Expert: Bill Finck Jr. - 1/5/2010

Question
Bought my husband a cigar humidifier for Christmas.  I was told to soak the box and let is sit for 24 hours.  After that I was to place the humidifier wet inside the box and add cigars.  How often do we do this and what should the % on the meter in front of cigar box read?

Answer
Debbie,

First, you don't want to soak the box - the water can cause the joints to swell and loosen. Just take a damp cloth and wipe it out to remove any dust and add a little moisture to the wood.

The humidifier should be filled with either distilled water or even better a propylene glycol solution (available at any reputable cigar store#. Leave the humidor closed with the humidifier inside for about 24 hours, then put your cigars in it. After another 24 hours or so your hygrometer #the gauge on the front of the box) will tell you what your relative humidity is. Assuming a temperature of 70 Fahrenheit, your humidity should be around 70%. If your temperature is higher, the humidity should be lower. This is not exact, but basically for every degree your temperature is above 70, your humidity should be 1% below 70.

Check the gauge every few days, and when you see it start to drop in humidity, you'll know its time to add more solution to the humidifier.

If you'd like more detailed instructions on humidor use, send your email address to me at b.finck@finckcigarcompany.com and I'll email you a paper I have written

Hope this helps.
Bill