Quote:
Originally Posted by MagiAndrew
You can also use a humidifying solution that not only resists mold, but helps to keep your cigars at optimum humidity. You can find it at most any cigar merchants under a variety of brands, but it's all basically a 50/50 propylene glycol/distilled water solution. I usually fill my humidifiers with that every third time I fill them. The other times it's distilled water only.
The article posted mentioned trying to salvage the moldy cigars. This probably won't work. It's best to just get rid of them.
HOWEVER, is the "mold" only on the cigars or the humidor as well. If the mold is white and easily brushed off the cigars it is not mold, but "bloom." This is actually desirable and indicates a properly aged cigar. Because you were using tap water, you most likely have mold. Just be sure that before you toss those cigars and use alcohol in your humidor that it's not bloom.
Good luck.
-Andrew
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Completely agree with Andrew here. One question that needs to be answered as well to be sure that you can actually save the humidor itself is whether or not if the humidor is lined with standard spanish cedar wood. The fact that you had mold in the first place with a humidor with spanish cedar wood would be a bit surprising, as the chances that the mold had the time to grow within the humidor is odd as it naturally acts as a repellent against it.
However, through time and without proper moisture in the humidor, it can occur. As stated above, immediately remove the mold, and isolate the cigars away from those that do, as it can QUICKLY spread to the rest of the cigars.
Two more recommendations if you're looking to save the humidor is to:
1) After wiping down the humidor with the 50/50 solution, keep the humidor closed WITHOUT the cigars for about 24hrs as it gives time and an ideal atmosphere for the solution to set into the spanish cedar, and not the cigars. During this process you can keep your cigars in the fridge (only do this for short periods of time)
2) Make sure that the humidifier within the humidor is constantly monitored. After filling the humidifier, its custom to refill the humidifier every 30-45 days depending on the size.
If you want more instructions, you can go here where there is a wealth of information:
Help*-*Humidors Cigar Humidor Accessories StogiesHumidors.com
Hope this helps.