# Water curing

> Submerging harvested buds in water, changed daily for about a week, to leach out water-soluble compounds before drying; GenetixBay labels it Contested and does not recommend it.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/water-curing.html
- Also written: water cure, water-cured, water curing cannabis, soak curing
- Glossary category: Harvest, drying and curing · Evidence: Contested
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Water curing is a niche method: freshly harvested buds are kept fully submerged in clean water, which is changed every day for roughly 5-10 days, then dried. Advocates say it [leaches](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/root-zone-flush.md) out water-soluble compounds such as [chlorophyll](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/chlorophyll.md) breakdown products, sugars and salts, giving a smoother smoke and a faster route to finished flower. The [cannabinoids](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cannabinoid.md) are not water-soluble and largely stay in the resin.

## In practice

What is generally reported: smoother smoke, and a noticeable loss of aroma and [bag appeal](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bag-appeal.md), since many [terpenes](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene.md) and the bud's structure suffer; reduced weight; and a dull, flattened look.

GenetixBay house position (Contested): not proven, and the founder isn't sold on it. We don't recommend it. A proper slow dry and cure gives smooth smoke without sacrificing aroma. Some growers use water curing to salvage poor material; that's a salvage step, not a quality method.

If you want to test it, split a harvest and compare blind against a conventional dry and cure, a good small-scale [Bay Trial](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bay-trials.md).

## Don't confuse with

- **Curing**: slow moisture decline in sealed jars.
- **Flushing**: a pre-harvest root practice (Myth).
- **Water-based processing**: [hash](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hash.md) making uses ice water, a separate topic.

## Myth check

Contested, not recommended. See [curing and burping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/harvest-cure/curing-burping.md).

## Related terms

[Curing](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/curing.md), [Terpene loss](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene-loss.md), [Drying room](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/drying-room.md)

## Read more

- [Curing and burping: jars, humidity and how long](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/harvest-cure/curing-burping.md)