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Beetles...er Beetle

scarlinscarlin Posts: 1,592 ✭
in General Discussion
So I was going through my cigars doing a cleaning and I find a single beetle on me. I decided all my 'gars must be frozen and I have a question. Can I put a box straight in the freezer or should I take the content out and put them in a ziploc bag, and do I need humidification in these bags? 36 hours in freezer then 24 in fridge if I am correct. Thanks guys.

Comments

  • rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    Sometimes if I have room for the box I put the whole box in. Sometimes I leave the humi pillow in. I'm not sure about the "proper" way but either way I have done it I haven't had problems.
  • scarlinscarlin Posts: 1,592 ✭
    Ok my main problem is there is not enough room in the friggin freezers. Would this work: put humidification in the extra 5 bags of cigars i can't fit and put them in the fridge? Or should I let them sit with humidification outside the fridge until I can put them in the freezer. I'm just worried 3 days in the fridge may damage them.
  • catfishbluezzcatfishbluezz Posts: 7,000 ✭✭✭
    No humidification needed. Double bag in ziplocs, make sure there is no air in there at all. Put in fridge 24 hours, freeze 3-7 days, fridge 24 hours, room temp 24 hours, then put back in humi and wait a month.
  • rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    I skip the room temp step because my humis are usually a little cooler than room temp due to being closed. Plus I have a very humid first floor. I do put in fridge for 12 - 24 hours though before and after however it is more likely that I will stick with 24 hours for the fridge at the end.
  • jj20030jj20030 Posts: 5,804 ✭✭✭✭✭
    with all the humidity we have here and with all the cigars/humidors i have i just have them all in a small bedroom with the ac at 68 , 27/7
  • LiquidChaos66LiquidChaos66 Posts: 3,767 ✭✭✭✭
    I just recently went through the panic of beetle possibilities. :) I stuck my sticks in the fridge during a heat wave for 48 hours, froze them 48 hours, back in the fridge 24 hours, sat them at room temp 24 hours and now they are home in their humi again. Best of luck! but everyone else here helped me through the process! got a good bunch of guys with great info!
    Life is like a blind fiver. You never know what you're gonna get.
  • beatnicbeatnic Posts: 4,133 ✭
    jj20030:
    with all the humidity we have here and with all the cigars/humidors i have i just have them all in a small bedroom with the ac at 68 , 27/7
    Ain't it great to live on the Gulf?
  • scarlinscarlin Posts: 1,592 ✭
    beatnic:
    jj20030:
    with all the humidity we have here and with all the cigars/humidors i have i just have them all in a small bedroom with the ac at 68 , 27/7
    Ain't it great to live on the Gulf?
    It usually isn't a problem, except sometimes the room gets hot since the sun hits it in the afternoon, the main problem was we went on vacation and someone decided to set the house to 78 to save on the electric bill for a week without telling anyone..
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,711 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sorry to hear about all this and I can certainly sympathize with you but I have a couple of questions. Was there any evidence that your sticks had been eaten? And are you sure it was a tobacco beetle?
  • letsgowithbobletsgowithbob Posts: 677 ✭✭
    scarlin:
    So I was going through my cigars doing a cleaning and I find a single beetle on me. I decided all my 'gars must be frozen and I have a question. Can I put a box straight in the freezer or should I take the content out and put them in a ziploc bag, and do I need humidification in these bags? 36 hours in freezer then 24 in fridge if I am correct. Thanks guys.


    Maybe the beetles are living inside of you.....now theres a thought
  • scarlinscarlin Posts: 1,592 ✭
    So when I am wiping down the inside of the humi (trying to get eggs er w/e just in case) can I use paper towels that are dry? Some places say dampen a rag a little then do it, but isn't that frowned upon when seasoning (so applies here too)? Then vacuum all the pieces of tobacco I presume.
  • CigaryCigary Posts: 630 ✭
    scarlin:
    So when I am wiping down the inside of the humi (trying to get eggs er w/e just in case) can I use paper towels that are dry? Some places say dampen a rag a little then do it, but isn't that frowned upon when seasoning (so applies here too)? Then vacuum all the pieces of tobacco I presume.
    You brought up a point that many overlook when they suspect an invasion of beetle(s) in their humidor. To ensure that you just don't freeze your cigars and put em back in the same humidor you have to go through the process of "cleaning" your humidor. A good idea is to take a vacuum with the little brush and suck up all of the debris inside...turn the humidor upside down ( as long as its small enough ) and get all of the crumbs out and then after that take a sponge of distilled water...squeeze the water out and then lightly use the sponge to cover all of the inside of the humidor and leave the lid open to air dry..a couple of days is sufficient. You're basically reseasoning your humidor and some will use chemicals to "kill" microscopic growths in there...
  • rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    I always wipe down with a sponge and distilled water. Some people say that's the way and others are strongly against it. However, what I did when I had beetles I put my humis outside when it was winter time and temps were 30 degrees or colder for a few days. I also took some compressed air and turned it upside down to it would shoot out freezing cold and blew out all the corners and seams. I'm sure there are other ways and I'm positive someone will find a problem with what I did but it worked for me!
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