People ruining microwaves, creating a stink because of Reuters report

The humble microwave: source of hot cups of water, stinky popcorn, and now, apparently, sterile kitchen sponges. A Reuters article recently reported that microwaves are great tools to sterilize bacteria-laden kitchen sponges -- but unfortunately for the not-so-sharp, it turns out that Reuters didn't tell the witless that the sponges should be wet before getting their nuke on. Apparently, more than one person threw his dry sponge into the kitchen microwave only to discover that the thing melted, burnt, stunk up the joint like hot bacteria, and reeked like burnt tires. One more for the Darwin awards. So for the uninitiated: yes, you can throw your kitchen sponge in the microwave for a few minutes to sterilize it. Do make sure it's wet, though, k?

[Mark @ Jan 29th 2007 3:32AM]

I smell lotsa stupid lawsuits by witless wonders.

[Chris @ Jan 29th 2007 3:59AM]

"you can throw your kitchen sponge in the microwave for a few minutes to sterilize it"
When I watched on abc news about that, they said microwave for one minute, not few minutes. Even with wet sponges, few minutes in microwave may burn it.

[JP @ Jan 29th 2007 3:59AM]

I read that article, and although it does not warn about damage to the microwave if the sponge is dry, it does say that it only works if the sponge is very wet. Stating that it is the heating of the water in the sponge that does the sanitizing.

So basically, anyone who damages their microwave with this, is too stupid to own one anyway.

[Tyler Love @ Jan 29th 2007 4:15AM]

Can we PLEASE stop using the term "Darwin Awards" when it doesn't apply. You have to either die or lose your ability to reproduce to be eligible.

[CBAS @ Jan 29th 2007 6:11AM]

I agree with Tyler

nobody ever died putting a sponge in a microwave oven!

[akijikan @ Jan 29th 2007 4:24AM]

Idiots on parade.

[Alex @ Jan 29th 2007 4:27AM]

ummmm...I read that article and first drained my sponge before putting it in...It kinda seemed that the wetness could be a dangerous conductor of electricity. anyways, my sponge just got really dry and started to stink.

PS: no, im not kidding

[NeoteriX @ Jan 29th 2007 5:02AM]

"wetness could be a dangerous conductor of electricity [inside the microwave]"...

I'm all for a society where in order to own basic appliances, you must know how they fundamentally work.

PS-We appreciate the candid honesty.

[Bad Beaver @ Jan 29th 2007 6:09AM]

Cool man, like, this could totally, totally convince me that I should buy a MV. Finally some relevant use! Also, if you throw in a CD with the sponge, the bacteria will probably be electrocuted. Electrocuted! ...uhuhuh, he said "cute" huhu...

Now really, the true problem is that people can be daft as dirt these days - and get away with it. If in former days you failed to grasp how certain systems within your surroundings work, you were likely to freeze, die from hunger, or get eaten by a bear. Advances in the "quality" of living have allowed for our genepool do degenerate. The burnt sponge - just another example of how mankind promotes its own extinction.

[Bad Beaver @ Jan 29th 2007 6:09AM]

Cool man, like, this could totally, totally convince me that I should buy a MV. Finally some relevant use! Also, if you throw in a CD with the sponge, the bacteria will probably be electrocuted. Electrocuted! ...uhuhuh, he said "cute" huhu...

Now really, the true problem is that people can be daft as dirt these days - and get away with it. If in former days you failed to grasp how certain systems within your surroundings work, you were likely to freeze, die from hunger, or get eaten by a bear. Advances in the "quality" of living have allowed for our genepool do degenerate. The burnt sponge - just another example of how mankind promotes its own extinction.

[Uninvisible @ Jan 29th 2007 6:09AM]

I use a 1100 watt Sharp rotating microwave - I put my soaking wet sponge on a microwavable plastic plate and set it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high. It came out perfectly fine - but another warning - the water inside the sponge is INSANELY HOT. Even after running cold water on the sponge, the water inside is still very very hot, and I have a feeling this issue isn't over until some people get burns and complain more.

What's next, a "Water inside sponge after microwaving is EXTREMELY HOT! Handle with caution!" label? Hah.

[jean @ Jan 29th 2007 6:11AM]

The first thing I thought when I saw this was: "awww!! I hope none of my brilliant neighbors decide to try this (without first warning the rest of us to max out our renter's insurance!)"

Really, isn't it kind of obvious that germs are made of stuff like proteins, which don't stand up well to heat above 115F? But no-we need 200F for that 6sigma bacteria-free goodness...let's stick to putting our cd's in the microwave - much much cooler...

[Tim @ Jan 29th 2007 12:01PM]

right. it's just that the microwave can do the job a little bit faster.

[Dan @ Jan 29th 2007 6:39AM]

"wetness could be a dangerous conductor of electricity [inside the microwave]"

Never warmed soup in a microwave?

`Watch OUT! - a whole bowl of electricity.`

[alexdodd @ Jan 29th 2007 7:12AM]

NeoteriX, the water isn't just boiled it's superheated past boiling temperature. Which is what makes it so effective, and also dangerous.

[Mike @ Jan 29th 2007 9:57AM]

yes, because the microwave has superpowers and is so dansgerous that it's considered by the UN as a WMD...
riiiiight...

[J @ Jan 29th 2007 12:14PM]

I don't kow how many times I hear refer to somehting as being super-heated at atmospheric pressure. People, its not super-heated water unless its pressurized

[Robert Wicks @ Jan 29th 2007 7:31AM]

One minute is certainly enough for a sponge. And that sponge should not be squeezed before you put it in the microwave. It should be dripping wet. If you want to be extra sure, put the sponge in a shallow bowl with a small amount of water so that you get a good boil, and put it on for two minutes. A sponge goes from dry to charred in seconds, so don't leave the thing. Look at it constantly.

[Cigol @ Jan 29th 2007 7:47AM]

JESUS!

Buy a NEW sponge. They cost peanuts :D

[Josh Lankford @ Jan 29th 2007 8:23AM]

Do People know who Charles Darwin was?

Darwin awards: Posthumous "Award" given to someone who did something so stupid, they died.

Get it? Natural selection....Death in this case cleans out the gene pool???? Anyone? Bueller?

[Gordy @ Jan 29th 2007 9:05AM]

Where is this dry sponge you speak of? Lies, I tell you, damned lies!

[Galley @ Jan 29th 2007 9:18AM]

I just use one of those kitchen sponges that are machine-washable.

[JC @ Jan 29th 2007 10:52AM]

Great, so you're washing that sponge (which you use to wash dishes that you eat off of) in moderately water at best (which does nothing to kill bacteria) along with all the fecal matter that's festering inside your washing machine.

I certainly hope you're using tons of anti-bacterial soap, bleach, and dish detergent, because if you're not, you're eating your own poop.

[zcb @ Jan 29th 2007 5:17PM]

"Great, so you're washing that sponge (which you use to wash dishes that you eat off of) in moderately water at best (which does nothing to kill bacteria) along with all the fecal matter that's festering inside your washing machine."

I use a dishwasher for washing dishes, but I use washable dish towels for wiping tables etc. in the kitchen. I use one for a few days at most and then I toss it into a washing machine and wash it at 60C (about 150F) along with bed linen, towels etc.

I doubt there is "fecal matter" in my washing machine. I don't wash reusable baby diapers in there, or something like that.

"I certainly hope you're using tons of anti-bacterial soap, bleach, and dish detergent, because if you're not, you're eating your own poop."

Let's continue along your line of thinking... Aren't you kind of wearing your own poop if you use clothes that you washed in your washing machine?


ps. anti-bacterial soaps do probably more harm than good

[Emceay @ Jan 29th 2007 10:00AM]

I think this problems stems from people not being familiar with the electromagnetic specturm. It always amazes me when people don't understand that heat is infrared light, or that power can be sent without wires...

[Pinkerton @ Jan 29th 2007 11:39AM]

Then use the scalding hot sponge to clean gunk out of the microwave. Gotta get me some of those those silicon oven mitts.

[Uninvisible @ Jan 29th 2007 11:47AM]

I use a 1100 watt Sharp rotating microwave - I put my soaking wet sponge on a microwavable plastic plate and set it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high. It came out perfectly fine - but another warning - the water inside the sponge is INSANELY HOT. Even after running cold water on the sponge, the water inside is still very very hot, and I have a feeling this issue isn't over until some people get burns and complain more.

What's next, a "Water inside sponge after microwaving is EXTREMELY HOT! Handle with caution!" label? Hah.

[NeoteriX @ Jan 29th 2007 6:26AM]

"The water inside the sponge is INSANELY HOT."

Which is also why I wonder if it's the irradiation that's doing the job, or merely the boiling hot water. I'm betting the same level of sanitization can occur by just boiling the sponge in water.

[tpcguy @ Jan 29th 2007 12:50PM]

Actually it's funny you should say that because when I was speaking to Dr. Bitton the other day (I am in the same department with him) he said that he told the reporter something LIKE 'caution, the sponge may also be hot' just in case. ;-)

[h0mi @ Jan 29th 2007 11:50AM]

Hahaha this is the best thread I've ever seen on engadget.

[H @ Jan 29th 2007 10:21PM]

Actually, superheating simply refers to heating something past its boiling point without any boiling. It is entirely possible to superheat something at atmospheric pressure.

Although with the nucleation sites that a sponge presents, I can't imagine that the water inside is actually being superheated.

[some person @ Jan 29th 2007 5:11PM]

But for how long?

[Ben @ Jan 29th 2007 9:18PM]

Read the whole thread and only one person actually mentioned that,

THEY COST NEXT TO NOTHING BUY A NEW ONE!

Also, are we talking shower sponges or those for cutlery, crockey and pans?

[tktim @ Jan 30th 2007 1:44AM]

I read lots of stories on this subject. A lot of them left off the important water part. The detailed story said they did lots of tests. Found you had to MV for 2 minutes with I think a 700 watt MV. They also said one rare “bug” required 4 minutes. They also said they did this with kitchen brushes. They didn't say what type of brushes (plastic or other types). They didn't say how they did the brushes, in a bowl of water? On a newer MV can you damage the MV tube by MVing something dry too long? Or will it just automatically shut off?