Is this MOLD???!

[Ryan81]

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post. I have been searching around the net for somebody with a similar experience/problem. Hopefully somebody on here has the answer. It is a pleasure being part of this community, and I look forward to getting you know you all. Here is my problem:

Recently, after I noticed my stash of cigars were getting dried out, I decided to take them all out and re-season my humidors. I thought that perhaps when I initially seasoned my humidors, I didn't have enough patience and started storing cigars in there a little too early. I decided that this time, I was going to take my time and force myself to have a little patience.

After 5 days of patient seasoning, I started noticing little green spots on the wood interior.... I freaked out initially thinking that I MUST have a mold problem, and feared that perhaps I OVER seasoned it and created an environment in my humidors that were TOO humid. After searching EXTENSIVELY online and in forums about mold in humidors, I took a closer look to see if my green spots had the characteristics of mold described in almost every resource i found. I noticed that the green spots weren't fuzzy, and couldn't be wiped off, but instead appeared more like a stain penetrating the wood. I even tried scratching the spots with my fingernail, and was unable to remove any trace of them.

I took an even closer look at precisely where in the humidor the green spots were forming. I discovered that all of these spots have something in common - they had formed around the tiny little nails used to tack the box together when it was built. I can not find these little green spots anywhere else in the humidor except around these little tack holes. The little tack nails used to hold the humidor interior together appear to be copper in color. I am aware that when copper oxidizes, it turns green. Could the green spots (that I fear are mold spores) actually be a bleeding of sorts from the oxidization of these little copper tacks?

I am really worried that I drastically screwed up. Luckily my cigars were in zip-lock bags when these green spots developed, but I REALLY don't want to have to buy another couple of humidors.

Here are some pictures of my problem:




The following is the seasoning technique I used that I'm afraid now was overkill.....ok, I KNOW it was overkill.

1. On days 1, 2, and 3, I lightly wiped down the cedar interiors three times a day with distilled water and placed a shot glass of warm water inside.
2. On day 4, I lightly wiped surfaces down 2 times and continued to place a warm shot glass of distilled water inside.
3. On day 5, I lightly wiped down interior surfaces once, and again placed a warm shot glass of distilled water inside.
4. On day 6 (this morning) I noticed the green spots around the small nail holes, and stopped with my seasoning.

[BigBuddha76]

its bleed from the tacks oxidizing. just stop wiping it down and let the glas of water evaporate on its own. I dont care what the manufacturer says, wiping it down is not the proper way to season a humi, it may be the quickest, but not the best...

[Camacho Junior]

I'd listen to Zack on this. I've seen that wiping saturates the wood too much.