How to Season a Humidor: The Right Way (2026 Guide)

Written by George Keklik, cigar accessories specialist · Updated July 2026

A brand new humidor is nothing but dry cedar and empty air. Put your cigars straight in and the thirsty wood pulls moisture right out of them, drying out the cigars you paid good money for. Seasoning charges that cedar with humidity first, so the box protects your cigars instead of stealing from them. It takes a few days, and almost all of it is just waiting. This guide covers both proven methods, exactly what to use, how long it takes, and the mistakes that ruin a new humidor.

Why You Have to Season a Humidor First

A humidor keeps cigars fresh because its Spanish cedar lining holds humidity and releases it slowly. Straight from the box, that cedar is bone dry. Dry wood does not give moisture, it takes it. Load cigars into an unseasoned humidor and the wood draws moisture out of them for days, leaving your cigars dry, cracked, and quick to burn hot.

If you are still deciding on a box, or want to understand how the whole system works, read our guide on what a cigar humidor is and how it works, then come back to season the one you choose.

What You Need

• Distilled water only. Tap water carries minerals and chlorine that grow mold and leave deposits in the cedar. Distilled or reverse-osmosis water is the only water that should ever go near a humidor.
• A humidity control pouch (about 84 percent) or a small dish. A single-use seasoning pouch does the work for you. If you prefer the manual method, a clean shot glass or a small bowl of distilled water works.
• A calibrated hygrometer. This is the gauge that reads the humidity inside. Most boxes include one, but many are inaccurate out of the box, so calibrate it first (covered below).

How to Season a Humidor, Step by Step

There are two reliable methods. The pouch method is the most foolproof and the one we recommend. The shot glass method is the traditional approach and costs nothing extra.

Method A: the humidity pouch (recommended)

1. Wipe the interior with a dry cloth

   Remove any sawdust or debris with a clean, dry cloth. Do not use water. The box just needs to be clean and empty.

2. Place an 84 percent pouch inside

   Set a fresh 84 percent humidity control pouch flat inside the humidor. The higher 84 percent level is made for seasoning, since it charges the dry cedar faster than a normal 69 or 72 percent pouch.

3. Add your calibrated hygrometer and close it

   Put the hygrometer in, close the lid fully, and leave it alone. Resist the urge to open and check it every hour, since every peek lets the humidity escape.

4. Wait about two weeks, then verify

   After roughly two weeks the hygrometer should read a stable 68 to 72 percent. When it holds steady in that range, the cedar is seasoned. Swap the 84 percent pouch for a normal 69 or 72 percent pouch and add your cigars.

Method B: the shot glass of distilled water (classic)

1. Set a shot glass of distilled water inside

   Fill a clean shot glass or small dish with distilled water and stand it upright inside the humidor. Make sure it cannot tip onto the wood.

2. Close the lid for 24 to 48 hours

   Shut the humidor and leave it for one to two days. The cedar slowly absorbs the evaporating moisture from the air, not from direct contact.

3. Check the hygrometer and repeat

   Open it, read the hygrometer, top up the distilled water, and close it again. Repeat this cycle over several days until the reading holds around 70 percent on its own.

4. Remove the glass and add cigars

   Once the humidor holds a steady 68 to 72 percent, take out the shot glass, drop in a normal 69 or 72 percent humidity pouch or your humidifier, and load your cigars.

Pouch vs Shot Glass vs Wipe-Down

How Long Does Seasoning Take

Plan on one to two weeks for most humidors. The pouch method usually needs a full two weeks to charge the cedar evenly. The shot glass method can reach 70 percent in a few days, but the reading tends to be more stable if you give it a week. A large or very dry box takes longer. The rule is simple: it is seasoned when the hygrometer holds 68 to 72 percent on its own, not when the calendar says so.

How to Keep a Humidor Seasoned

• Hold 65 to 72 percent. Most cigars are happiest around 70 percent humidity and 65 to 70 degrees. A humidity pouch or a filled humidifier keeps it there with little effort.
• Recharge or replace your pouches. When a humidity pouch goes stiff, swap or recharge it. If you use a humidifier, refill it with distilled water, never tap.
• Do not open it constantly. Every time you open the lid the humidity drops and has to recover. Open it to choose a cigar, then close it.
• Re-check the hygrometer seasonally. Winter heating and summer air conditioning both dry a room out, so glance at the gauge and top up moisture as the seasons change.

Common Seasoning Mistakes

• Using tap water. The most damaging error. Minerals and chlorine grow mold and stain the cedar. Only distilled water belongs in a humidor.
• Adding cigars too soon. If the hygrometer has not held steady at 68 to 72 percent, the wood is still thirsty and will dry your cigars. Wait for a stable reading.
• Soaking or wiping the wood wet. Over-wetting warps the cedar and invites mold. Let controlled evaporation do the work.
• Trusting an uncalibrated hygrometer. A gauge that reads 8 points off makes a seasoned humidor look broken. Calibrate first.
• Peeking constantly. Every open lid resets the progress. Close it and be patient.

Humidors worth seasoning

Premium Cherry Wood HumidorA 120-count cedar-lined humidor with a built-in hygrometer, engraved with his name. Built for a growing collection. Glass Top Desktop HumidorA 25 to 35 count cedar humidor with a glass lid to show off his cigars, personalized free.

Frequently Asked Questions

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