How to Remove Mildew From a Cigar Humidor

Remove the cigars from the humidor, and place them on a clean towel on the side. Do not keep any cigars that have mold or mildew already formed on the leaves inside or on the wrap outside the cigar.

Put on disposable plastic gloves, and place old newspaper on a flat table surface. Place the humidor over the newspaper, and sand the interior of the humidor with 150 grit sandpaper. Wear a dust mask while sanding, especially if there is a lot of mildew that has formed inside already.

Take a tack cloth and blot the sandy residue inside the humidor to get out the mildew parts that were sanded off the sides of the humidor. Take an old wet rag and wipe clean the inside of the humidor, to catch any loose pieces of wood dust. Let the humidor air dry completely, and dispose of the old rag.

Use isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol, to remove stubborn mildew that was not removed from sanding. This would be mildew that is embedded into the wood wall of the humidor. Take a second old rag and dip the end of it in alcohol, rubbing against the inside of the humidor until the mildew begins to lift. Repeat if necessary, and air-dry.

Use a scraping tool such as a putty knife or a small utility knife to scrape away parts of the wood interior where stubborn mildew is staining the wood. Take away small parts of the wood in little sections, until the mildew is completely removed, then sand again.

Use wood filler to seal in any hairline cracks or gauges within the humidor, especially after removing small sections with the knife. Let the wood filler dry, then gently sand over the sections that were filled, and remove wood dust with tack cloth. Fix any loose hinges or seals in the humidor, if that is what allowed the moisture within the humidor in the first place. Make sure the humidor is air tight and mildew-free, to eliminate problems with cigars and storage as well. Place cigars back into the humidor.