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How Do I Break-in A New Humidor?
First you need to re-humidify the wood before you store your cigars or you may ruin them. The reason is, when you put your cigars into a new dry humidor, the wood will absorb their moisture and you will be left with dry useless cigars. Not why you bought a humidor in the first place. All humidors should be re-humidified before their first use.
It’s simple:
Put a small open container of distilled water in the humidor
Put hygrometer inside humidor (not necessarily included with humidor)
Wet the humidifier (not necessarily included with humidor) with distilled water or a 50/50 solution of distilled water and propylene glycol.
Place humidification device inside humidor
You should check the relative humidity every day. Depending on a number of variables this might take a few days. When your hygrometer is indicating a number in the 70 range it is safe to store your cigars inside.
Another Method:
Take a sponge moistened with distilled water and wipe down the interior surfaces of the humidor repeating as necessary to achieve a proper and consistant humidity level indicated in the 70 range.
If you properly maintain your humidor, recharging your humidification device as necessay, you will never have to wait to store your cigars again.
How And When Do I Wet The Humidifier?
When refilling or charging your humidifier, remove it from your humidor. Dampen the humidifier with distilled water or a 50/50 solution of distilled water and propylene glycol, also called activator solution. Do not soak the humidifier. You want it damp not wet. A few squirts of distilled water or activator solution will be enough to keep it charged for a few months depending on the environment the humidor is in. Repeat when your hygrometer indicates the humidity level dropping below the 70 range or if you notice your cigars are starting to get dry.
Why Not Use Tap or Filtered Water?
Both are full of dissolved minerals which will ultimately plug your humidifier. The PH is balanced in Tap water has with chemicals to balance the PH factor and may interfere with the activator solutions’ ability to maintain a constant level of humidity.
How Do I Take Care Of A Humidor?
Never clean the inside of a humidor with anything other than a damp clean sponge or cloth (remember the distilled water!). Any cleaner will leave vapors behind that will ruin your cigars. Take care of the outside in the same manner you would care for any fine furniture.
What Can I Do About Cigars That Have Dried Out?
First, If they dried out in your humidor, you will need to re-humidify your humidor (see top of page) during the period you are restoring your cigars. Don’t put fresh cigars in humidor until you have restored the proper and consistent humidity.
Now about those cigars.
Step 1: Take the cigar(s) and place in a zip-lock bag with some holes poked in it for a couple of days out of the sun in a cool place (under the vanity in the bathroom might not be bad idea).
Step 2: Put a damp sponge(remember the distilled water!) into the bag.
Step 3: Wait! This could take a couple of weeks or more. Check the sponge to make sure it hasn’t become totally dry. If so re-wet (moist!)
Step 4: Put the cigars back in the humidor and let them rest a couple more weeks to stabilize.
I know this is a long proceedure, but after all you may have saved a great cigar, not to mention cost or replacement.
Should I Leave The Wrappers On My Cigars In The Humidor?
It’s a personal preference. They don't really help or hurt the storage of a cigar in a humidor. The cellophane wrappers are porous and allow moisture in and out. They mainly protect the cigars from being damaged during handling.
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