Howdy Asylum from a long lost stepson. :-)

Generosity to a fellow 'cigar smoker' has taught me a valuable lesson today. I have a coworker who was going camping over the 4th weekend and asked me for advice on cigars, and how to store them for his trip.

I gave him a list of good beginner cigars he could pick up from a store near his house, he said he thanked me and said he was going to stop by on the way home. I decided to help him out further, and the next day I loaned him one of my 15 count Otter boxes containing 5 nice aged cigars.

My coworker used the remaining Otterbox capacity to hold some sort of STRONGLY FLAVORED cherry cigars. When he returned the box today and I opened it, the scent punched me in the face! :-) This smell is truly horrendous, like a mold covered cherry air freshener hanging from a chain-smoking stripper's rear view mirror. I get nauseous thinking about that smell and can't imagine being around one of these actually light up.

So the lesson learned is to ask if someone likes flavored cigars before you go lending them your travel humidor.

Now to request advice: does anyone have any suggestions to deraunchify my otterbox or should I just put it in the circular file? I have the outside all stickered up, so would prefer to keep it if I can save it. I believe treating the foam trays will be more difficult than decontaminating the plastic interior. I have already tried a dish soap twice on the trays. To dry them afterwards I placed a fan to blow through them and now that rancid scent is filling the office. I'm considering trying vinegar, bleach, oxy-clean (and/or). Any suggestions appreciated!

- Matt -
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are they foam trays? if so is it possible for you to just replace them>?
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The smell should clear out of the plastic box over time. Let it sit outside, maybe in the sun for a few days -- just like the initial cleaning of a cooler for a cooler-dor.

You should be able to wash out the foam trays. Use a good mild soap and then make sure you rinse out all the soap. Even when you think the soap is out, keep rinsing :-)

Let the trays sit out (outside even) a few days or more to dry and you should be good to go within a week.
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This is good advice ^^

Dunk the foam in a bucket of clean water after rinsing and keep squeezing the foam until the water is clear.
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This.

Also, a charcoal briquet(not Match Light) placed inside after you have completed the above should absorb any remaining odors.:-)
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A tampon?


I think a dilute solution of bleach/hydrogen peroxide would do the trick Maybe 1% bleach, unscented, or 0.1/0.3% H2O2 and then lots of water rinse and sunshine. Long time no see stranger! Good to see you again.
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Tampon.. :-)

They haven't kicked you out yet Rick? :-)

I should have stopped in more often. Yesterday's dilemma suggests that I not a omniscient cigar being as I had previously believed. Either that or my OCD has been directed towards other pastimes.

24 hours with a fan blowing through the foam and it appears to be cured. I am still worried that the cherry flavored cigar stench might be viral and like Herpes may reappear without warning.
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I'd clean the foam in the kitchen sink by using soapy water, holding them under, and squishing them about a hundred times. Then I'd do the same in clean water, maybe twice.
The inside of the box I'd wipe out with windex soaked paper towels. Or spray it and wipe it out. I'd do that a couple times using clean towels each time.
Then I'd wait for the sponges to dry in the sun and load her back up. I bet it'll smell glorious with that outdoor-fresh and clean going on.

It's really not a big deal, it'll clean up for you real nice in no time. It might even be nice that this situation forced you to do it, just to freshen her up a bit, ya know?
Good luck!!! :-)
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A box of baking soda (just like what you would put in the fridge) should help absorb the odor if you are worried about it returning.
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Thanks everyone for the advice! I was more joking about the smell returning.

I've decided that once all the decontamination is done, I'll throw some yard gars in it for several weeks to 'season' the foam.. I'll then pass them on to the guy @ work. Anyone have any Cremosas I can give to him?
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You know I watch for the very wise, and you Sir are very wise. Just saying.

Mark :-)
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Yo Matt ... long time.

I'd cut open a Pur water filter and dump the activated carbon from there in a small tupperware container that goes into the otterbox.

The activated charcoal in the Pur filter is cleaner and more absorbent than a briquette. After washing, oxidizing (below) & drying, put everything together with the carbon, close it up, and forget it for a month or two.

I'd avoid oxidizing agents other than good old sunlight or drugstore 3% hydrogen peroxide. Oxyclean is a stabilized powdered peroxide (sodium percarbonate) which is another option. Hypochlorite (bleach) I would avoid completely. A week in the sun would do wonders I think, if still stinky then I'd go drug store peroxide. Soak a day or two, rinse well, dry and close up the otterbox with active carbon inside.

OR ... you can just embrace the cherry. :-)
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Another solution is to go on the devil site and pick up a new one for you, and gift him the old one.
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Winner, winner, chicken dinner. :-)
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Matt! Where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages... Good to see you are alive :-)
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Where the hell you been!!!!!

I could give 2 shits about your about your 15 count otter box. I'll send you a new one, just get over to the cheap smokes thread and give us some updates!

Hope you've been well.

Cheers
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I would say either gift it to him or use it as an accessories box. You could wipe out the inside with everclear also.
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Sean and Joe, great to hear from you!
Dan... Not so much :-)

Sean - I'll take the advice from the chemistry professor. I left it open in the office facing the window with the blinds open all weekend. The sunlight is working wonders. I was thinking of getting the activated carbon from a pet store, figuring it would be cheaper than from a water purifier, thoughts? Are you smoking cigars again or still that other thing? Been to Taiwan lately? I've been buying tea off of eBay.

Joe - I have all sorts of pretty stickers on my otterbox; I'd just get one from CB otherwise. I still might. I have several but I liked having 2 in my car.. :-) I'll try to stop off on the cheap smokes thread, though darn if I can think of one to recommend right now. I'll come up with something.

Dan - I'm hoping to make a tasting again soon. Which of the 3 is everyone going to now? I don't have some sort of pansy 'lifestyle coach' but have still dropped 25 since you last saw me. After losing all that weight you still look like a dork.. Seriously though, congrats on your hard work..

- Matt -
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Good to see you around, Matt!

And yes, I DO have some Cremosas I can send you!!! They even have a decent amount of age on them, so they should be "ripe" for smoking!!! PM me your addy if you are serious, and I WILL hook you up with some for the guy. I suspect the Cremosas would absorb just about any flavor they happen to be around!! :-)
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Good to see you Cliff!

Thanks for the offering, but Cremosas are a level 20 dog rocket that should be reserved for heinous F$#^ery most foul.

This transgression deserves a level 3 dog rocket at the worst. I'm thinking an assortment of aged Vic Sinclair, Argyle, and Blue Ribbon; all 'mild' ly gross.

- Matt -
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