Beetles...? Mold...? Nooooo!!!
Now if you did have a Beetle infestation problem, put the cigars in the same freezer bag without the humidifier and place them in the freezer for 36hrs. After that, place them in the Fridge for another 48hrs at its coldest setting. Then for another 24hrs let them sit in the Fridge at its normal setting. The freezer killed the beetle larva but the gradual warming will prevent the cigars from expanding too quickly due to the sudden warmer temps and splitting the wrappers.
While the chilling process is underway, you need to clean the humidor. Vacuum it out thoroughly then wipe it down with a damp cloth, much like you did when seasoning it. Once you have wiped it down, you may need to put the toothpicks, dish, and lightly damp foam/sponge back in until your cigars are out of decontamination. After the last 24hrs, you can now place your cigars back into the humidor.
You will find many opinions on the web about the subject of cigar mold and weather or not if it's dangerous. What's more, you will find numerous tips on how to remove the mold in order to salvage your sticks. Below are the best explanations I've come across after skimming the web for answers.
Q: Is it White Mold or bloom/plume?
A: It has been argued by many tobacconists that the white fuzz on the cigar wrapper is actually bloom or plume, a natural sign of a well aged cigar. However, bloom/plume is not white and fuzzy and usually doesn't appear until after the first full year of aging, according to experts and those who have experience aging cigars. Bloom/plume actually appears as a thin layer of crystal like dust on the wrapper which is the result of the tobaccos natural oils crystallizing from the long aging process. On the other hand mold is mold; raised and fuzzy just like the mold on bread and can show up as quickly as the first few weeks.
Q: Is the cigar bad once white mold is spotted?
A: Actually, despite common beliefs, the white mold wont hurt you as it is formed from air-born spores which are everywhere. If you can wipe the white fuzzy stuff off and the wrapper looks clean, smoke away! It hasn't been proven to make you sick nor effect the taste of the smoke. So your local tobacco shop owner isn’t totally wrong when he/she says it’s still a good cigar! However, it is recommended almost everywhere that if the white mold has developed at the foot (the open end which you light) that you should pitch the the stick, as the growth has gone beyond the surface and is now deep inside the binder and filler.
Q: Green/Blue Mold?
A: This is the bad stuff which is known to ruin your humidor and cigars, staining everything it grows on when wiped off and rendering the tobacco useless. Remove affected cigars quickly when you see this type of mold and make sure it hasn't spread to the wood of your humidor.
Q: What’s the best way to remove the white mold with out ruining the cigar?
A: I have read several articles, and as you will read in some sources below, a towel dampened with rubbing alcohol is the way to go. But you will also see below, and I agree, to never use alcohol on your cigars, EVER. Just use a clean dry cloth or brush and make sure all the mold is removed. If you want you can LIGHTLY dampen a towel with distilled water and wipe your cigars down. Again, if the mold is at the foot, pitch it.
Q: Do I need to separate the affected cigars from the good ones? (White Mold)
A: This too is a common misconception. The spores that form white mold are air-born as I stated before, so they are everywhere no matter where you go. Separating cigars won’t make a huge difference since they all shared the humidor anyway. Just pull the affected cigars out and clean them making sure the temp and humidity drops in the humidor before putting them back.
Q: How do I rid my humidor of mold?
A: You can’t actually get rid of mold or the spores that form it but you can prevent it from growing. To do so, you must keep your cigar storage environment between 60% - 70% humidity and 60 - 70 degrees fareheit. Never allow the Humidity to go above 80%, this will germinate the spores and cause mold to grow. And never allow the temperature to rise above 75 degrees as this too aids in the molds growth.
NOTE: The avoiding high temperature is also true for tobacco beetles. Temperatures above 75 degrees farenheit will incubate the eggs, hatching the beetles which yes, eat your cigars!!!
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