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Quick Help - Humidor is bone dry

cimberdogcimberdog Posts: 6
in Cigar 101
Hi all, my husband's birthday is tomorrow and I have some new cigars I bought to put in his humidor (they will arrive tomorrow, along with the Boveda 72% Humidity Packs).

Prior to today, his humidor has been sitting and collecting dust for over a year and he stopped using it. He seems to have trouble maintaining the humidity - it's a very nice humidor but it always seemed to dry out immediately (and he would forget to refill the Promethius humidifier also). So that's why I bought the Boveda packs to try.

Today I picked the lock since I couldn't find the key and am hoping to get it going again so that it will be ready, or on its way, when his new cigars arrive tomorrow.

Are there any tips/methods you could share to get me jump started? What all should I do today to start building up that humidity again? I will refill the promethius with distilled water today, and put in a Boveda pack once they arrive. Anything else?

Thanks!

Comments

  • roland_7707roland_7707 Posts: 2,833 ✭✭✭
    A shot glass or small bowl of distilled water. It won't fix the problem immediatly but it will help.
    One God, One Truth
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    Depending on the size of the humi, it can take from 2-3 days (small 50-count) to 2 weeks (cabinet). If you're in a bit of a rush, put the Boveda pack, promethius humidifier with distilled water, and a shallow dish of distilled water in at the same time - that should spike the humidity quickly, but it's best to leave it like that for a day or two, since the spanish cedar lining is slow to absorb humidity.

    Once the cigars arrive, check the humidity of the humi - if it's around 70% or 80% RH (you need a calibrated, preferably digital, hygrometer to do this accurately), you're good to go and the cigars should be fine (just remember to take out the shallow dish of water; you can leave the humidifier/boveda pack in there). When you put them in, the humidity will drop very quickly - this is normal/expected; it should recover to around 65% or 70% RH in about a day or so

    Lastly - be careful of the puck humidifiers, the ones with the green florist foam inside - they have a tendency to grow mold. Once the humidor has a proper humidity level, you'll only really need the boveda packs
  • AJGARLETTAJGARLETT Posts: 648
    Ideally, you want to introduce humidity using a process like this

    Seasoning a humi
  • laker1963laker1963 Posts: 5,046
    cimberdog:
    Hi all, my husband's birthday is tomorrow and I have some new cigars I bought to put in his humidor (they will arrive tomorrow, along with the Boveda 72% Humidity Packs). Prior to today, his humidor has been sitting and collecting dust for over a year and he stopped using it. He seems to have trouble maintaining the humidity - it's a very nice humidor but it always seemed to dry out immediately (and he would forget to refill the Promethius humidifier also). So that's why I bought the Boveda packs to try. Today I picked the lock since I couldn't find the key and am hoping to get it going again so that it will be ready, or on its way, when his new cigars arrive tomorrow. Are there any tips/methods you could share to get me jump started? What all should I do today to start building up that humidity again? I will refill the promethius with distilled water today, and put in a Boveda pack once they arrive. Anything else? Thanks!
    You are on the right track with the Boveda packs. For now you can get a small glass bowl and put some distilled water in it. Place the bowl into the humi making sure not to spill any. Let the bowl sit in the humi with the lid closed and don't open it again until your husn=bands stuff arrives. The humidity may not be right up where it needs to be but it will moving in that direction and the addition of the boveda packs will help.
    Also when you place new cigars into a humi the RH will often rise as well. If all this does NOT get it to the proper RH quick enough you can take a wrag and dampen it with distilled water and wipe the inside surfaces of the humi one time with the damp cloth. Follow the other directions I suggested and your hubi's humi should be good to go.
    Does your hubi use a hygrometer to measure the RH % in his humi?
  • cimberdogcimberdog Posts: 6
    Thanks everyone for your replies so far! I have been reading through the forums as well.

    He has a promethius hygro thermometer. Looks like I need to get a battery in it (yep it is digital).

    The humidifier (?) he has in there has the green inside it and has been in there since he got the humidor. The newer one that hasn't been used looks like it has white and green inside of it. They are both rectangular with vents. Should I choose one over the other?

    I have been reading about the salt test. I think we probably need to do this. And I also read up on the beetles. And the freezing/fridge methods. Wow, there's a lot more to know.

    In the future, which Boveda packs do people recommend? I went with the 72% given the dryness of his humi, but in the future would purchasing the 68% be better? I think once we learn more we can look into the beads people are talking about.

    OK, off to get some distilled water and start seasoning!
  • jr_p951jr_p951 Posts: 1,121
    Your def on the right track! Your husband is a lucky man! You got a sister?
  • The_KidThe_Kid Posts: 7,869 ✭✭✭
    cimberdog:
    I have been reading about the salt test. I think we probably need to do this. And I also read up on the beetles. And the freezing/fridge methods. Wow, there's a lot more to know. In the future, which Boveda packs do people recommend? I went with the 72% given the dryness of his humi, but in the future would purchasing the 68% be better? I think once we learn more we can look into the beads people are talking about. OK, off to get some distilled water and start seasoning!
    First off Relax, It will all be good. Personally I wouldnt wory bout the beetle thing and freezing the cigars. If your buying the cigars from a reputable place chances are it wont be an issue. Not saying it cant happen. But at this point wouldnt be a concern for me. Yes get a battery and get the hygrometer working. The boveda packs are what I use and each smoker has there own preference as to how high they want the humidity in there cigars and it may vary towards differnet types of cigars, Maduros and Corojos usually do better at a lower RH than 70. But 70 Relative Humidity and 70 deg F are the standard. I use the 69's some use higher some use lower, I think alot has to do with the climate the humidor will be in as well. A guy in Miami will have different issue from a guy in Phoenix. If theres no AC in the domicile. Dont wipe the "Inside" of the Humidor down with alot of water. You can use a lightly damped moist cloth. Remember use only distilled water. The reason for this is other waters have minerals and minerals give off wierds tastes, smells, mold, etc. You can use both humidifyers, to season and then decide later if you will even use them at all. If dusty rinse them with distilled water. Hope this helps. I find it awesome that you are doing this for your hubby. Do you have a sister? lol just kidding, Take Care and No Worries
  • The_KidThe_Kid Posts: 7,869 ✭✭✭
    The Kid:
    cimberdog:
    I have been reading about the salt test. I think we probably need to do this. And I also read up on the beetles. And the freezing/fridge methods. Wow, there's a lot more to know. In the future, which Boveda packs do people recommend? I went with the 72% given the dryness of his humi, but in the future would purchasing the 68% be better? I think once we learn more we can look into the beads people are talking about. OK, off to get some distilled water and start seasoning!
    First off Relax, It will all be good. Personally I wouldnt wory bout the beetle thing and freezing the cigars. If your buying the cigars from a reputable place chances are it wont be an issue. Not saying it cant happen. But at this point wouldnt be a concern for me. Yes get a battery and get the hygrometer working. The boveda packs are what I use and each smoker has there own preference as to how high they want the humidity in there cigars and it may vary towards differnet types of cigars, Maduros and Corojos usually do better at a lower RH than 70. But 70 Relative Humidity and 70 deg F are the standard. I use the 69's some use higher some use lower, I think alot has to do with the climate the humidor will be in as well. A guy in Miami will have different issue from a guy in Phoenix. If theres no AC in the domicile. Dont wipe the "Inside" of the Humidor down with alot of water. You can use a lightly damped moist cloth. Remember use only distilled water. The reason for this is other waters have minerals and minerals give off wierds tastes, smells, mold, etc. You can use both humidifyers, to season and then decide later if you will even use them at all. If dusty rinse them with distilled water. Hope this helps. I find it awesome that you are doing this for your hubby. Do you have a sister? lol just kidding, Take Care and No Worries
    The Fog's may disagree with me on the freezer thing, if so listen to them.
  • cimberdogcimberdog Posts: 6
    Thanks! (Sorry, no sisters!)

    Well I have the salt test going now, the distilled water in a glass bowl and the promethius humidifiers going inside the humi. Now I get to hide all of this until tomorrow.

    I really appreciate everyone's help.
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    cimberdog:
    Thanks everyone for your replies so far! I have been reading through the forums as well. He has a promethius hygro thermometer. Looks like I need to get a battery in it (yep it is digital). The humidifier (?) he has in there has the green inside it and has been in there since he got the humidor. The newer one that hasn't been used looks like it has white and green inside of it. They are both rectangular with vents. Should I choose one over the other? I have been reading about the salt test. I think we probably need to do this. And I also read up on the beetles. And the freezing/fridge methods. Wow, there's a lot more to know. In the future, which Boveda packs do people recommend? I went with the 72% given the dryness of his humi, but in the future would purchasing the 68% be better? I think once we learn more we can look into the beads people are talking about. OK, off to get some distilled water and start seasoning!
    I'd say go with the newer humidifier; but with Boveda packs, you don't need another humidifier, so you don't really need either one

    As for freezing, you really only do that if you think you have a beetle infestation, in which case you'll be wiping your humidor down with vinegar as well - if you don't have beetles, don't worry about it too much

    As for which Boveda packs, like others have said, it depends on your climate; if you live in a humid place like Florida, you should probably go for the 65% ones; a dry climate like Arizona, you may want 70%, or even 75% if you're really struggling to keep the humidity up.
  • smoke_em_if_you_got_emsmoke_em_if_you_got_em Posts: 4,992 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You are one hell of a wife, thats I can i say. He is a lucky man.
  • fla-gypsyfla-gypsy Posts: 3,023 ✭✭
    smoke em if you got em:
    You are one hell of a wife, thats I can i say. He is a lucky man.
    +1
  • cimberdogcimberdog Posts: 6
    Thanks guys :) He very much appreciated the new sticks, and we seem to be on the right track with the Boveda packs.
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