When Humboldt Seed Company (HSC) released its banger new strains for 2026, their theme was “Year of the Washer.”

But some cannabis growers might not fully understand what that means, so we asked HSC to fill us in. Before we tell you HSC’s explanation, however, let’s acknowledge that the term marijuana washing is confusing.

For one thing, it’s used interchangeably for two different processes with very different goals. And, the process of making extract concentrates from whole bud can be as simple as washing buds in water to remove resin glands, or as complicated as using high-tech solvents and processes to purge compounds from buds and concentrate them.

As you see later on, HSC is primarily referring to water-washing for the purpose of extracting resin glands, but we’re going to discuss all the ways cannabis can be processed for extracts, and also talk about washing cannabis in pure, lukewarm water just after harvest, then drying and curing.

This is done more by outdoor marijuana growers than indoor growers, to wash off pests, foliar spray residue, dirt, dust, pet hairs, mold spores, and other contaminants. It’s not done to make concentrates, works well sometimes, but has risks. First of all, some resin glands break off and wash away.

Also, buds are infused with water, priming them for botrytis (gray mold). Drying room humidity, air renewal, and air circulation have to be ideal if buds are to dry fast enough to block gray mold development. And unfortunately, washing buds removes some terpenoids, reducing valued scent and taste.

In contrast, the other water-washer process isn’t primarily or at all about removing contaminants from buds, although some contaminants could be removed. Instead, the goal is to remove resin glands from buds to make potent cannabis concentrate.

The easiest form of washing for concentrate is putting buds in screened bags along with ice and ice water, agitating the mixture until resin heads and stalks separate from host plant material, then draining the bags through various size screens to gather different grades of resin heads and stalks.

This process produces way more potent material per gram than a gram of the bud it was produced from, is more efficient than old-school mechanical sieving, and definitely produces cleaner product than dry sift or sieving.

Other extraction methods are more efficient and do not involve water. They’re way more complicated and have hazard potential. These methods include solvent processing. Solvents are divided into three groups: low molecular mass natural solvents, vegetable fats (oils), and supercritical fluids, notably supercritical carbon dioxide.

Natural (sometimes called organic) solvents include ethanol, butane, propane, hexane, petroleum ether, methyl tertbutyl ether, diethyl ether, carbon dioxide (CO2), and olive oil.  Most of these solvents have low boiling points and high volatility, so competent technicians should be able to easily purge the solvents from extract.

Gaseous solvents such as butane and propane start in gas phase at room temperature, then are cooled or pressurized into a liquid state as they filter through cannabis material, collecting cannabis compounds along the way. The extracted compounds are concentrated, then solvent is evaporated out of them.

If gaseous solvent processors truly purge ALL solvent and solvent contaminants to create 100% pure cannabis extract, the material can have as much as 90% THC or other target compounds!

Unfortunately, pressurizing flammable, explosive gases poses safety hazards. In addition, gases used in cannabis extractions are often industrial grade, full of impurities that end up in cannabis extracts, and solvents themselves often become a harmful residue in final extract product.

The latest high-tech extraction methods, including ultrasonic-assisted, microwave-assisted, supercritical fluid, and pressurized liquid extraction processes, are considered slightly safer options, and are sometimes used in concert with other methods, reducing need for synthetic and natural solvents, cutting down on processing time, producing better quality extract with a higher yield per gram of plant material.

One important nuance: ice water extraction provides material consisting of entire trichomes intact; solvent extraction does not.

Hydrodynamic cannabis extraction is a relatively new method of making full-spectrum cannabis extracts. This method involves freezing fresh cannabis buds, converting them into emulsion in water by ultrasonication, then using hydrodynamic force to break cell walls and release their contents. This is followed by extraction using solvents, centrifugal separation, and finally low-temperature drying.

The initial step of freezing the plant matter preserves volatile compounds as well as acidic cannabinoids. The hydrodynamic extraction industry says its extracts are more potent, tasty, and bioavailable than those produced by conventional methods, due to lack of high temperatures, short contact distillation, and reduced solvent usage during processing.

Now that you know what washing is and isn’t, it’s time to see what Humboldt Seed Company meant when it described many of its new 2026 strains as washers. The company is fortunate to have a very intelligent customer service representative named Hannah who over the years has always provided accurate, savvy information about the company’s strains.

When we asked her whether growers who grow primarily to consume whole buds via combustion or whole-bud vaporizers should grow washer strains, and to elaborate on washer strain benefits, she said this:

“When we say a variety is “mostly recommended for washing,” we’re referring to traits that make it especially suitable for solventless extraction (like ice water hashmaking). This typically means:

• Intense resin production
• Favorable resin gland size and structure
• Trichomes that release heads easily during agitation
• A high return percentage when washed.

In many cases, that does correlate with higher resin gland density per gram of floral material, but it’s not just about quantity — it’s also about how well trichome heads separate from the plant during the washing process.

As for bud structure, some washer-friendly cultivars may have slightly looser flower structure, larger bracts, or resin that sits more on the bud surface, which make them excellent for extraction. However, that does not mean they are unsuitable for end-use as finished flower.

To simplify: a strain recommended for washing can absolutely still be grown for whole, cured flower and enjoyed through vaping or smoking. The washer designation does not mean it’s inferior as flower — it simply means it has traits that extraction-focused growers value highly.

End-use really comes down to the grower’s goals. If you’re growing for whole flower, aroma, flavor, and overall effect will still be strong considerations, and many washer strains perform beautifully in that format as well.”

So now you have HSC’s explanation, and I want to add a few data points.

First of all, extracts are extremely potent. If you get used to using them, you change your brain architecture, potentially creating dependence, addiction, or at the very least, you are so habituated to massive doses of THC that you can’t even get high from consuming buds.

That said, extracts are a harm reduction method. Instead of having to vape or combust a gram or more of bud to get X amount of THC, you can take one small inhale of a dab, or a couple of inhales of bubble hash, and get more THC with less toll on your respiratory system.

One thing for sure: HSC washer strains are fun, strong, unicorn genetics, tasty no matter how you intend to use them, so get those seeds right away!