Cleaning kitchen sponges? Soak the sponge in water and microwave for a couple of minutes. The heat will kill any bacteria. Use a tong to remove sponge. It will be VERY HOT.
Source: I just thought of this myself, as the microwave gets very hot.
By Robin from Gothenburg, Sweden
Editor's Note: The University of Florida researchers recommend making sure the sponge is very wet and microwave it for 2 minutes. Never walk away from the microwave during this time, just in case of a fire.
I dump mine in with my regular wash. I figure if it gets the clothes clean it will do the sponges too. (07/21/2008)
By SunshineRose
Microwaves operate by causing water, fat, salt, and sugar molecules to vibrate and cause heat. They penetrate from 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches into any item/food placed in the microwave oven. Microwaves are essentially radio waves, (radar, etc.), not nuclear radiation.
The heat of microwaving a wet sponge will surround all bacteria in the sponge, killing it. Bacteria cannot live without food and moisture, and must be in an environment from 40 degrees to 140 degrees F to grow successfully (human bodies are right in the middle of that range). Getting rid of a growth medium (food), drying the bacteria (salt, alcohol, etc.) or raising the temperature above 140 degrees will kill the bacteria. (11/25/2008)
By jstiles
Germs/bacteria are killed at temperatures of over 140 degrees. So yeah the dishwasher or a bowl of boiled water will do the same as a microwave, and save electricity and your microwave. Sometimes lo-tech is better and cheaper than high-tech.
Same thing with toothbrushes, plain boiling water in a glass or cup sterilizes it. Swish it around before you take it out to shake off debris. Whenever you' re sick, you should sterilize your toothbrush every time you use it. Otherwise you're reintroducing the germs from the toothbrush every time you use it. (03/01/2009)
By jojo
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