Mold & tupperdor

[ElReyDel757]

I will be tossing my wood humidor due to mold on a few cigars. I'm sure this has been answered in another topic, but can anyone please assist me? I am going the tupperdor route:

1. Can I use my digital hygrometer from the mold contaminated humidor or should I throw it away and use a new one? Since it is plastic I assume it is safe. If so should I sanitize it with rubbing alcohol or distilled water or no need?

2. Do Spanish cedar sheets and/or Spanish cedar dividing trays need to be seasoned before placing in the tupperdor? I see mixed statements regarding this.

[PapaDisco]

I recycled a digital hygrometer from a moldy humidor and did fine. Can't say that's scientific in any way though. My thoughts on surviving mold and moving to Tuppers:

1. Mold spores are already everywhere, on every square inch of everything. You can't sterilize your cigars to avoid this. They come from Cuba pre-loaded with mold spores.

2. Liquid water (even in tiny microscopic droplets) is what causes the mold to bloom.

My desktop humi (traditional wood construction) that sprouted the mold, I just wiped down with alcohol, reseasoned, and junked the foam hydrometer in favor of 65% Bovedas. It's never had a problem since, so my (unscientific) presumption is that I was keeping it too wet.

Most of my stash is surrounded by 65% Bovedas, in longer term storage in Tuppers, in a cellar that averages 60% rH and 60F. No mold problems to report.

Pretty anecdotal evidence for 65% rH and stable temps. Hope it helps!

[ElReyDel757]

Strange thing for my wooden desktop humidor is that it was fine for almost 3 years and I used boveda 69 the whole time. All of a sudden I get mold on my cigars stocked on top, the bottom cigars are fine. Unless it's plume which I doubt. Instead of reseasoning I decided to start with something new.

Any thoughts on seasoning Spanish cedar sheets or dividing trays for a tupperdor?

[ayepatz]

Strange thing for my wooden desktop humidor is that it was fine for almost 3 years and I used boveda 69 the whole time. All of a sudden I get mold on my cigars stocked on top, the bottom cigars are fine. Unless it's plume which I doubt. Instead of reseasoning I decided to start with something new.

Any thoughts on seasoning Spanish cedar sheets or dividing trays for a tupperdor?

I just put the boxes and cabs straight in with a few Bovedas, and whenever a box is finished, I throw the cedar shees in the tupperdor. Been going 18 months and no probs so far.

[wolfain]

What's your ambient temperature like? I'm guessing your humidor might have a bad seal.

Mould isn't all that scary. So chill. Get some alcohol swabs and wipe the infected cigars. It usually won't come back if properly stored. This is the case for me. I smoke these cigars fine.

If it's the white kind of mould, should be fine, if it's the blue/green stuff, time to toss out your cigars. Photos might help. Post some.

Yeah your hygrometer is fine, just wipe it down. Like what pigfish would say, RH doesn't mean anything without knowing the temperature. IMO I think 69%RH is a bit high if your ambient temp is >25c

I have cigar cabinet and a passive desktop humidor. My desktop humidor is kept at 27-28c @ 65%RH boveda packs. No mould.

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[ElReyDel757]

I will get back with you all on the exact ambient temperature and pics. The digital hygrometer always showed good temps, but I haven't calibrated it in say 3 years.

The mold is/was white and fuzzy. I was smoking them and either cutting off the moldy portion or cleaning them with alcohol, but white mold comes back a few weeks later. Then I heard if mold is on the foot of the cigar, they should be tossed. Is this not true for white mold? White mold is always ok to smoke?

I admit my wooden humidor was cheap so it probably is the seal, but it did work fine for nearly 4 years. I know tupperdors are not aesthetically pleasing but seem to be most efficient, so I am definitely going this route, just wondering if the cedar sheets or trays must be seasoned first?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TOK35C?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_12&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

[wolfain]

Nah, I think it's fine. Just have a sufficient amount of boveda Packets in your container. The humidity will eventually even out over time.

I think if you wipe off the white mould with alcohol swabs, it should be fine. If you cut off the feet of the cigar (the bit which has the mould) and smoke it, I don't think it's a problem. Are all , you are burning that cigar! If you want to be ultra cautious then toss it, but I personally don't see a problem. Just smoke sensibly (i.e. Swab the moldy parts or cut off the parts)

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[ElReyDel757]

1 more thing: thoughts on 65 vs 69 boveda for a tupperdor? If it matters, I live in a very humid environment with mild 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit or -1.1 to 4.4 Celcius winters.

[shlomo]

Alcohol swabs on cigars?? Tasty.

Stick your reader near a window with plenty of sunlight. UV will kill most of anything left. After a day or two, it should be good to go for your tupperdor.

[shlomo]

Just keep it steady. Whatever rh and temp combo.

Oh, and welcome.....

[Fugu]

1. Mold spores are already everywhere, on every square inch of everything. You can't sterilize your cigars to avoid this. They come from Cuba pre-loaded with mold spores.

^ This

Just make sure you get your environment right. We don't work under sterile conditions.

[wolfain]

1 more thing: thoughts on 65 vs 69 boveda for a tupperdor? If it matters, I live in a very humid environment with mild 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit or -1.1 to 4.4 Celcius winters.

Personal preference I think. Doesn't really matter, I think NC need more humidity? I noticed my NCs start to crack at 62-63%RH.

If they are smoking fine at the current RH, then yeah it's fine. I don't think RH/temp control is an exact science when it cigar storage. Good luck.

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[PapaDisco]

1 more thing: thoughts on 65 vs 69 boveda for a tupperdor? If it matters, I live in a very humid environment with mild 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit or -1.1 to 4.4 Celcius winters.

As temperature drops, rH climbs IIRC, so if I was facing the possibility of chilly snaps I'd err on the side of the 65% Boveda rather than the 69%.

You know how you see white mold in tubos somewhat more often than in boxes? Imagine a cigar being loaded into the tubo in hot, humid Havana, then put on an airliner to Canada in winter . . . think anything might end up condensing in that tubo? ;-)

I had a box of tubo R&J churchills from Canada that came like this. Everyone lightly dusted with white mold. I freaked and sent the thing back, the distributor replaced it with another box . . . also with light white mold. At that point I just brushed them off with a little watercolor brush (by then I was reading FOH, where the smart kids hang out! ). Anyway, that box of Churchills is still one of the most memorably flavorful boxes I've ever had.