Inside a Smoke Buddy Filters can get gunked up with use. The legalization of marijuana in more and more places has given us so many awesome new advancements in the world of weed. It’s gotten stickier, danker, and more available than ever before. Whereas in years past you needed to be lucky to know “that guy” in the community just for a chance at scoring a mediocre dime bag of 80% stems and seeds, now, if you live in the right areas, you can literally walk into the store and buy professionally grown marijuana as easily as you could buy a beer. After reading this your question will clear that how does a smoke buddy work.

However, legalization doesn’t mean destigmatization. After all, there are those still alive who were introduced to marijuana as “the Devil’s Lettuce” in propaganda films. Of course, there’s bound to be a little hesitation when it comes to marijuana, and its legal status has little effect on some people’s opinion of the plant. So if you want to smoke, but need to do so discreetly, what’s the next step?

One thing you can always do is just smoke late at night, outside, under cover of night. But, I mean, come on - really? Who wants to be stuck smoking in the wee hours of the night just to keep it secret? Well, search no further for an alternative. The Smokebuddy is the next best thing to having smell-free weed. 

What is a Smoke Buddy Filters?

So we all remember sploofs, right? You know, that handy little device you roughly constructed from a paper towel roll, some rubber bands, and a few dryer sheets? You’d stuff the tube half-full of scented dryer sheets, clamp a dryer sheet over one end, and blow your smoke through the other. A million dollar question: How long does smokebuddy last? These tools were absolutely perfect for making you think you were covering up the smell and filtering the smoke, while in reality you were stinking up your parents basement with the scent of a Phish concert in a laundromat. Yeah, those sploofs.

Well, the Smokebuddy (you may have heard it called a smokers buddy or smoking buddy) does the job a sploof is supposed to do. Rather than a flimsy, Stoney contraption made from recyclables, this is actually a well-made tool that is specifically designed for filtering the smell and particulate out of the smoke as you use it. The environmentally-friendly filter inside a Smoke Buddy is scientifically designed to actually remove smoke as you exhale through it, so it actually leaves you with fresh air coming out the other side (instead of smoke with the smell of skunky linens).

How do I use a Smoke Buddy?

Inside a Smoke Buddy Filter is designed to filter the smoke out of your hit as you exhale it. Simply hold the smoke buddy up to your mouth, create a seal (like you would if you were hitting a bong), and exhale. Try using one the next time you need a more discrete smoke session, and you’ll see why we love these handy filters. After knowing how to use it there is also a question that how do smoke buddies work?

This is a great option if you want to keep second-hand smoke away from friends, family, pets, and so on. However, it can’t filter the smoke drifting up from a rolling bowl or joint. If discretion is key, keep that in mind before you go lighting up indoors. If you want to smoke indoors without stinking up the whole place, give this marijuana odor eliminator spray a try (try using this in addition to a smoke buddy, and it’ll be the last time you worry about being caught smoking).

Are there different Smoke Buddies available?

Yes, you can get a smoke buddy that’s exactly what you want. Whether it’s the How to clean Smoke Buddy Jr., the original Smoke Buddy, or the enormous Smokebuddy Mega, you can get an air filter that’s just right for your needs. They also come in various colors and patterns (the grenade smoke buddy is one of our favorites).

Is a Smoke Buddy considered paraphernalia?

By the strictest definition, no, these filters inside a Smoke Buddy Filter aren’t considered paraphernalia. After all, it’s just an air filter. It can’t actually be used for weed in any way that it couldn’t be used for tobacco smoke. However, if you’re afraid of being caught with a smoke buddy on you, note that it may give whoever discovers it more reason to suspect you’re using marijuana than if they hadn’t found it. Let’s be real - nobody is out here using one of these for their cigarettes.

How to clean your Smoke Buddy

One important aspect of the Smoke Buddy is that the filters inside a Smoke Buddy can’t actually be replaced. Instead, the unit is fully disposable and is designed to be discarded after you’ve exhausted all its uses. After your unit uses its last clean filter space, you’ll find you can no longer blow through the Smoke Buddy. If you try to use it then look and see the interior completely full of smoke, it's time to get another.

Each size of Smoke Buddy will last for a different amount of time, the Mega Smokebuddy being the longest-lasting of them all. Smoke Buddy Jr will offer at least 150 uses, the original 300, and the mega offers a whopping 600+ uses. Although they’re meant to be disposed of (and will have to be replaced eventually, no matter how much you clean and take care of them), these are the best things you can do to get the absolute most mileage out of your filter. 

Step 1 - Clean the inside

The first step you can take in keeping your personal filter looking like new and working its best is to regularly clean the inside. This can easily be done with a slightly damp paper towel. Just lower the end of the paper towel into the open end of your smoke buddy, then swish it around to remove any debris or particulate (you can always use a pencil to help poke it down into the Smokebuddy if you’re having trouble cleaning the inside. 

Avoid using a towel that’s too damp - moisture isn’t particularly good for the filter. You can also use baby wipes, but it’s recommended that you avoid using alcohol-based cleaners and wipes. If your search is for a wipe that will also help clean your glass after the next smoke session, the community at large recommends these great glass wipes.

Step 2 - Clean the outside

After cleaning up the inside of the filter, you can go ahead and clean up the outside. This is more of an aesthetic choice than a functional one, as the working parts of this filter are all internal. However, if you want to give your unit every last chance to work its best, you should try taking the time to clean the whole thing whenever you clean up the inside. 

Step 3 - Take steps to keep it cleaner for longer

Besides just cleaning it, you can take a few more steps to make sure you get the most out of your Smoke Buddy. One helpful trick to try when next you use your Smoke Buddy is simply drying it out after use. Yes, just keeping your unit dry will help it last longer (the filter doesn’t do well with moisture). In addition to wiping out the moisture, you can leave the cap open to make sure it dries out as much as possible. 

What about microwaving it?

Yes, we’ve seen the videos and forums. No, you should not microwave your smoke buddy to clear the filter. This doesn’t actually clean the filter at all, and could instead pose the risk of harming your Smoke Buddy. In fact, it will reduce the effectiveness of your filter, and you wouldn’t want to do that to your hard-earned tool. It may be cheap, but it wasn’t free, so there’s no point in reducing it to the effectiveness of an everyday sploof. When your Smoke Buddy is completely clogged, it’s done.

Conclusion

Whether it’s for the sake of your company or to keep your good times on the down low, the Smokebuddy can offer a great way of reducing smoke smell and particulate wherever you need it. Still keep in mind that a rolling bowl or joint is going to put off some serious stank that is going to go unfiltered. If you really can’t get caught smoking weed, you’ll still need to play it close to the vest and be careful where and when you light up, but this handy filter can make a huge difference in the residual smell when you’re finished. 

If this has piqued your interest, search these other topics to further your discretionary needs:

• Smokebuddy vs Xhale
• Can you use a smoke buddy for cigarettes?
• What’s the first sign my smoke buddy is finished?

Written by Megan Medeiros (BA)

Megan Medeiros has a bachelor’s degree in English and is currently working on a master’s in English at James Madison University. She's the owner and operator of Medeiros Writing, and has been working as a cannabis writer for the past three years, mostly following the legal climate of marijuana, especially in areas like California, Colorado, Oregon, Canada, and other legal areas.

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