Help do I have mold?

[tooomanycolors]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AItF2vJ7dL...h/CIMG0043.JPG

please I need to know, Im freakin out

[markem]

yes, but it is a very mild case. Wipe the sticks down to get rid of the white mold and all will be okay. Wipe out the box or case they are in as well. The white mold is stuff that is in everyday air and merely indicates that the sticks got too wet at one point. Won't affect the flavor at all.

I just use soft strokes with a terrycloth towel when it happens to me. Never seems to come back.

[cort]

I am no expert but that looks like mold to me.

DONT freak out. Simply wipe them off and they will be fine. As long as there is no mold on the foot you will be okay.

Also you should wipe out the humi they were in and let it air out for a few days.

[kaelaria]

You do need to closely inspect in the feet. If you see spores in them, you can't clean them. Wipe the humidor out with alcohol. I detailed my recent encounter with it as well: http://cigarobsession.com/2009/04/10/mold/

[bonjing]

what would the difference be if there is mold on the body or on the foot? isn't mold, mold?

Originally Posted by bonjing

what would the difference be if there is mold on the body or on the foot? isn't mold, mold?

if mold is on the foot it may have made it further into the cigar and is very bad for your health... anything else can be wiped off.

oh, and I vote plume hands down a great case of plume at that

[MedicCook]

Originally Posted by SixPackSunday

if mold is on the foot it may have made it further into the cigar and is very bad for your health... anything else can be wiped off.

This struck me funny.

[kaelaria]

Not plume not by a long shot.

You can remove the mold from the outside. Once it's inside, it's non reachable. It's not just a health thing (not that it is likely to kill you any faster than the cigar LOL). The mold will destroy the stick and infect all others in the humidor very quickly.

[bonjing]

see that's what confuses me about wiping mold of the body.

from what i learned in the food service classes (what i kind of remember) is that once you have mold growth you have to at least cut off a min of 1" deep of the infected area to remove any growth/rooting and can't simply wipe off any growth.

[kaelaria]

I didn't realize they taught care of fermented tobacco leaves in food service class

[bonjing]

i know i'm comparing apples and oranges, but i still figure mold is mold.


just trying ta learn and understand

[kaelaria]

Mold is mold, but you are correct - thats apples and oranges. I know how to kill it on my patio furniture too, but I'm not doing that to food or my cigars

[MedicCook]

Originally Posted by kaelaria

Mold is mold, but you are correct - thats apples and oranges. I know how to kill it on my patio furniture too, but I'm not doing that to food or my cigars

Unless you are giving it to that in-law you never really liked.

[kaelaria]

Oh that's so mean! (writing that down for later use...)

[bonjing]

but in order to remove the mold, you have to kill its roots. doesn't the mold on the surface of the stick also root through and into the stick?

don't get me wrong i do listened to the BOTL here and also wipe any mold that i had on one of my sticks and still smoked it.

i guess my friends are right i tend to over think chit

edit-

oh, on a side not as not having experienced plum, can plume be wiped off if you thought it's mold?

[M1903A1]

Originally Posted by kaelaria

You do need to closely inspect in the feet. If you see spores in them, you can't clean them. Wipe the humidor out with alcohol. I detailed my recent encounter with it as well: http://cigarobsession.com/2009/04/10/mold/

If I see mold on the foot, I cut off about a quarter-inch and reinspect.

[M1903A1]

Originally Posted by SixPackSunday

oh, and I vote plume hands down a great case of plume at that

You must work at a B&M!

Originally Posted by tooomanycolors

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AItF2vJ7dL...h/CIMG0043.JPG

please I need to know, Im freakin out

I would suggest it is mold, plume is almost like fine crystalline white sand on your cigars, (it is the residue of oils exuding from cigars and crystalizing) it will refract light (sparkle) and is spread very evenly over the cigar not concentrated in certain areas, check close up mold is well furry and grows in clumps.

Here is a close up of plume refracting light

Don't worry though take each individual cigar and gently wipe the mold off with a soft cloth or paper towel, repeat the process with a clean cloth on each cigar to help insure that all the mold spoors are gone.

Carefully wipe out your humidor, if you have any rooted mold, use a very fine grit sandpaper and gently sand the area to get any mold out of the wood. You can wipe it down with de-natured alchol if you are very worried but unless you have a forest in there my opinion is this is overkill.

Don't worry about flavor issues they will be just fine, inspect the feet carefully if there is mold you need to toss them, the reason is that you cannot ensure that all the mold is out as it can grow up inside the cigar whereas the mold on the wrapper has not as yet penetrated the stick.

The basis for tossing it is not about flavor (although I have never smoked mold) but rather a health issue so I am told, although how that compares to smoking tobacco I am unsure.

Hope that helps.

[tooomanycolors]

This is funny, if you were able to see the cigars in person, they are obviously coated in the fine crystalling powder you were talking about, and not in spores.

so thanks for your inputs...