• Hi Guest - Sign up now for Secret Santa 2024!
    Click here to sign up!
  • Hi Guest - Come check out all of the new CP Merch Shop! Now you can support CigarPass buy purchasing hats, apparel, and more...
    Click here to visit! here...

Mold advice needed.

Invictacidal

Invictacidal

New Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Messages
13
Hey Folks,

I’d like to know about your experiences with mold on cigars. There seems to be a lot of information available on the web regarding the difference between mold and plume. So, I assume mold in humidors is fairly common. I’m interested because I checked my humidor and found 2 sticks with mold (yes, I’m certain it was mold). These mark the fourth smokes that have molded in the year and a half that I have owned a humidor. Is this unusual? While mold has affected 4 cigars, the cigars involved were from 2 brands and in each event the cigars were from the same 5-pack. I maintain the humidity at 65-70%. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
First - are you sure humidity is between 65-70%? Are you using a digital hygrometer that was recently calibrated?
 
Only thing I can think of was the conditions they were stored in before you purchased them. Sorry I could not be of more help. Could you provide a little more details about when you purchased them and where you got them from. Do you know anything about the storage conditions before you got them?

Best Regards
Don
 
1. The closer your RH is to 70 and the closer your temp is to 75 F, the higher your likelihood of forming mold. Personally, I like to keep mine at or below 65% and 68 degrees, but that is difficult in the summer months with a cooler, let alone a desktop. YMMV.

2. The source of your moisture can also be the source of your mold. Anti-microbial
PG solution in gel is the safest bet. I use beads and still have issues from time to time with the desktop.

3. If I find mold in my desktop, I wipe it down with Isopropyl alcohol. It evaporates quickly and generally does not leave an odor behind. Some guys will tell you to lightly sand the interior as well. This is good advice, but who has the time. :blush:
 
Thanks for the information guys!

Pembroke, the cigars are RP 1990’s from CI (8 months ago) and AF Chateau Fuente’s from a local shop (@ 6 months ago). Not sure about CI but the local shop keeps a pretty nice walk-in.

Half-full, I use two tubes of PG gel wetted with distilled H2O and 1 sponge with PG. I’ll try letting the RH drop to around 65% and see how it goes. Also, there was no mold on the wood. Only the sticks. Should I clean/sand the wood anyway?

I recently re-seasoned with distilled H2O and of course the RH was through the roof for a day or so before settling. Perhaps this fueled the most recent bio-activity in the humi.

Thanks again.
 
I'd at the very least remove all your cigars and wipe the humidor down with a clean cloth and a bit of distilled water.

Monty's advice with the alcohol will probably work great... but the whole idea just scares me to death lol
 
Invictacidal said:
Thanks for the information guys!

Pembroke, the cigars are RP 1990’s from CI (8 months ago) and AF Chateau Fuente’s from a local shop (@ 6 months ago). Not sure about CI but the local shop keeps a pretty nice walk-in.

Half-full, I use two tubes of PG gel wetted with distilled H2O and 1 sponge with PG. I’ll try letting the RH drop to around 65% and see how it goes. Also, there was no mold on the wood. Only the sticks. Should I clean/sand the wood anyway?

I recently re-seasoned with distilled H2O and of course the RH was through the roof for a day or so before settling. Perhaps this fueled the most recent bio-activity in the humi.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

How close were those sticks to your humidification source? If they were very close, that could account for your situation.
 
Invictacidal said:
Thanks for the information guys!


Half-full, I use two tubes of PG gel wetted with distilled H2O and 1 sponge with PG. I’ll try letting the RH drop to around 65% and see how it goes. Also, there was no mold on the wood. Only the sticks. Should I clean/sand the wood anyway?
Click to expand...

You' re the one studying for his PhD. I'm just a schmuck who smokes too much. :laugh: :laugh:

Seriously, you're dealing with an infection so you want to eliminate the source, treat the exposed and promote an environment where it can't grow back. Mold spores are everywhere you just don't want them highly concentrated or in an environment where they prosper.

When I've wiped down my desktops, it's with a moist towelette with just enough alcohol to wet the surface and literally watch it evaporate. You certainly don't want to saturate the wood, just treat the surface. My humi's still smell like spanish cedar, and overwhelmingly so.

I think the key is RH and temp, which is always easier said than done. Most guys starting out error on the side of too much RH, at least I know I did. My experience has been that 70/70 is too much. 60RH might ruin your cigars over extremely prolonged periods of time (many months, years) but certainly won't harm them for a week or two. In fact, some prefer this as their smoking level and dial in higher RH's for aging.

You definitely want to avoid extremes. A week at 35Rh is not good, likewise at 75+RH, you will assuredly see mold.

As far as temp, I prefer mid 60's because it is easier to control RH and you don't have to worry about beetles. As soon as you approach the 70 plus range, you bring beetle larvae into the equation.

Dialing in your preferred RH and temp is part of the art. :cool: Keep experimenting and you'll figure it out. Then you'll be Dr. Schmuck who can pontificate on a cigar forum! :laugh: :laugh:
 
Rectify, I have humidification devices on shelves above and below the affected cigars. Maybe a 'double whammy'?

Monty, as a result of early instruction, I have worked hard to keep the RH at 70%. It sounds as though this may have been the wrong approach. I think I'll just let things calm down in there for a few weeks while allowing the RH to decrease and see how things develop. I'll keep you updated.

Thanks again guys!
 
Isolate any cigars from now on by putting them in ziplock baggies, that you buy from CI.

I'd do this with any source you find questionable.

In addition, I'd protect the others as well by putting them in another ziplock.

The above suggestions all sound like great advice.
Make sure your humi is clear of any mold source, then work on each cigar.

In addition to wiping down your humi with alcohol...I wonder if you wipe-down your moldy cigars with alcohol, will it affect the smokes?

Never done this, but I wonder....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top