How to Set Up and Season a Humidor

If you have just bought your first humidor or need to re-season as part of your regular cigar maintenance, this guide will walk you through the process to get your humidor working optimally.  

First, remove all the cigars from your humidor.  For short term storage, tupperware containers actually do a really good job of maintaining the humidity of your cigars.  

Next, pick up a brand new sponge and a bottle of distilled water.  It is very important that the sponge is new and that the water is distilled, as these are measures to prevent bacteria such as mold from growing in your humidor and ruining all of your expensive cigars.  Put a bit of the distilled water on the sponge and wipe down the cedar interior of your humidor.  Do not drench it, but be thorough.  The most important area is the lip around the perimeter of the humidor.  You really want to get that wood swollen to ensure a good seal.  

Now that you’ve wiped down the inside, set down a small sandwich bag at the bottom of the humidor and put the sponge on top of it so the wood doesn’t warp from the moisture.  It will also help to fill your humidifier with either the distilled water or your pre-mixed glycol solution and put that in the humidor as well.  Close the lid and let sit for 12 hours.  You are going to want to repeat the wiping down process 4 to 6 times, with the sponge sitting inside the humidor when you’re done.  

After you wipe down the cedar for the last time, do not put the sponge back inside the humidor.  Just close the lid and let it sit for 24 hours.  Take your hygrometer, set it back in the humidor, and you should be close to 68-72% relative humidity.  If it’s not at least 68% rh, repeat the process.  If the rh is where it’s supposed to be and the cedar interior of your humidor seems dry, put your cigars back in.  

This process should be repeated every other year or as needed.  Just be sure to add either distilled water or the glycol solution as needed to keep your cigars humid.  Also, consider buying some Boveda Humidipaks.  They replace your standard humidifier bar and are inexpensive and easy.  Just take them out of the cellophane, throw them anywhere in the humidor, and don’t worry about the humidity for months.  They are guaranteed to keep your cigars right where they need to be.  

If you’re thinking of buying your first humidor or are looking to upgrade, be sure to check out our beautiful selection of humidors at RegencyCigar.com