A 2006 study found that microwaving wet sponges for two minutes (at 1000 watt power) killed 99% of coliforms, E. coli, and MS2 phages, but Bacillus cereus spores required four minutes.
A 2006 study revealed that microwaving damp sponges for two minutes (at 1000 watt power) killed off 99% of coliforms, E. coli, and MS2 phages; in contrast, Bacillus cereus spores required a longer exposure time of four minutes.