Microwave for sterilisation!

[andaroo]

The other day I had an interesting thought and i looked into it. Apparently the best way to sterilise a kitchen dish cloth or sponge is to put it damp in the microwave for 2 minutes and this will kill off all bacteria. Scientists tested this with all kinds of nasty bacteria and 2 minutes was enough to kill everything.

SO I figured I can sterilise my frogs water dish this way no? Rinse it out and put it damp in the microwave for 2 minutes and it is sterile without the use of bleach or chemicals!

(I hope i'm right ) I've done this twice now.

[tigerpaws]

it would work with reptile carpet.. etc


the trouble with most resin fibre and porcelain dishes is they are waterproof and all you are doing when you microwave something is excite the water molecules to create local "pockets" of heat

if you have a non contact thermometer probe it when it is damp and then after 2 mins. if the surface temp is over 80'C then everything should be dead ..

the problem is if any of the bacteria has turned into spores then they will just reactivate themselves when the temp reaches the idea breading temp of 35'C

alan

[Darbz]

I hope it works...I'm planning to use a microwave to sterilise the load of tree bark I 'found' on some forested tree trunks in the woods today...

[shiprat]

Yeah i did the same with some forested wood. Hope the info is correct

[beastluke]

it really depends on what you are doing for e.g i am using a 700x microwave and in that i do a pint of potting soil for 7:40 and that kills of everything lol. bark i tend to do for a shorter time as it starts to bend and burn. i dont have a specific time but i just watch it and when i see it is about to change, i wack open the door and hay presto your done!