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How to Humidify Cigars

Collecting cigars and smoking them is a common hobby shared by aficionados throughout the world. Since cigars are made out of tobacco leaves and are therefore organic, they have a short lifespan if measures aren't taken to preserve them. Humidity is key to taking care of your cigars, and collectors will need to manage the level of humidity with the help of a humidor and the appropriate humidifying tools. It's important to note that humidifying cigars isn't just to preserve them and increase their shelf life. Humidifying cigars also seasons them and makes them taste and smoke better. Before humidifying your cigars, however, there are a series of steps to follow in order to set up your humidor.

Things You'll Need

Humidor
Hygrometer
Humidifier
Propylene Glycol activator solution
Cigars

Instructions

- 1
  Purchase a humidor and digital hygrometer that can be used to measure the humidity in your humidor. Make sure that the digital hygrometer can measure humidity at a minimum of 72 percent and a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Most humidors come with analog hygrometers that are usually cheaply made and inconsistent. Purchasing a digital version will take care of potential quality issues. Peel off the adhesive tape on the digital hygrometer and stick it on the cedar lid's interior.
- 2
  Begin your new humidor's seasoning process by placing a small bowl with 2 tbsp. of iodine salt mixed with enough distilled water to moisten the salt inside the humidor. Close the humidor until the hygrometer shows that the humidity level has reached around 72 percent. By this time, the right amount of moisture has been absorbed into the cedar interior of the humidor.
- 3
  Remove the small bowl filled with iodine salt and distilled water. Install the metal frame that holds the humidifier; the frame is included with the humidor. Peel the adhesive tape that sticks to the magnet portion connected to the humidifier and stick it on the cedar interior of the humidor's lid.
- 4
  Prepare the humidifier by adding an activator solution. The humidifier has a green sponge inside which needs to be lubricated by a propylene glycol activator solution. This solution -- consisting of 50 percent propylene glycol and 50 percent distilled water -- is sold at pipe and cigar stores. You only need to moisten the sponge with the solution. The activator solution will help manage the humidity levels in the humidor and prevent bacteria from growing. Stick the rest of the humidifier, using the magnet that came with it, onto the metal frame that is already connected to the cedar interior of the humidor.
- 5
  Pack your cigars into the humidor and begin the humidifying and seasoning process. If the cigars were recently purchased, it's best to leave them in the humidor for several weeks or months in order to let the humidity draw out more flavor from them.

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