moldy wooden matches??

[grasswire]

This is a puzzle. About four months ago I bought kitchen matches -- the kind of packaging that's a bunch of little boxes packed in cello wrapper. Last week I opened up the cello wrapper, opened one of the little boxes and found moldy wooden matches. Black powdery stems. Opened another box; same thing.

Now, how could matches get moldy inside boxes inside a cello wrapper? They don't light, either, by the way. The cello pack was stored inside a drawer of a storage cart with other household stuff -- light bulbs, filters, etc. All in a closet.

[Warpy]

1. They were made of wet, unseasoned wood.

Return them to the store. You won't get your money back after 4 months but they do need to know there's a problem with that vendor. Wet matches no worky and probably wouldn't have worked 4 months ago.

At least the cellophane prevented the mold from escaping the package.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

2. Excellent answer and I love your sig line.

I deduced that the problem started before the cello but you nailed it.

[grasswire]

3. on reading your answer I looked at the boxes again

Penley Match Co. of Maine. The matches are made in India. Bought them at the local Kroger, which means I can return them up to six months with no problem at all. Hardly worth doing, though, except that I'm sure other people have found the same problem, or will. I sure don't want to be without any in case of power outage. It's been hella windy weather.

[Warpy]

4. Tell me about it! Here in NM, we've had more power outages this winter

that we do during the height of monsoon season.

It might be time to switch to paper matches and just keep those lanterns out where you can find them fast. Or get a headlamp and leave it out where you can get it.

[MineralMan]

5. The wood wasn't dried properly during manufacture.

Damp wood spells mold.