Season a Humidor

A humidor is a special wooden box that’s used to store cigars, cigarettes, and other tobacco products to keep them from drying out. When you first buy a humidor, you have to season it, which is the process of adding moisture so that the box will better retain humidity. A seasoned humidor will keep tobacco products preserved better and for longer. Note that the seasoning process takes several days, so you may want to make other arrangements for your tobacco products in the meantime.

Steps

Seasoning the Humidor

1. Gather your supplies. Humidors are typically made of wood, and because the wood is porous, it will allow moisture to escape. Seasoning the humidor increases the moisture content of the wood, helping it maintain the humidity inside better. To season your humidor, you'll need:
   • Clean dry towel
   • Distilled water
   • Propylene glycol
   • Small bowl
   • Cigar humidifier
   • Clean sponge
   • Plate
   • Hygrometer
2. Clean the humidor. Wipe down the inside and outside of the humidor with a clean, dry towel. This will remove dust, splinters, or anything else that may have accumulated on the wood.
   • Do not use a damp towel or sponge to clean the humidor, as this can cause the wood to warp and swell.
3. Prepare the humidifying solution. Mix half a cup (119 ml) each of propylene glycol and distilled water in a small bowl. This will be used to charge the humidifier, which is a device that will maintain the humidity in your humidor after you season it.
   • Only ever use distilled water for your humidor, because it’s free of impurities.
   • Propylene glycol is a synthetic liquid that will coat the wood, help control the humidity, and prevent mold and bacterial growth.
4. Charge the humidifier. Place the humidifier into the bowl with the humidifying solution. Let it soak in the solution for about 15 minutes, until it’s completely saturated.
   • Remove the humidifier from the solution and place it face down on a clean towel. Let it dry on the towel for 30 minutes. This will allow excess water to drain out, and protect the humidor from water damage.
5. Place your seasoning equipment into the humidor. Remove any shelves and drawers from the humidor. Place the humidifier into the empty humidor, as well as the hygrometer. Then, dampen a clean sponge with distilled water, and wring it out to remove the excess. You want the sponge damp, but not dripping wet.
   • Place the sponge on a plate and place it inside the humidor. If you don’t have a sponge, you can also use a shallow dish filled with an inch (2.5 cm) of distilled water.
   • A hygrometer is an instrument that measures moisture content, or humidity.
6. Close the humidor and let it rest. Replace all the drawers, trays, and shelves inside the humidor. Close the lid and set the humidor aside for three days. Avoid opening the lid during this time, as this will allow moisture to escape, and will slow the seasoning process.
   • Seasoning generally takes between three and five days.
7. Check the humidity. After three days of seasoning, open the lid on the humidor and check the hygrometer to see what the humidity inside is at. The humidity may be anywhere between 60 and 85 percent, but you can only proceed if it’s at 72 percent or higher.
   • If the humidity is below 72 percent, add more water to the sponge, close the lid and leave it for another day. Check again in 24-hour intervals until the humidity reaches 72 percent or higher.
8. Remove the sponge and let the humidity stabilize. Once the humidity inside the humidor reaches at least 72 percent, remove the sponge and plate, and close the lid again. Let the humidor rest for another two days, giving the humidity level time to stabilize.
   • After two days, start checking the humidity level every 24 hours. You want the humidity to stabilize at 70 percent.
   • Once the humidity reaches 70 percent, leave the humidor for another one to two days. Continue checking daily that the humidity stays at that level.
   • Do not otherwise open the lid during this time, as it will affect the humidity level inside.
9. Add your tobacco products. Once the humidity in the humidor stabilizes at 70 percent, you can add your tobacco products for storage. Over the next few days, the tobacco will absorb some of the moisture, and the humidity may drop. That’s fine, as long as the humidity stays between 65 and 70 percent, which is the ideal range for a humidor.
   • If there is too little moisture in the humidor, the tobacco will dry out. Too much humidity, however, and the tobacco could go moldy.
   • Always keep an eye on the humidity level in your humidor to ensure it stays within the safe range.

Maintaining the Relative Humidity

1. Keep the humidifier charged. Once your humidor is seasoned, you will still have to maintain the humidity in order to preserve your tobacco products. Anytime the humidity level dips to 65 percent or lower, recharge the humidifier.
   • To recharge the humidifier, soak it in a half-and-half distilled water and propylene glycol solution for 15 minutes.
   • When the humidifier is saturated with the solution, set it on a towel to dry for 30 minutes.
   • When the excess moisture has dripped out, return the humidifier to the humidor.
2. Check the seal. The seal on the humidor is integral to maintaining the humidity inside. If the seal isn't tight enough, moisture will escape, and you'll always be battling a dry humidor. If there's a problem with the seal, you may need to exchange or replace the humidor.
   • To test the seal on the humidor, place a piece of paper halfway inside the humidor. Close the lid so the paper is trapped between the lid and the humidor. To test the seal, gently pull on the piece of paper. If it comes out easily, there's a problem with the seal. If there's resistance and the paper doesn’t easily move, the seal is fine.
   • Repeat with all sides of the humidor to test the seal all around.
3. Store the humidor in the right environment. Part of keeping your humidor at the right humidity level is storing it properly, and that means keeping it in the right place and at the right temperature. The ideal location for your humidor is a cool spot that’s out of direct sunlight.
   • The right temperature for a humidor is between 60 and 75 F (15.5 and 24 C).
4. Open the humidor to lower the humidity. When the humidity inside the humidor becomes to high, you can easily lower it by opening the lid. Leave the humidor open for 30 minutes.
   • In 24 hours, check the humidity level again. If it’s still high, leave the lid open for another 30-minute interval. Repeat daily until the humidity stabilizes.
5. Recalibrate the hygrometer. An inaccurate hygrometer can often be blamed for the humidity reading in a humidor. Often, you may find that the humidity level is fine, and it’s the hygrometer that’s off. This is especially true with analog hygrometers, which tend to be more inaccurate than digital ones.
   • If you're having trouble keeping your humidor at the right level, try recalibrating the hygrometer.

Things You'll Need

• Clean dry towel
• Distilled water
• Propylene glycol
• Small bowl
• Cigar humidifier
• Clean sponge
• Plate
• Hygrometer

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• Light a Cigar
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• Smoke a Tobacco Pipe
• Make a Hookah
• Make a Cheap Hookah
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Sources and Citations

See also

• Smoke a Cigar
• Light a Cigar
• Cut a Cigar
• Prepare a Humidor
• Make a Tea Cigar
• Roll a Cigar
• Flavor Cigars or Pipe Tobacco
• Be a Dipper
• Store a Cigar
• Freak a Black & Mild Cigar

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• Prepare a Humidor