Help! Mold (I think) in new Humidor

[Kenstl]

I just recently made my first humidor after wanting to try a wood working project. The exterior is maple, the interior is lined with spanish cedar, drawers are spanish cedar as well. Fast forward, I was attempting to season the humidor to see if it would hold a seal. I purchased distiller water, and sprayed the inside of the humidor with a spray bottle to dampen the spanish cedar. I let the humidor rest for 24 hours and then hit it one more time with a light spray the following morning. I noticed at that time that one of my drawers did not fit properly so I know it was not fully air tight.

I went to fix my drawer the following night and noticed a lot of black spots on the spanish cedar! I'll try to post some pics, but any idea of what to do know? I have had a number of humidors in the past that I have seasoned and I have never had this problem. I would hate to of trashed my project!

Thanks

 

[Kenstl]

I posted some photos in the gallery section after reading "how to season humidor" post. I got that backwards! If anyone has any suggestions I am all ears, I would hate to trash this project! Thanks for your input and help

 

[oke&coke]

I am no expert in any of this so will just throw some ideas out to brainstorm.  Do the black spots have a fuzzy appearance or transfer to a rag when you wipe it?  If not, it could be leaching something from the exterior wood.  I would be careful though if you think it is mold since some black molds can be highly toxic.  Maybe put it into a garbage bag and seal it up.  My best advice would be to take it to a lumber supplier and get their input they would have a better idea on what you are dealing with.

 

[Danforz]

A while ago I heard advice re: killing mold in the humidor as the response to it growing there. You do this by setting the humidor open and outside in the sun. The head of the sun and outside humidity is to try the interior of the humidor out. Thereafter, the mold will not have the requisite water to live and die out and you can just sand paper the interior down. 
 
That said, I would advise that you look very closely into why this growth happened in the first place. Unless you UNLEASHED distilled water into your humidor during the seasoning process (and this depends on the size of the humidor as well) I'm a little surprised that mold grew so quickly. It may be something else and the photos area not really revealing. 
 
In either case, it may be wise to head Oke's response and have a professional wood smith inspect the wood for, if nothing else, to tell you how to avoid that from happening again. 

 

[MadMonk]

Are the black spots fuzzy, distinct, or possibly in patterns, like the saw blades or tools? Certain woods can develop tannin stains from contact with steel tools, etc.
A tiny drop of bleach on an inconspicuous part of the wood will lighten true mold. Bleach will discolor the wood, so I would be careful.
 
I honestly don't know if the standard methods of removing tannin stains will be safe for cigars and human consumption. TNP or Oxalic Acid. I don't think you would have to worry about tannin stains for health reasons. If mold, yes, leave the wood in the sun, and then sand it, if possible. Some folks use alcohol or some such, but I do not know the method, and would read more than one source to determine how to do it properly, and if it will leave residual odors affecting cigar flavors.
 
Edit to add:
 
I found this Famous Smoke Shop article with a quick google "removing mold from cigar humidors". I would sand it, myself, and then give things time to see if the black comes back. Here is an excerpt:
 
Once complete, it’s time to kill the spores. Using a light solution of distilled water and isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, wipe down all of the humidor’s interior surfaces, and leave it open while it dries. This will kill any visible mold, but remember that most of the mold is not actually visible.
Another proven tactic is to lightly sand the interior surfaces with a fine grit sandpaper. Just make sure to wipe down after sanding to clean up any dust.
Your humidor may require several such treatments to completely remove all existing mold, and even then, there may still be a funky, musty smell. Place a paper plate of baking soda into the humidor to absorb these smells, changing as necessary.
Even then, some smells may linger. These will dissipate over time, especially if you commit to maintaining proper humidity and temperature, and keep it filled with plenty of cigars.

 

[Horseshoe]

I personally, as I work with mold often at work, would not use bleach. Bleach doesn't always and isn't likely to kill mold. Peroxide will work better than bleach. Mold needs moisture and heat to grow. If you remove both elements as well as treating mold, then it will stop the mold growth. I would wipe the box down with peroxide, let it sit, then wipe with a rubbing alcohol. Never apply directly to the box, and always use a non shedding rag/towel. Microfiber is what I would recommend. When you season the humidor next time, try not to season with water directly. I would use a boveda seasoning pack, or a damp sponge on a dish, and let it rest. Adding water directly to a humidor can warp the wood.

Just my 2 cents, but what does a Noob know?

 

[mmburtch]

First, spraying or wiping the cedar is not a great way to season.  It introduces too much humidity into the wood at once and can cause swelling, raised grain and warping (eg. your drawer).  The best way is to just put a bowl of distilled water in the box and let nature take its course. It takes longer but the results are worth the wait.
 
Second, mold is three dimensional.  Find a magnifying glass and inspect your spots. if you see "hairs" with polyps on top of them, its mold.  If it is flat and consistent, you likely just released some aspect of the wood.  I find it hard to believe you had that much mold growth in that short period of time. I also have never seen "Spanish Cedar" speckle like that.  Are the spots black or blue or green.  I often get surface spots on wood I am steam bending, probably a similar reaction.
 
Did you use new kiln dried lumber or was this re-purposed lumber?

 

[Kenstl]

Thanks for all of the replies! To answer a few questions, The spots were definitely black. I purchased the wood from a hardwood lumber shop in the area and was told it was kiln dried spanish cedar, I do not think it was repurposed. I hope you are right and that it was not mold.

Thus far I have sanded 90% of the spots away. It has bee a long process since acess to the interior is limited due to how I built the box. I am intending to get it sanded as best as I can inside, vacuum, wipe with isopropyl, and try to season again. This time I will try to do it the proper way and intend to use boveda packs.

Thanks everyone