>>3153To add to that, get pipe cleaners from a head shop (the wirey bristly ones). The salt is to add coarseness with the alcohol but you can get rid of practically every trace of tar with a pipe cleaner scrub added to that.
When you pull it out of the solution you need to wash it immediately in hot soapy dish detergent before it dries, since the alcohol is loaded with the tar you just cleaned out of the pipe and will be harder to remove when dried.
After this, if you are cleaning a brass pipe, you should take several additional steps. First make a paste out of lemon juice and baking soda to get rid of the tarnish. Then after a rinse, do a super light seasoning with olive oil, just a drop on a paper towel and give it one small coat. (I do this for my proto pipe when I want to bring it with me across a border.)