Seasoning Your Humidor

You have purchased your own humidor and want to know what to do next?  Here are a few pointers to start your humidor and keep it running for years.

1. In general, keep your humidor in an area away from direct sunlight and other heat sources .  In the winter your humidor will require more attention as furnaces tend to make the air dry. 
2. ALWAYS use distilled water or a mixture of (50% propylene glycol and 50% distilled water). I can't stress how very important this is. If you use any other water than distilled water for recharging or starting your humidor, the natural pours in the Spanish cedar will clog up and will cease to retain water that your humidor requires to run smoothly.
3. Remove all cigars and humidifier.  Do not put the cigars back in until at least 6-8 hours after wetting down your humidor.
4. Using a clean sponge or spritzer bottle, wet down the inside Spanish cedar with the distilled water until the cedar looks wet.
5. Wipe away any excess distilled water.
6. Fill up your hydrometer with distilled water.  When your hydrometer stops taking water, it is full.  You should replace the hydrometer every couple of years.
7. Put the and hydrometer back in the humidor and close the box for 6-8 hours.
8. If the Spanish cedar has returned to the original colour and your hygrometer is reading between 60 - 75 degrees you can now put back your cigars into your humidor.

**If you are having real problems with the humidity level in your humidor, I recommend that you re-season it.  Use a very fine grade sandpaper (400), and lightly sand the Spanish Cedar on the inside of the humidor.  Start seasoning all over again, making sure you have completely wiped out any fine grains of wood, spray it down and wait a few hours.**

Recharging Your Humidifier

1. Remove your humidifier from your humidor.
2. Pour distilled water into the humidifier until it will not take any more.
3. Wipe off any excess water.
4. You can also pour the Propylene Glycol/distilled water mixture straight from the bottle into your humidifier.
5. Replace back into your humidor.

Recalibrating Your Hygrometer (analog)

 Although I highly recommend using a digital hygrometer over analog              hygrometer, below is a way you can recalibrate your analog.

1. Remove your analog hygrometer and place in a wet cloth for 1/2 hour.
2. After 1/2 hour the hygrometer should read between 95% and 100% humidity.
3. If you have an adjustable hygrometer and the unit is not reading at least 95% humidity after 1/2 hour you will have to adjust it.
4. If your analog is adjustable you can insert a small screw driver into the screw at the back and turn until it reads between 95% and 100%.
5. You should allow approximately 6-8 hours for the reading to be accurate.