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Metallifan33

Metallifan33

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I haven’t been smoking a lot lately (too busy with work and life). I live in Phoenix and have a New Air humi that I’ve owned for over two years. Never had any problems. I have 65% beads in it. And it normally runs between 62 and 65 (calibrated hygros). Lately I’ve noticed it running around 69 to 70. I’ve only been opening it once or twice a month. Anyway, today I opened it to rotate the cigars and noticed white mold in one of the boxes. Sux. No signs in any of the other boxes, but I’m worried... one of the boxes in the humi is a box of Opuses I’ve collected in the last two years.
Anyway, I’m throwing away the box and the Cohiba with the mold. What should I do with the rest? Is it time to panic?
Will do some mold research on this site, but I’m sure you can understand my anxiety at the moment... as such I’m posting this.





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Metallifan33

Metallifan33

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The plan is to get rid of the box and moldy cigars (3). I'm putting the rest of the sticks that were in the box in a zip lock bag (to see what happens to them). But any advice about the rest of the boxes in the humi? Should I dry it out and wipe it down with the alcohol?
 
Glassman

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Surface mold, those are still smokeable. Wipe them off and smoke them unless they have fuzzy in the foot.

Wipe off with a clean rag, or slightly wetted with high proof whiskey. (if it makes you feel better)

You can clean the boxes and humi with peroxide. Less residual smell.

Has it been abnormally warm in the room lately? Recently add some sticks that may have been over humidified?

Maybe pull the beads and let them dry down a bit?
 
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Metallifan33

Metallifan33

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Thanks... actually, it's winter here, so it's been cooler than usual (however the New Air is set to cool to 65 degrees). I did spray the beads recently and may have overdone it as the hygros were reading 70 (65% beads). But that was only a couple of weeks ago. I can't imagine the mold grew in a few weeks of 70%.
 
Metallifan33

Metallifan33

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Hopduro said:
*cough* boveda

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Hey Man. How've you been?
Yeah, I happened to have some 58% Boveda packs, so I removed the 65% beads and the affected box and put the 58% packs in. Will check it tomorrow. Hopefully, the rest of the boxes are ok. Don't have the time to wipe them down before I leave town in the morning.
 
Bondo 440

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Metallifan33 said:
Thanks... actually, it's winter here, so it's been cooler than usual (however the New Air is set to cool to 65 degrees). I did spray the beads recently and may have overdone it as the hygros were reading 70 (65% beads). But that was only a couple of weeks ago. I can't imagine the mold grew in a few weeks of 70%.
Click to expand...
I have the HeartFelt beads. To recharge them, my whitepapers (online) said you do not spray them directly. They go in a smaller container like Tupperware with a small container of distilled water. They residually recharge.
But I believe that is because upon direct contact the little cells can "burst" , disabling their function.

I'd pitch the beads, quarantine any suspect cigars, wipe out the humi, and get a tray of Silica Kitty Litter . It always takes a sealed environment to 65RH quicker than anything else I've used.
 
Metallifan33

Metallifan33

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How long do you think I'll have to wait till I'm confident the rest are ok?
For example, if there is no mold on the rest of the sticks in a couple of weeks, would I be in the clear? or could they all be "contaminated" forever?
Damn, can't believe a couple of weeks at 70% killed me. I've always liked 65%, but I honestly thought most cigar shops keep theirs at 70%, which is why I didn't freak out when I noticed it.
 
Bondo 440

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Metallifan33 said:
How long do you think I'll have to wait till I'm confident the rest are ok?
For example, if there is no mold on the rest of the sticks in a couple of weeks, would I be in the clear? or could they all be "contaminated" forever?
Damn, can't believe a couple of weeks at 70% killed me. I've always liked 65%, but I honestly thought most cigar shops keep theirs at 70%, which is why I didn't freak out when I noticed it.
Click to expand...
Did you refresh those HCF beads with tap water by any chance?
 
Glassman

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Metallifan33 said:
How long do you think I'll have to wait till I'm confident the rest are ok?
For example, if there is no mold on the rest of the sticks in a couple of weeks, would I be in the clear? or could they all be "contaminated" forever?
Damn, can't believe a couple of weeks at 70% killed me. I've always liked 65%, but I honestly thought most cigar shops keep theirs at 70%, which is why I didn't freak out when I noticed it.
Click to expand...
The spores are always present, and that's a really light growth.
How recently were the hygros calibrated?
I think you'll be fine overall.
 
Bondo 440

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Metallifan33 said:
No. I use distilled water.
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Just checking. I had a friend get one of those "Glasstop + 20" humidor offers and he used tap water and it went to hell real quick .

// I don't know how long it would be safe to reintroduce the cigars that pass quarantine and scrutiny ... but I would imagine 14 days would suffice. You'll be fine this is totally recoverable. Just keep the obvious moldies out of there.
 
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