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Humidor mold - feedback requested

Long3Long3 Posts: 7
in General Discussion
I found mold in my 150 count humidor tray. I wiped down the entire inside and tray with 1/2 distilled water 1/2 aclohol, then wiped down with distilled water after about 2 hours, left open for 24 hours and then put my cigars back in the humidor. I've smoked 3 cigars after one day and they seem to leave a strange aftertaste, perhaps the taste of the alcohol. I have about 45 high end cigars in the box and I'm worried I've ruined them. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Comments

  • benhanksbenhanks Posts: 342 ✭✭
    Welcome to the forum! I don't know about the humidor, I'm sure someone smarter than myself will answer that, but I would get the cigars into a cooler or large Tupperware until you get that resolved! I store a lot of mine in coolers regularly!!
  • Puff_DougiePuff_Dougie Posts: 4,599 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm certainly not an expert, but it seems to me that maybe you should have left the humidor open for more that 24 hours to give the alcohol time to evaporate before putting the cigars back in.
    "When I have found intense pain relieved, a weary brain soothed, and calm, refreshing sleep obtained by a cigar, I have felt grateful to God, and have blessed His name." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
  • avengethisavengethis Posts: 5,689 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Long3:
    I found mold in my 150 count humidor tray. I wiped down the entire inside and tray with 1/2 distilled water 1/2 aclohol, then wiped down with distilled water after about 2 hours, left open for 24 hours and then put my cigars back in the humidor. I've smoked 3 cigars after one day and they seem to leave a strange aftertaste, perhaps the taste of the alcohol. I have about 45 high end cigars in the box and I'm worried I've ruined them. Any feedback would be appreciated.
    I would probably take them all out and get them into ziplocks or tupperware asap with a boveda or something to help keep them humidified. My guess is that the alcohol messed up the wood in the humidor as that would have absorbed into the wood.
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • Long3Long3 Posts: 7
    Thank you. I removed them and wiped the entire humidor with distilled water and will leave open for another day or two.
  • BigshizzaBigshizza Posts: 15,659 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yep-- gets those out and into a cooler with a Boveda pack 65%, a large one. Then take the divider out that had mold. What do you use for humidification? What do you use as a Hygrometer?
  • Long3Long3 Posts: 7
    Bigshizza - I use a digital hydrometer and the humidification strip that came with my humidor. I admit the moisture has been too high at times, but I try to keep it around 70. I have not put my sticks in a cooler before. Is that the refrigerator in a tupperware container? Right now I have all of them in a ziplock bag with a gel humidification jar in there. Smoked one this morning and it tasted fine. Will the alcohol that soaked in the wood eventually go away, if it hasn't already, or is my humidor shot? I assume my cigars are fine if I leave them in the bag covered on my dresser and leave the humidor air out for another day? Many thanks.
  • Puff_DougiePuff_Dougie Posts: 4,599 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The alcohol should evaporate, but may take awhile if it soaked into the wood. You might also try some light sanding.
    "When I have found intense pain relieved, a weary brain soothed, and calm, refreshing sleep obtained by a cigar, I have felt grateful to God, and have blessed His name." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
  • ChemnitzChemnitz Posts: 1,300 ✭✭✭
    Long3:
    I use a digital hydrometer and the humidification strip that came with my humidor.
    I would get rid of that humidification strip that came with your humidor. I threw all of mine out because the RH would get too high. As Shizz said, invest in some Boveda 65% packs. They not only supply humidity, they will also remove humidity if necessary to maintain 65%. And they can be recharged when they start to dry.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,710 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Long3:
    Bigshizza - I use a digital hydrometer and the humidification strip that came with my humidor. I admit the moisture has been too high at times, but I try to keep it around 70. I have not put my sticks in a cooler before. Is that the refrigerator in a tupperware container? Right now I have all of them in a ziplock bag with a gel humidification jar in there. Smoked one this morning and it tasted fine. Will the alcohol that soaked in the wood eventually go away, if it hasn't already, or is my humidor shot? I assume my cigars are fine if I leave them in the bag covered on my dresser and leave the humidor air out for another day? Many thanks.
    Welcome Long3
    Here are a few of my thoughts on your situation.

    "I have not put my sticks in a cooler before. Is that the refrigerator in a tupperware container?"
    LOL, no don't put your cigars in the refrigerator. By cooler, we don't mean cold storage. We mean storage in a camping type cooler at room temperature. (Coleman or Igloo) And, by tupperware, we mean any type of plastic container. Rubbermaid, Tupperware, etc. Make sure any container you use is odorless and airtight or almost airtight. A big ziplock bag will do just fine as well. keep your ziplock out of direct sunlight. Keep you hygrometer in there with your cigars. Sometimes a gel type device will over humidify inside a bag or tupperware container. Your sticks would probably be fine in your ziplock bag without any humidifier. Just go by what you hygrometer tells you to do.

    My guess is that some of the alcohol had not evaporated and the cigars that were touching the wood may have picked up some of that alcohol. And that may be the cigars you chose to smoke first.

    I've heard that a solution of 50/50 water and white vinegar is good to use for mold on spanish cedar. I've been told it will evaporate completely.

    Let your humidor air out for a few days then close it up for a day and then try a sniff test. If you still smell alcohol, increase the time you air it out until you are certain you can keep it closed up and no longer smell alcohol. My guess is it will eventually be OK. Then you'll have to re-season it. All the while keep sniff testing it. If the odor never does go away you can always store other things in it.

    If you do any sanding you need to know that spanish cedar can be an especially harsh respiratory irritant. Google it. Wear a suitable mask and any other precautions necessary.

    And yes, as advised by practically everyone, you simply HAVE TO toss that humidifier that came with your humidor. Higher RH equals more chance for mold. Try 65% RH. Boveda 65% is my strongest recommendation and easiest way to achieve 65%.

    Let us know how it turns out :)
  • Long3Long3 Posts: 7
    Bob - many thanks. I've read that some put cigars in the fridge or freezer, hence the reason for my question. I really appreciate the feedback and recommendations. I will buy some Bovedas.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,710 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Long3:
    Bob - many thanks. I've read that some put cigars in the fridge or freezer, hence the reason for my question. I really appreciate the feedback and recommendations. I will buy some Bovedas.
    I wasn't trying to make fun of your question and I apologize if that's how it came off. It was a valid question but I guess I was amused at the thought of using the refrigerator for cigars. On the other hand, freezing actually is a way to kill off cigar beetles. Some enthusiasts, myself included, occasionally freeze cigars to ensure that any beetles, beetle eggs, or larvae are killed off. Let me know if you are unfortunate enough to find beetles. I know WAY too much about that subject. LOL
  • Long3Long3 Posts: 7
    Haha. No worries at all. Haven't experienced beetles yet. Peace.
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