How can I best clean my pipe? And how often...

… should I do it?.
Your pipe should be cleaned after each smoke, regardless whether you‘ll smoke it again right away or if you‘ll let it rest for a while. After the pipe has cooled down, remove the mouthpiece (NEVER do this when the pipe is still hot, since this may seriously damage the fit between shank and mouthpiece). Then run a clean pipe cleaner through the shank, with the thinner end head first, and then into the shank, with the thicker end head first. Repeat till the cleaner comes out as clean as it was before use. It‘s a good idea to fold the cleaner and run it into the shank (try to go all the way if you can). A word of wisdom, do NOT use cleaners sparingly.
The above is the daily cleaning. It‘s a good idea to thoroughly clean your pipes every few months, depending on how many pipes you have and how often you smoke them. This time, you should wet the cleaner with an alcohol-based solution (they‘re available in tobacco shops). (I advise against the use of alcoholic drinks, such as Cognac, unless you like to waste your money!) Finally, run as many cleaners as needed, and then use a dry one. Then, let the pipes dry for about 24 hours.

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