I try to imagine a creative director going to a meeting of top managers
Posted on 01/25/2007 6:18:32 AM PST by presidio9
Reports about a study that found microwave ovens can be used to sterilize kitchen sponges sent people hurrying to test the idea this week -- with sometimes disastrous results.
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A team at the University of Florida found that two minutes in the microwave at full power could kill a range of bacteria, viruses and parasites on kitchen sponges.
They described how they soaked the sponges in wastewater and then zapped them. But several experimenters evidently left out the crucial step of wetting the sponge.
"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.
Aaron Hoover, a press officer at the University of Florida, said several other news organizations received similar complaints, although no one had complained directly to the university.
"We figured, 'wow, we better let people know right away that the sponge should be wet,"' Hoover said in a telephone interview.
The university issued the following advisory: "To guard against the risk of fire, people who wish to sterilize their sponges at home must ensure the sponge is completely wet. Two minutes of microwaving is sufficient for most sterilization. Sponges should also have no metallic content. Last, people should be careful when removing the sponge from the microwave as it will be hot."
SpongeBob amazes me: oh, the power of marketing.
I try to imagine a creative director going to a meeting of top managers, saying "I'd like you to spend tens of millions of dollars on ... a talking sponge. And market this thing for display on everything from notepaper to boxer shorts."
If anything, a billion of the latter could lessen the former.
Bleach works. No more than about a 10% concentration and not for too long, but it'll kill most of what needs killin'.
Sponges are nasty.
If one absolutely needs to use one, it should not be in food prep areas. Clean the bathroom with it, then throw it away.
Sponges are nasty.
I try to imagine a creative director going to a meeting of top managers
"go to your local Dollar General store and buy a bag for $2.00"
That reminds me of something funny.
We have more than one "Dollar store" chain in Boise. One of them, just raised their prices, and it's now "Honks 1.05" store... Even the sign was changed.
Those sponges are crap.
Besides, if you can clean it, why throw it away?
OTOH, I wouldn't waste electricity nuking it, I clean sponges in a mild bleach solution.
These people are allowed to vote?
It probably wouldn't be wise to start a rumor that a microwave will recharge batteries.
good grief
Any reason why soaking them in hydrogen peroxide won't work?? I saw this coming...the whole burning sponge thing. This is cruelty to sponges.
Yep, microwaves just love little magnetic conductive strips.
Damn doc, I'd have to think pretty hard to top that. However, a microwave has some real good uses in a medical practice. I use it to warm towels to use to wrap animals coming out from under anesthesia. Learned by trial and error that 10 seconds is the best....20 seconds is a fire with a mess. I use it also to warm fluids, leave it in for 45 seconds per litre, no longer. Any longer melts the plastic or explodes the fluids and makes a mess....also warm the fluids without the IV set...the metal in the drip makes for a few sparks. Also, whole blood in the microwave is another story....
You know what's really got me creeped out -- those Tempurpedic commercials that explain to me that eventually my mattress will weigh twice as much as when I bought it, all because it will be filled with dead and live mites.
Fortunately, I have one of those select-comfort beds now, but still.......
What's that -- its Crab People!!!
Humorous.
Yet another way to clean sponges.
Recently Sean Hanity asked New Yorkers to repeat the Pledge of Allegiance. They couldn't. They didn't know who Pelosi was, but they voted Democrat. We should be consulting movie stars and singers for the war strategy because they at least finished Jr High and were waiters. When people say Bush has a 30% approval rating, I say "Thank God".
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