What to Do if Your Cannabis Stash Gets Wet?
- 1. What happens when cannabis gets wet?
- 2. How to dry cannabis buds
- 2. a. Use paper towels
- 2. b. Do not use the microwave
- 2. c. Do not place the buds in areas with too much light
- 2. d. Use humidity packs like boveda
- 2. e. Use rice grains
- 2. f. Dry in the oven
- 2. g. Using a blow dryer
- 2. h. Using a standing fan
- 3. How to avoid getting your weed stash wet?
- 4. What to do if your hash or kief gets wet
- 5. Frequently asked questions
- 6. Conclusion
Whether you purchase cannabis from a dispensary or grow your cannabis seeds at home, you’re going to do everything possible to store it safely. You’re likely to treat it like gold and act it like it’s the best thing since sliced bread. Indeed, it’s understandable. After all, you’ve either spent your precious money or slogged for months to grow some amazing cannabis. However, no matter how safe you are and no matter how much you protect it, sh*t happens at times and your stash may get wet.
Either you spilled water on it or it’s wet from sitting outside for too long due to humidity. Yes, this happens far too often and is a common problem among many cannabis users. So, if you’re here to find out what to do if your cannabis stash gets wet, you’re doing the right thing.
1. What happens when cannabis gets wet?
Wet buds are just something that happens at least once in a lifetime. But it’s not something that cannot be solved. Some growers wet their buds intentionally to wash away any traces of chemicals. Also, trying to smoke wet buds is not an enjoyable experience, if you manage to light them up.
The bad taste is due to the water still present in the burned buds. The terpenes profile or the growth of the plant don’t have anything to do with the taste if the buds are wet.
Cannabis buds are prone to mold, mildew and fungi. So a wet or humid environment will increase the risks of these types of infections. Throw away all the buds that have any signs of mold because they’re no longer safe to smoke. If you want to avoid this, then don’t wait too long to start your drying process.
If your buds are extremely dry, to the point of creating brittles, use lemon slices to bring back some moisture. Add the lemon in the storage jar for no more than 12 hours. Check the buds from time to time and that’s all. After the time passes, you should have beautiful buds ready to smoke.
2. How to dry cannabis buds
Cannabis buds are fragile so if you use fans or blow dryers directly on them you might get rid of the trichomes. Any air pumping tool can jeopardize the integrity of the buds, so let’s see what are your options.
Use paper towels
Paper towels are of great use when you need to absorb water quickly. Simply wrap the buds in paper towels. Do not hesitate to replace them if they get too wet. Keep checking your buds after a couple of hours and put them in new towels. If you don’t want to deal with mold, don’t forget them there.
Avoid putting the buds in the paper towel inside a ziplock bag at all costs. This closed-up environment is ideal for mold development. An open space with good ventilation is all you need.
Do not use the microwave
Perhaps one of the worst ideas in the case of wet buds is to place them in a microwave or even oven. The microwave is a cooking appliance and not a drying system. Adding the buds to a microwave to dry them will basically cook them, and thus, completely destroy them.
Do not place the buds in areas with too much light
An idea that’s been going around is that putting the buds under sunlight or growing lights will help them dry faster. On the contrary, even a few hours under direct light can, and will, dry up your buds to the point they get unusable.
The light will have an impact on the quality of your buds due to the heat that activates the THC. By decarboxylating the buds, you’re in for an inferior smoking experience.
Use humidity packs like Boveda
Once your buds are dried with the paper towels, add them to a jar with Boveda humidity packs or even silicon sachets. Remember to take a look at your buds occasionally and check them for any signs of mold. After all, they’ll still have some moisture in a closed up jar.
Use rice grains
The general go-to solution for when you drop your phone in water, rice grains work wonderfully for wet cannabis buds. The method is quite simple. In a bowl with rice, add your buds and cover them completely with more rice.
Due to the efficiency of the rice, you may even end up drying your buds even more. Don’t leave the buds in the rice for too long because they might get way too dry. The optimal time would be around 5 to 6 hours, but if they’re still not dry enough, then change the rice and do it again. After the buds are completely dry, remove them from the rice bowl and dust off the rice flower on the surface.
Dry in the Oven
You can try and dry your wet cannabis in the oven, however you need to be extremely careful and aim to avoid burning your buds. The drying in the oven process requires some time and attention, so here’s how it’s done:
- Put the wet buds in a baking tray and make sure they’re not on top of each other;
- Set the oven at 80°C - if your oven doesn’t have such a low temperature, then keep the door slightly open;
- Check your buds over 5 to 10 minutes to make sure they don’t burn.
Don’t leave the buds in the oven unsupervised because all the terpenes and cannabinoids will be burned.
Using a Blow Dryer
It’s generally recommended to avoid using blow dryers directly on the surface of the buds, but you can still use them to accelerate their drying. The main point is to avoid hot air. So, how to use a blow drier to dry your buds:
- Place the buds in a bowl lined with a towel so they don’t escape once the air starts blowing
- Set the blow drier to the lowest temperature possible
- At a distance of about 12 inches (around 30 cm)
- Turn on the drier and let it dry the buds for about 20 to 30 minutes
Some buds might be too big to get dried evenly, so we recommend breaking them slightly so both the interior and the exterior have no residual moisture.
Using a Standing Fan
Similar to the blow dryer method, the standing fan is a much safer method in comparison with the blow drier. Place broken up pieces of buds in a large bowl with a towel (make sure it’s some type of fabric so the buds can grip to it). Place the bowl at a 50 cm distance and let the fan run for about 20 minutes. After the time has run out, your buds are ready.
3. How to Avoid Getting Your Weed Stash Wet?
If you don’t want to deal with drying your buds, then it’d be best to learn how to properly store them. Moreover, knowing how to keep your weed safe, will also help you prolong its shelflife. Here are some techniques to help you store your cannabis buds:
- Air tight containers are your best friends - use them when storing your weed in a dark cool place and when traveling
- Use as much as you need and close the jar back up
- Don’t keep it in your pockets if you’re at the beach or pool
For a weed plant to get to the point of smoking it needs to be grown, dried and cured. But don’t forget that its storage conditions are equally important so keep an eye on your buds.
4. What to Do If Your Hash or Kief Gets Wet
Is there a worse feeling than being excited to relax and enjoy a chill night at home after a long day, but your hash or kief are completely wet? Perhaps, but for sure it’s demoralizing. More so because it might get complicated when drying. So let’s help you dry your hash or kief so you can get back to your relaxing evening:
- Use a baking tray and parchment paper
- Set your oven at the lowest temperature possible
- Place your kief or hash on the tray in a thin layer
- Put the baking tray in the oven and keep the door slightly open
Once the kief and hash are slightly warm, take them out of the oven as soon as possible. Avoid leaving them in the oven for too long because you risk decarboxylation. Dexarboxylation happens when you heat up your cannabis byproducts which is an essential step for making edibles, but damaging for smoking buds as it removes the cannabinoids.
5. Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Still Smoke Weed That is Wet?
Technically, yes. You can vape slightly wet weed, but we wouldn’t endorse it. The experience won’t be great and chances are that you’ll end up frustrated with an unpleasant taste in your mouth.
Can You Vape Wet Weed?
After our multiple tries and errors, we can confidently say that the standing fan method is the most efficient and the safest. It’s less time consuming and you’re not burning your buds if you get distracted.
What is The Best Way to Dry Weed?
The best way to dry weed is with a standing fan. It's a pretty straightforward process, and if done correctly can get you some nice, dry cannabis buds in no time. Just make sure to break your nugs down into small chunks first, and to also keep an eye on the buds while they are drying, as you don't want them to dry out excessively or too quickly.
My Weed is Showing Signs of Mold. Can I Still Smoke it?
No, you cannot smoke weed that shows signs of mold. It’s not safe and it’s not worth the health risks. If you want to have control over the quality and the quantity of your buds, then start growing cannabis plants. It’s not impossible to start, and your stash won’t be
However, make some research before buying your seeds and choose a well-respected company. And if you’ve never grown anything, don’t worry, the internet is your teacher.
6. Conclusion
Accidents happen, but luckily you don’t have to throw everything without at least trying to find a solution. After all, all the growing from a small seed, to drying and curing was enough effort to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
If you follow the simple storing rules (always a dark cool place in an airtight container) then your buds are safe. But, if by mistake, it happens that your buds get wet, a standing fan, some rice or an oven will do the trick.
The same applies for your hash or kief. With a little patience and an oven at a low-temperature, you’ll be back to enjoying weed in all of its beauty.
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