To keep your cigars at the best humidity and temperature, a humidor is a must! It prevents mould, drying out and encourages ageing and maturation of the leaf. Inside a humidor you will find a small round or square device (like below) that holds humidor solution. The solution ensures the humidity inside the humidor is consistent. If it is too moist, the solution absorbs, if too dry, the solution releases. Simple right?
There is really no trick to the solution itself. There are many different 'types' on the market advertising the latest and greatest, where reality is they are all the same. (see below for how to make it). The important part is how it is stored and how freely it can absorb and release. So in comes the humidifier.
The humidifier comes in various shapes and sizes and usually has a ‘grate’ type look at the top.
To charge the humidifier follow these easy steps.
1. Remove the humidifier from the humidor.
2. Squirt our awesome Humidor Solution onto the grate.
3. Be sure NOT to overfill, you want the humidifier to be wet, NOT soaking.
4. Use a cloth to wipe off any excess liquid from the front
5. Re-attach the humidifier into the humidor
EASY!
Some personal tips and observations.
The first time you charge your humidifier will require more solution. I found that while experimenting with our awesome Humidor Solution, the humidifier needed filling about twice in one week. I thought this was strange, however after doing some research, the reason is that the humidor and cigars need to adjust to the humidity and as such require more of the solution to stabilize.
After this initial period, I check the hygrometer at least weekly, (sometimes daily... such nice cigars!) and top up the humidifier every 3-4 weeks. Some suggest filling the humidifier with distilled water in between those weeks, however I have found it easier to just keep using solution.
Remember that when you put new cigars in the humidor, they will need some time to stabilize, so make sure you check the humidity regularly, and you may need to fill the humidifier a bit sooner.
A 250 ml bottle of humidor solution should last a 50-100 cigar humidor about a year in normal conditions.
I make the humidor solution myself using a 50/50 mix of Propylene glycol and Distilled water. I fill the humidifier up with the solution every 3-4 weeks if needed. In the warmer weather i tend to fill up 2-3 times with distilled water only and then the 4th time again with the solution. Reason being that the Propylene Glycol doesn't evaporate as quickly as the water.