Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
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Post by Thea on Mar 20, 2021 9:33:06 GMT -8
Thank you!
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Post by betty on Mar 20, 2021 17:00:14 GMT -8
Yes, the lichen is totally fine - and I never use microwaves for anything other than heating food as I know it has a load of weird things about it that aren't the same as an oven. Physics is beyond me though but I know they don't heat things up evenly or kill all bugs - so I stick to traditional 'actual' heating.
Well, I don't myself - I am useless in the kitchen. I can burn a boiled egg!
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Post by Scott on Mar 21, 2021 4:08:16 GMT -8
I won't microwave them, don't worry. Very interesting though! I don't actually have any H2O2, but again that's a good idea. It would definitely be safe then? I've already baked it and I'm pretty confident it's fine now, and I removed the green growth. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down very quickly, especially if you expose it to light and good ventilation. The breakdown products are just water and oxygen. It's an irritant, but you'd need to ingest quite a bit of standard-strength (3%) to have side effects--it's often used as a mouthwash, remember. I would say it's safer than soap, since it won't leave a residue. I saw Betty's mention of "Pet Safe Disinfectant" and so I looked several up. Rescue One-Step Disinfectant Cleaner & Deodorizer, marketed as "The Only Fear Free Disinfectant for Companion Animal Facilities," is just hydrogen peroxide. You can buy the Rescue at $50/gallon, or regular peroxide--available at supermarkets and pharmacies--at $4.50/quart (both are Amazon prices). My local CVS has it for $1.39 for 16 oz. FYI, the Rescue product recommends a 1 minute contact time. Also get a tooth brush so you can scrub the crevices. Since there is a small risk from aerosolized peroxide, maybe just pour it into a cup and use the brush to apply. I should note: H2O2 is an oxidizer. If you get it on your clothes it'll lighten/whiten most fabric dyes (so be careful about drips). I don't know how much of an issue that would be for cork (or if that matters to you), but you could apply some to a hidden area with a cotton swab to test.
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Post by Scott on Mar 21, 2021 6:54:20 GMT -8
If the surface got very hot for at least a few minutes any germs should be killed. The green growth is lichen and it's fine. But to be sure, you have to confirm how hot the surface actually is. Bacteria thrive in temperatures up to 140F/60C (surface temp, not oven temp). And they don't immediately die at temps above that--pasteurization tables show how long you have to maintain the temperatures to kill pathogens. Those tables are generally for moist heat applications: dry heat is less effective and needs longer times/higher temps. One big thing we're counting on here is that sanitizing rather than sterilizing is probably OK. If there were known disease-causing pathogens on the toys, then trying to get closer to sterilization would be more important, but AFAIK that's not an issue. But Thea also said that removing scent was also a goal, so I think the H2O2 would be a far more effective tool since it's also a deodorizer.
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Mar 21, 2021 16:43:50 GMT -8
I believe microwaves only kill germs by heating the water in food. The microwave itself doesn't get hot enough to kill anything. It's why food can be heated unevenly in a microwave, or if you heat a bowl of soup with a plate on top to stop splashing, sometimes the bowl comes out hot (heat transfer from the hot soup) and the plate still room temperature. A dry object like a cork log probably won't be sanitised in a microwave, and is more likely to burn.
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Post by Scott on Mar 22, 2021 3:04:48 GMT -8
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