best way to clean mold off a cigar?

spectrrr · 10-22-2008, 01:59 AM

What I have read (and am about to do if someone doesnt stop me) is to gently wipe the cigar down with rubbing alcohol.

I've got a couple CC's that I don't want to lose OR ruin. They've got just a little bit of mold growing around the cap, and obviously I want to stop it in its tracks NOW

humidor likewise has been wiped with rubbing alcohol and is reseasoning, while everything waits in ziplock bags...

(gah, and I was only gone for 3 weeks... its past time to switch to beads, they're on the way!)

Pyro · 10-22-2008, 03:11 AM

STOP!

Never ever use rubbing alcohol, or any other solvent on your cigars!

First of all, is it white mold? If so, you do not have to wipe it off, whiping it away does not stop the infestion. The only way to do that is to keep the relative humidity down! It is not dangerous to smoke cigars with white mold and it seldom affects the taste (actually some people, me included, claim that it seems that some mold could be beneficial for the taste, this is not proven yet though!). If you however feel uncomfortable smoking a cigar with white mold you can gently wipe it off with a dry soft cloth or soft brush.

Remember that the visible part of the mold is a smaller part of its total mass. Most of it is inside the tobacco!

Lastly, is the mold green? Then it is unfortunately nothing to do but pitching the stick!

Edit:
Whiping the inside of the humidor with alcohol will not stop mold infestion either since spores of mold is everywhere in our environment! The only way is to keep the RH at reasonable levels, like 65-70 % that most cigar smokers prefer. Check your hygrometer!

icehog3 · 10-22-2008, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pyro

STOP!

Never ever use rubbing alcohol, or any other solvent on your cigars!

Sage advice.

spectrrr · 10-22-2008, 03:37 AM

thanks guys

I didnt wipe em with alcohol. I was a bit leery of that advice (hence the post), but I didnt know what else to do. Its the white variety. I very gently wiped it off (dry cloth), and will keep the sticks in isolation for a bit.

Hygrometer is fine, no beads + 3 weeks out of town + person that was supposed to check on them not checking on them, that did em in. Came home tonight to find the humi at 71%

BEADS ARE ORDERED!!!

Pyro · 10-22-2008, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spectrrr

...I very gently wiped it off, and will keep the sticks in isolation for a bit...

There is no need of separating them from other cigars since the mold will stop growing when the RH is lowered! The spores are already spread to all of your cigars but as I stated above, spores were most probably present in the cigars from the beginning!

spectrrr · 10-22-2008, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pyro

There is no need of separating them from other cigars since the mold will stop growing when the RH is lowered! The spores are already spread to all of your cigars but as I stated above, spores were most probably present in the cigars from the beginning!

ahh ok.. and some cigars grow it easier (sooner) than others, gotcha! Thanks!

10-22-2008, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pyro

STOP!

Never ever use rubbing alcohol, or any other solvent on your cigars!

First of all, is it white mold? If so, you do not have to wipe it off, whiping it away does not stop the infestion. The only way to do that is to keep the relative humidity down! It is not dangerous to smoke cigars with white mold and it seldom affects the taste (actually some people, me included, claim that it seems that some mold could be beneficial for the taste, this is not proven yet though!). If you however feel uncomfortable smoking a cigar with white mold you can gently wipe it off with a dry soft cloth or soft brush.

Remember that the visible part of the mold is a smaller part of its total mass. Most of it is inside the tobacco!

Lastly, is the mold green? Then it is unfortunately nothing to do but pitching the stick!

Edit:
Whiping the inside of the humidor with alcohol will not stop mold infestion either since spores of mold is everywhere in our environment! The only way is to keep the RH at reasonable levels, like 65-70 % that most cigar smokers prefer. Check your hygrometer!

10-22-2008, 07:23 AM

The senior sales fellow at P.G.C. Hajenius in Amsterdam showed me how to remove a fine covering of white mold with a soft brush. White mold has never been an issue with me since.

I HATE the blue mold, though. That stuff is nasty.

10-22-2008, 07:36 AM

Where I leave there are no decent B&Ms around. Just a bunch of shops that sell cigarettes and lottery tickets and a cabinet of cigars that they don't know how to take care of. I've been to a bunch of them, but the humidity levels are all over the place.

One shop I went into had 2 partial boxes of MC #4s that were completely covered in green mold. It was really bad and obviously had not been looked at in a long time. Enough to make a guy cry.

ucla695 · 10-22-2008, 07:53 AM

Blue mold, bad. White mold is not a problem as long as it hasn't infested the foot. I use a damp cloth and gently wipe down the spots where the fuzzies are. I'd keep an eye on the stick(s) to make sure it doesn't come back. Ditto on lowering your RH. It will help prevent this problem.

10-22-2008, 01:59 AM	#1
spectrrr Back in the midwest! Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Frank Location: Ohio Posts: 5,596 Trading: (20)	best way to clean mold off a cigar? What I have read (and am about to do if someone doesnt stop me) is to gently wipe the cigar down with rubbing alcohol. I've got a couple CC's that I don't want to lose OR ruin. They've got just a little bit of mold growing around the cap, and obviously I want to stop it in its tracks NOW humidor likewise has been wiped with rubbing alcohol and is reseasoning, while everything waits in ziplock bags... (gah, and I was only gone for 3 weeks... its past time to switch to beads, they're on the way!)

10-22-2008, 03:11 AM	#2
Pyro Just in from the Storm Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Per Location: Sweden Posts: 30 Trading: (0)	Re: best way to clean mold off a cigar? STOP! Never ever use rubbing alcohol, or any other solvent on your cigars! First of all, is it white mold? If so, you do not have to wipe it off, whiping it away does not stop the infestion. The only way to do that is to keep the relative humidity down! It is not dangerous to smoke cigars with white mold and it seldom affects the taste (actually some people, me included, claim that it seems that some mold could be beneficial for the taste, this is not proven yet though!). If you however feel uncomfortable smoking a cigar with white mold you can gently wipe it off with a dry soft cloth or soft brush. Remember that the visible part of the mold is a smaller part of its total mass. Most of it is inside the tobacco! Lastly, is the mold green? Then it is unfortunately nothing to do but pitching the stick! Edit: Whiping the inside of the humidor with alcohol will not stop mold infestion either since spores of mold is everywhere in our environment! The only way is to keep the RH at reasonable levels, like 65-70 % that most cigar smokers prefer. Check your hygrometer! Last edited by Pyro; 10-22-2008 at 03:13 AM.

10-22-2008, 07:23 AM	#8
ElkTwin Guest Posts: n/a	Re: best way to clean mold off a cigar? The senior sales fellow at P.G.C. Hajenius in Amsterdam showed me how to remove a fine covering of white mold with a soft brush. White mold has never been an issue with me since. I HATE the blue mold, though. That stuff is nasty.

10-22-2008, 07:36 AM	#9
kayaker Guest Posts: n/a	Re: best way to clean mold off a cigar? Where I leave there are no decent B&Ms around. Just a bunch of shops that sell cigarettes and lottery tickets and a cabinet of cigars that they don't know how to take care of. I've been to a bunch of them, but the humidity levels are all over the place. One shop I went into had 2 partial boxes of MC #4s that were completely covered in green mold. It was really bad and obviously had not been looked at in a long time. Enough to make a guy cry.

10-22-2008, 07:53 AM	#10
ucla695 Neither here, nor there Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Pool Posts: 3,696 Trading: (5)	Re: best way to clean mold off a cigar? Blue mold, bad. White mold is not a problem as long as it hasn't infested the foot. I use a damp cloth and gently wipe down the spots where the fuzzies are. I'd keep an eye on the stick(s) to make sure it doesn't come back. Ditto on lowering your RH. It will help prevent this problem.

10-22-2008, 03:37 AM	#4
spectrrr Back in the midwest! Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Frank Location: Ohio Posts: 5,596 Trading: (20)	Re: best way to clean mold off a cigar? thanks guys I didnt wipe em with alcohol. I was a bit leery of that advice (hence the post), but I didnt know what else to do. Its the white variety. I very gently wiped it off (dry cloth), and will keep the sticks in isolation for a bit. Hygrometer is fine, no beads + 3 weeks out of town + person that was supposed to check on them not checking on them, that did em in. Came home tonight to find the humi at 71% BEADS ARE ORDERED!!! Last edited by spectrrr; 10-22-2008 at 03:40 AM.