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Anybody ever have this problem? How do you get rid of it?
I inherited a pretty good sized humidor from a friend. He didnt keep many sticks in it and didnt use distilled water, thought it didnt matter.
Well, I now have what I think is mold in the humidor!! I kept a small plastic tub at the bottom of the humi with some distilled water in it and when I went to charge the humi, the water in the bottom was full of what looked like black mold spores floating around!! I also had a humidifying device that had mold growing on it too.
How do I get the mold spores out of the humi?
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A little bleach solution, and a little sunlight. Then reseason . . . and switch to beads.
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Not A Nice Person Wrote:A little bleach solution, and a little sunlight. Then reseason . . . and switch to beads.
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Good advise given here. Can someone say how much bleach should be added to how much water? I have also heard that white vinegar can be used and is very safe for cigars.
BEADS are the way to go. I also recommend using 65% RH beads, this will give you less chance of a mold outbreak.
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Well, as a pulled outta my ass guess, I'd say more is NOT better. A tablespoon in a cup of distilled water ought to do. Then air it out in sunlight until it doesn't smell like bleach anymore.
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Thanks for all your help gents. My wife suggested bleach too, but what does she know!! [doh]
You say copper, would a penny work? And Im not really sure what "beads" are. I use the tubes of gel and the sponges that came with it. The sponges are in pretty bad shape, one wouldnt even soak up the water! Thankfully I dont have more than around 20 sticks and was able to store them in my desktop humi.
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the penny has to be old. I don't remember how old but it has to be pure copper. newer ones don;t work
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steve047 Wrote:the penny has to be old. I don't remember how old but it has to be pure copper. newer ones don;t work
I picked up the "Pro-pack" of little 1/2" copper corners at Home Depot...they seem to work fine!
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Mold is a fight I fight often (well, used to before I got my new systems).
When using bleach, be very very very careful. Use only a tiny amount. I put around 6 drops in every gallon of distilled water I buy.
Also, the penny is a great idea. Copper is toxic to most growths (it's even mixed into bottom paint on boats and used at the bottom of outdoor ponds for the same reasons). I have 4 or 5 cents floating in my humidification storage tanks and tend to change them out every few years.
While it shouldn't matter much, pre 1983 pennies are all copper. After that they are foil coated.
All of the above is how to avoid it. Now that you have it here is your solution.
I recommend getting rid of any infected cigars. Sorry, but mold can be toxic and it really changes the taste of a cigar for the worse. Also, the spores will just continue the problem.
Toss out any humidification device that has been infected. Buy a new puck or whatever you decide to use. You will never get rid of all of the spores in those internal sponges.
If the humidor has any mold on it, empty it, wipe it down with a damp rag, then again with a rag dampened with a bit of 20% bleach & water. Dry it out and leave it in sunlight until it dries.
Now here is another tip. Mold hates air and sunlight. If you have anything sitting on a humidor surface (like some humidification device or hygrometer) put a few pennies under it. Not so much for the copper (this only works in water), but the space will allow some air flow and maybe a bit of light. This coupled with cedars natural tendency to kill mold should be enough to keep it down.
Remember, you dont want to breathe in any mold spores. Mold can grow in your lungs and this isn't fun. So use damp rags and go outside if that is an option.
And yeah, never use tap water. It is too "alive".
) This should get youi started though - you will never get rid of all of the spores from what I was told - but a little copper will help keep the mold out - among other things. Hope this helps!
