Soaking up the news
January 27th, 2007 by 
David E. Williams of the Health business blog
Many news organizations picked up on a story from University of Florida researchers that microwaving a kitchen sponge for 2 minutes could kill bacteria, viruses and parasites. But as people rushed to try the new technique, some didn’t realize the sponge needed to be wet. Several complained to news agencies:
“Just wanted you to know that your article on microwaving sponges and scrubbers aroused my interest. However, when I put my sponge/scrubber into the microwave, it caught fire, smoked up the house, ruined my microwave, and pissed me off,” one correspondent wrote in an e-mail to Reuters.
“First, the sponge is worthless afterwards so you have to throw it out instead of using it. And second your entire house stinks like a burning tire for several hours, even with windows/doors open,” complained another.
Posted in Amusements, Research | 
1 Comment »
January 27th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
I had been heating kitchen sponges (soaked in water!) in our microwave on high for one minute to disinfect them.
My wife was wondering why the sponges disintegrated later on.
The heat seems to do a number on the sponge itself.