Cleaning after every session is ideal, but definitely clean whenever you see residue on the vase, or when the smoke doesn’t taste right. A long, thin brush helps you reach inside long parts. You might find good brushes at stores that sell hookahs.
The stem is the metal tip at the bottom of the central hookah shaft. Slot the shaft on top of the vase to see how far down the stem goes. The water doesn’t filter out nicotine and other chemicals nearly as much as most smokers believe. Adding more water won’t make the hookah safer.
If the rubber piece won’t fit, wet it with a little water or a drop of dish soap.
Double check your water levels before connecting. If the water levels are too near your hose connections, the water could ruin your hoses.
If you’re missing a seal, look for “hookah grommets” to find a replacement. Tightly wrapped athletic tape can make a temporarily, mostly airtight seal. [1] X Research source
For your first time smoking a hookah, consider using tobacco-free hookah molasses to practice the setup. Tobacco can be very harsh if you make a mistake. Shisha comes in many different flavors, which significantly change the experience. Sample several to see what you like as a novice hookah smoker.
If you only have standard duty foil, use two layers. You can use a charcoal screen sold for this purpose instead, but most users prefer the foil.
Some people like to poke all the way through the shisha to provide channels for heat and air.
Quick light coals: Hold with tongs over a nonflammable area. Light with a lighter or match until it stops smoking, then wait 10–30 seconds until covered in light gray ash and glowing orange. These are convenient, but give a worse, shorter smoke. Some people even get headaches from smoking them. Natural coals: Heat directly in a stove flame or on an electric burner, but never where ash could fall into the gas line or on a glass stove. The coal is ready once glowing orange, usually after 8–12 minutes.
Many smokers prefer to let the shisha warm up for 3–5 minutes before they start smoking. This lets you smoke with gentle breaths, enhancing the flavor.
If no smoke appears in the vase, inhale in a series of short, sharp puffs to light the tobacco.
