Just Dumped A Jar Due To Mold.

[Indygrap]

I either, put old jars in the oven at 200F for 30 minutes or so before packing... after cleaning with soap of course. Or, I will soak them in the sanitizer I use for bottles when corking wine. It is called One Step, but you could use a little bleach poured into your hot water in the sink. Just soak them and let them drip dry. Don't wipe with a cloth, because that will negate all of your efforts.

New jars come sterilized, so I just use them as is.

I like the 200° oven idea. That temp will kill pretty much anything. I was thinking of using a no rinse sanitizer, like Star San, or even some of the brewery grade stuff I have access to at work. Just didn’t know if it was worth the effort. I’ve been on the pipe less than a year & haven't developed a deep cellar yet.
From what I’ve gathered in this thread, mold or unwanted microbes aren’t overly common. They just happen by chance. However, I live in the Deep South, where mold grows on anything standing still for 20 min.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I like the 200° oven idea. That temp will kill pretty much anything. I was thinking of using a no rinse sanitizer, like Star San, or even some of the brewery grade stuff I have access to at work. Just didn’t know if it was worth the effort. I’ve been on the pipe less than a year & haven't developed a deep cellar yet.
From what I’ve gathered in this thread, mold or unwanted microbes aren’t overly common. They just happen by chance. However, I live in the Deep South, where mold grows on anything standing still for 20 min.

My cellar is in Alabama too. Mold-ville, so to speak… once in the jar, there’s not much else you can do. Companies use mold inhibitors and adding acids to lower PH, most of the time it works, but…. Sometimes the gods just play with us.

 

[mso489]

I got a mold garden going when I tried to hydrate tobacco with the proverbial apple slice. Mold. Since then I have seldom bothered about dry tobacco. It usually smokes well.

 

[sigaholic]

Only a couple mold issues for me over the years

 

[K.E. Powell]

I know mold is everywhere, but does anyone sanitize or sterilize their jars between blends? Just curious if it makes sense to do that

I clean them out with hot soap and water. Partly for reasons of sanitation, like you mentioned. But also that jar will take on slightly the character of whatever tobacco was in it prior. If I'm filling that jar with the same tobacco as before, then okay, no biggie. But if I'm not?

But I always clean my jars once they are emptied of tobacco. Every time.

 

[briarbuda48]

I know mold is everywhere, but does anyone sanitize or sterilize their jars between blends? Just curious if it makes sense to do that

I have north of 200 jars, never had mold. I just put the tobacco in and screw the lid down, no washing, wiping. If I’m reusing the jar, I’ll wash it and drip dry.