I definitely ruined my cigars, did I hurt my humidor?

CWill0426

So I made a rookie mistake and somewhere along the line forgot that I need to be using distilled water in my humidifier.  My cigars have all the issues one would expect from using tap water so they're useless and I threw them out.  I'm mostly curious how bad I may have hurt my humidor, if at all, any thoughts? 

Rob1110

Humidor should be fine. Wipe it down with distilled water and leave it open to dry out for a day or two. Repeat this until any mineral or salt residue is gone, then re-season it and you should be fine.

Jetmech_63

Depends, what issues did you have with the cigars? I did the same thing a loooong time ago and just let the humi dry out, wiped it down a few times with distilled, let it dry out again and reseasoned it. I'm still using it today with zero issues.

CWill0426

Well the primary issue with the cigars was taste, they got pretty awful.  Other than that there were no problems to speak of.   

nikostewart

How did the tap water change the taste of the cigars? metallic flavor?

JCizzle

Are you sure they weren't molded? Tap water + cigars = virtual mold factory.

dennisking

:puts on flame suit: I use tap water. no problems here. I have a 50ct. with about $400 in sticks. never had mold or weird tastes or anything else.

sightunseen

dennisking:

:puts on flame suit: I use tap water. no problems here. I have a 50ct. with about $400 in sticks. never had mold or weird tastes or anything else.

:Adjusts flamethrower nozzle setting to "high.": Blasphemy!

ejenne87

sightunseen:

dennisking:

:puts on flame suit: I use tap water. no problems here. I have a 50ct. with about $400 in sticks. never had mold or weird tastes or anything else.

:Adjusts flamethrower nozzle setting to "high.": Blasphemy!

I used bottled water the whole time I was in Afghanistan (they don't know what distilled water is there) and had no problems. I was able to get some distilled and sanitized water from the medics though, but I sent that to someone else in country ha

t_evan50

I would think its all about your local water supply. If you've got soft water with a low hardness you may be ok. Here in Limestone country rocks come out of the tap so I wouldn't dare.

fla-gypsy

CWill0426:

Well the primary issue with the cigars was taste, they got pretty awful.  Other than that there were no problems to speak of.   

Hmmm, I wonder what was really wrong with them if anything? Most cigars change in flavor over time

Nick2021

CWill0426:

So I made a rookie mistake and somewhere along the line forgot that I need to be using distilled water in my humidifier.  My cigars have all the issues one would expect from using tap water so they're useless and I threw them out.  I'm mostly curious how bad I may have hurt my humidor, if at all, any thoughts? 

man, sorry to hear that...least you didn't have beetles!

CWill0426

t_evan50:

I would think its all about your local water supply. If you've got soft water with a low hardness you may be ok. Here in Limestone country rocks come out of the tap so I wouldn't dare.

I agree, I was using tap for a while and I've read that you shouldn't but I've also read that the effects can be much worse if you have hard water.  I guess that's what happened.

Regarding taste; I really don't know how to describe it.  It didn't seem metallic, more just stale and old if that makes any sense.  Thanks for the thoughts.

Krieg

CWill0426:

So I made a rookie mistake and somewhere along the line forgot that I need to be using distilled water in my humidifier.  My cigars have all the issues one would expect from using tap water so they're useless and I threw them out.  I'm mostly curious how bad I may have hurt my humidor, if at all, any thoughts? 

interesting...never heard of tap water changing the taste of cigars....causing mold on the other hand...and that would def change the taste.

MBISON

CWill0426:

So I made a rookie mistake and somewhere along the line forgot that I need to be using distilled water in my humidifier.  My cigars have all the issues one would expect from using tap water so they're useless and I threw them out.  I'm mostly curious how bad I may have hurt my humidor, if at all, any thoughts? 

May I ask what brand of cigars were you holding in your humi and where did you get them????? At least the ones you remember.

jsbutc

ejenne87:

I used bottled water the whole time I was in Afghanistan (they don't know what distilled water is there) and had no problems. I was able to get some distilled and sanitized water from the medics though, but I sent that to someone else in country ha

Yeah, I'm in Iraq now and have been using bottled water, I was hoping that it would turn out ok. Hadn't thought about getting distilled water from the medics though, but, I figure they need it more than my cigars do...

ejenne87

jsbutc:

ejenne87:

I used bottled water the whole time I was in Afghanistan (they don't know what distilled water is there) and had no problems. I was able to get some distilled and sanitized water from the medics though, but I sent that to someone else in country ha

Yeah, I'm in Iraq now and have been using bottled water, I was hoping that it would turn out ok. Hadn't thought about getting distilled water from the medics though, but, I figure they need it more than my cigars do...

You might be surprised at how much they have though, they were pretty willing to share. I told them that if they ever wanted a smoke I would be more than willing to share, although they never did stop by. Oh well that just meant more for me! I'd suggest asking them, one bottle of that stuff should last you a whole deployment, especially if you are using beads. If you aren't, get some! Those things are amazingly efficient and worry free.

Unthought_Known

I'm lucky to live in pretty high humidity so I rarely have to put water in my humidor, but I haven't used distilled water in about 8 years. If my humidity gets low (very rare occasion) I just put a shot glass of tap water and I'm fine. Never had any problem. This is for a 20 count humidor, a 100 count humidor, and a bookcase humidor that probably fits several hundred cigars.

JCizzle

jsbutc:

ejenne87:

I used bottled water the whole time I was in Afghanistan (they don't know what distilled water is there) and had no problems. I was able to get some distilled and sanitized water from the medics though, but I sent that to someone else in country ha

Yeah, I'm in Iraq now and have been using bottled water, I was hoping that it would turn out ok. Hadn't thought about getting distilled water from the medics though, but, I figure they need it more than my cigars do...

Trans should have some, they use it for batteries. Otherwise shoot me a PM and I'll send you some.

SgtRick

I am in Iraq as well. The medics and trans personnel as already mentioned are a good place to start. You may have more resources available to you than I do. I am on a small FOB with next to nothing. I mailed some to myself on my last R&R. I did however speak with the people who were bottling our water and it is as pure as it gets and is a good substitute for distilled water. Keep doing what your doing and you should be ok. Good luck!

skweekz

sightunseen:

dennisking:

:puts on flame suit: I use tap water. no problems here. I have a 50ct. with about $400 in sticks. never had mold or weird tastes or anything else.

:Adjusts flamethrower nozzle setting to "high.": Blasphemy!

I've always used tap water without any problems.