depends on whether there is unburned weed left in the bowl.
Ashing sounds too simple to need instructions, but it is where most broken bowls, canoed joints and burn marks on the couch come from. The Weed Street Journal first published a list of ashing methods in 2011. This updated version covers every common device, explains when to keep the ash in place, and adds the safety basics.
Ashing at a Glance
| Device | Best method | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Joint | Roll the tip lightly on an ashtray edge | Hard flicks, which can break a loose joint |
| Blunt | Let ash build, then roll it off on the ashtray edge | Tapping too often; the ash cap helps it burn slowly |
| Bong | Remove the bowl and tap it on your palm, or clear it into the water | Banging glass on a hard ashtray or table |
| Hand pipe (spoon) | Turn upside down and tap the side against your palm | Knocking the bowl on a hard surface |
| Bubbler | Pull ash through gently or scoop with a poker | Tilting it, which spills water into the bowl |
| Vaporizer | Empty spent herb with a brush once the chamber cools | Scraping a hot chamber with metal tools |
How to Ash a Joint
A joint builds a short cone of ash at the cherry, the burning tip. That ash is not just waste. A little of it shields the cherry and slows the burn, so there is no need to knock it off after every hit.
- Wait until the ash is about a quarter inch long or starts to droop.
- Hold the joint near the middle, not right at the tip.
- Roll the ash end gently against the edge of an ashtray. The ash breaks away cleanly and the cherry stays lit.
A light tap with your index finger on the body of the joint also works if it is tightly rolled, especially with a filter or crutch. Avoid hard flicks or slapping the joint against the ashtray. A loosely rolled joint can split, and you lose the cherry. If one side is burning faster, ash first, then fix the run. Our guide on how to roll a joint covers rolling tightly enough that ashing is easy.
How to Ash a Blunt
Blunt wraps are thicker than papers and burn slower. Many smokers let the ash grow long on purpose, because a solid ash cap keeps the cherry even and stops the wrap from burning too fast.
- Roll it off. Same as a joint: rotate the tip lightly against the ashtray edge when the ash is long or uneven.
- Don’t tap constantly. Frequent tapping can crack the wrap, especially near the cherry, and the blunt starts to canoe.
- Watch where it falls. A long blunt ash can drop in one piece and burn clothing or upholstery, so keep it over the ashtray.
For what to do with what’s left at the end, see what to do with a roach, and for etiquette in a group, our blunt smoking rules.
How to Ash a Bong
A bong bowl is usually a removable glass piece. You can clear it two ways, depending on how much is left.
Clear it into the water
If the bowl is mostly burned through, finish the hit by pulling the bowl piece out (or uncovering the carb, if your bong has one). The rush of air pulls the last smoke and the loose ash down the stem into the water. This is the cleanest everyday method. The trade-off is that ash builds up in the water and makes it dirty faster, so change it often.
Tap it out by hand
- Let the bowl cool for a few seconds. Glass bowls get hot enough to burn fingers.
- Pull the bowl piece out of the downstem.
- Turn it upside down over an ashtray and tap the joint (the stem end) against the palm of your hand. Your palm absorbs the shock, so the glass doesn’t crack.
- If ash is stuck, loosen it with a poker, a paperclip or a dab tool, never your fingertip.
Avoid banging the bowl against a glass ashtray, a table or the bong itself. That is the most common way bowls break. An ash catcher, a small attachment between the bowl and the bong, keeps most ash and resin out of the main chamber if you clear into the water often. See our guide on how to clean a glass pipe or bong for regular maintenance.
How to Ash a Hand Pipe
Spoon pipes and chillums don’t come apart, so the whole piece goes upside down.
- Wait a moment for the bowl to cool.
- Turn the pipe upside down over an ashtray.
- Tap the side of the pipe gently against your palm, or tap the bowl lightly with the base of your lighter.
- Use a poker to loosen anything packed at the bottom.
Some people blow gently through the mouthpiece to clear the bowl. It works, but it sends ash and sparks flying, so do it only over an ashtray and away from your face. Avoid knocking the pipe against hard edges.
A tip worth knowing: if the bowl still has green herb, you don’t have to empty it. Cornering, lighting just one edge of the bowl, lets you use it in stages so ash builds on one side while fresh material stays unburned. Some smokers also add a glass or brass screen to keep ash out of the stem.
How to Ash a Bubbler
A bubbler is a hand pipe with water in it, so turning it upside down will spill dirty water into the bowl or onto you.
- Pull it through. Cover the carb and pull gently as if taking a light hit, then release. Loose ash drops into the water.
- Scoop it. Use a poker to lift ash out while keeping the bubbler upright.
- Tilt slightly, never fully. Tip the bowl just enough to let ash fall into an ashtray.
When to Leave the Ash Alone
Experienced smokers don’t ash as often as beginners. A thin layer of grey ash on top of a bowl insulates the glowing embers underneath, the cherry, and can let you take a second hit without relighting. In joints and blunts, a small ash tip protects the burn. Ash only when the ash blocks airflow, droops, or is about to fall on its own.
Fire Safety Basics
- Always use a real ashtray, preferably heavy and non-flammable. Plastic cups and paper plates can catch fire.
- Make sure the cherry is fully out before you walk away. Press it out or let it burn down in the ashtray.
- Never flick ash or roaches outdoors in dry weather. Summer wildfire season in Washington and Oregon makes a tossed cherry a real fire risk.
- Don’t smoke in bed or when you’re drowsy.
- Keep ash and spent bowls away from children and pets.
Using cannabis in public is illegal in both states; see the Washington and Oregon law guides. New to all this? Start in our Cannabis 101 section, or find supplies at a licensed shop in our Washington and Oregon directories.
Ashing FAQ
How do you ash a bong without breaking it?
Remove the bowl piece and tap it upside down against your palm, not against a hard surface. Or clear the spent ash into the water by pulling the bowl out at the end of a hit.
Should you ash a joint like a cigarette?
Not with a hard flick. Joints are looser than cigarettes, so roll the ash off gently against an ashtray edge instead.
Is it okay to clear ash into bong water?
Yes, it is the most common method, but the water gets dirty faster. Change it frequently, or use an ash catcher.
Why does my blunt keep going out after I ash it?
You may be ashing too often or too hard and knocking off the cherry. Let the ash build a little and roll it off gently.
What can I use to get stuck ash out of a bowl?
A metal poker, a paperclip or a dab tool works. Wait until the bowl cools, and soak it in isopropyl alcohol if resin has built up.
For adults 21+ in legal states. General information, not medical advice.
