MOLD!!! Help!!
 

I am using 2 bags of beads and just found 2 sticks that got moldy, thanks to this recent heat and humidity wave. I just checked the hygro, its reading 77%. I threw the 2 bags of beads in the freezer (chilling now... taking them out in 20 min and putting them into the ziploc bag, as per instructions). Is there anything I can do to soak up some of the humidity before it takes up all my sticks? I was thinking of putting a bag of rice in there.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Just leave the lid open for a while.

What do you have in there that's allowing the humidity to get up to 77% ?

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

thats what i was thinking.. is it really humid where you are? if so have you checked the seals of your humi? what % beads do you have?

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

I have 2 4 oz bags of Scott's beads (at 65%) (for a 150 ct humi)... the problem is that its so humid outside. If I leave the lid open, the hygrometer jumps up to 85%. It is unbelievably humid outside (I live right on the ocean).

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Yeah it is really humid.
65%... as far as I know, the seals are good... i just bought it from CheapHumidors (as an imperfect, but usually imperfect just means a knick on the finish) a month ago.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

a hair drier will remove humidity from beads pretty fast.

I agree with opening the lid/door, unless the inside RH is high. Heck, if the room is below 65%, I'd take everything out for a couple of hours and then put it back. I'd also test your humidity gauge.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Dude, somethings not right.....I live in Florida where the humidity is almost always above 90%. Is your humidor outside?

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

No, but it is unbelievably humid outside. There is thick fog almost all night long. You think the seal is broken?

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Invest in a small cooler. Much easier to deal with humidity swings. It's ugly but for 30 bucks you're set.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

65% would be awesome right now. I think were at 80-85% right now.


It also doesnt help that it is 75 degrees either. I am keeping it under my bed, but no real way to keep it cool (no AC in my apt). I have been checking every day for beetles and still havent seen anything. Crossing my fingers.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Believe me....I gotcha on the humidity....

Go to wally world and bo waht BAX says, buy a cooler. I've been using one for over a year now and haven't had one iota of a problem..

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

this habit is costing me too much money :mad:

i'll go tomorrow... just in time to deal with hurricane bill!

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Take your hyromoter and set it in the living room. see what it reads....maybe you should take them (cigars) out of the humidor.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

77.5* and 80% and still rising. noaa.gov says RH is 96% :td

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

close the windows, turn the air conditioning on...

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

no air conditioning, and i live in an old victorian building that doesn't have windows. only a few doors that open up. the rest are french doors that are painted shut.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Ohhhhhhh boy, that's not good. Take the beeds and the humi and set it in the fridge. As long as the beeds maintain 65%, you'll be fine.

Do keep the beeds and the cigars in the humi....in the fridge.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

I had a cheaphumidors humi and ruined a bunch of
cigars the opposite way, could not keep humidty up enough, mine did not seal well at all and I was in a very dry climate in TX .

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Are you using the analog hygro by any chance? If you are dump it and get a digital. Those dial gauges are almost worthless.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

I would get some DampRid. I use it in my Aristocrat sometimes to bring the humidity down, here is S. Florida. Bob Staebell actually recommended it.

http://www.gracioushome.com/images/5005881_3.jpg

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Not to hijack, but . . .


Why do Anejo's mold more easily than other cigars wrapped in cedar?

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

I agree that I would try this stuff.

The beads won't do a damn thing to lower the humidity. They never have and never will. It's a mistake to rely on them when the conditions are as you describe.

Use the Damp Rid to lower it and then the beads can help bring it back to where it should be.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

probably because the tobacco was more moist when it was rolled.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

I was under the impression that shilala bead's absorbed and released humidity.. Maybe you aren't using enough beads for your humi?

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

My outside humidor was up to about 70%.
I stuck the whole thing in the fridge, propped open the lid, and dried it out in a few days.
It's settled right in at 64%.
The RH in the fridge is about 40%.
When I took it out, I immediately closed it so there would be no condensation on the sticks. The outside was cold also, and I just wiped the water off of her as she warmed up from the outside in.
If the humi doesn't seal, and it sounds as if it doesn't at all, you can fix it using some foam and a clasp. Either that, or throw it away and use a rubbermaid container. :tu

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

They do. They'll only do it in a controlled, sealed environment.
A pound of beads can't regulate the RH of the entire state of Texas. :)
You simply can't compensate for a leaking humidor, no matter how many beads, hydras or damprid you use.
Humidors are to be AIR TIGHT. Anything else isn't a humidor, it's just called a "problem".
Ziplock bags are a better solution than a humidor that leaks.
It's not hard to fix a leaky humidor. I just reworked a couple for longknocker last week. I fixed a couple for sofaman, too.
It's not difficult, and it's not expensive. :tu

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

I have a very easy solution for you my friend, move to a place with A/C :r:r



try what the fellas are telling ya to get the humidity down, and then go to your local B&M and look in the sticks of empty boxes for the cedar blocks. Ask if you can buy just those (they might just give them to ya)... they will help soak up a little humidity and help with the fluctuations

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

So it seems the problem is solved. Brotha needs to fix the humi :tu :banger

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

That's what it takes. :)
Or go to Wally and buy a 2 gallon rubbermaid for 10 bucks. They work great. :tu

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

digital. did a salt test, and it was 100% right on

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Might have to do that.

Look for a "WTS - Firewood" in the next few days :mad:

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Most belive it's the extra sugar in the wrapper. They're aged in old whiskey barrels and as a result they get mold under the sleeve very easily. Even in ideal conditions.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Seriously. You're screwing up your smokes. They'd be better of sitting on the kitchen table.
If you wanna send your humi to me, I'll fix it. :tu

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

I put the smokes in 2 gallon size freezer bags, with a bag of beads in each... still at 77% after 24 hours... what the heck is going on?

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

The beads assumed the RH from the leaky humi. You have to readjust them. Read the directions, brother. :tu

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

get a cooler, and use some ice packs to lower the humidity inside it..:2

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

I'll put them in the freezer this evening and try to get them lower. Buying a cooler this afternoon

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Put them in the fridge right now, and they'll probably be down low enough to use when you get your cooler. The fridge will dry them out pretty good.
THE MOMENT you take them out of the firdge you have to put them in a ziplock and suck the air out, or water will condense on them and you'll have defeated your purpose.
It will take multiple, multiple adjustments to get those soggy cigars dried out. It's not going to take a couple days, it's gonna take weeks or months.
It didn't take two days to get them soggy, ya know? :)

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

After you dry out your beads and re-prep them:

Get a thick trash bag (drawstring type) and cover your humidor and throw the humidor in the back of the closet.

Re: MOLD!!! Help!!
 

Most of the cigars arent soggy... just a few here and there.