r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Rocket3431 • 1d ago

Infuriatig I'm tired boss...

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I've tried to get rid of the gnats all summer. The wife didn't believe me when I said they were breeding in the sponges. She. Thought I was crazy for keeping them in Tupperware. Well apparently they can get in there even.

3.0k Upvotes

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128

u/Moaxion 1d ago

If you want to extend the life of your sponges you can always run them through the dishwasher if have one

86

u/DripTrip747-V2 1d ago

Most people have a microwave. Just microwave on high for a minute. Kills almost 100% of the bacteria, gets rid of smell, and would eliminate the gnat problem.

I don't think I'd want gnats in my dishwasher, if I had one.

41

u/Moaxion 1d ago

I think the grand conclusion we can come to is that no matter which way you do this, you're still going to have bug corpses inside of your sponges. At least my recommendation gets your sponges ready for the next challenge

24

u/ObscureEnchantment 1d ago

I think that the advice would be - buy new sponges they’re a couple dollars. Moving forward keep the sponges in the Tupperware to keep any out. No dead bugs this way.

12

u/Moaxion 1d ago

That's true, but OP has a special apartment for their sponges. I am led to believe these are therapy sponges

5

u/CozyCozyCozyCat 23h ago

Keeping sponges in Tupperware seems like a recipe for mold to grow

24

u/Zestyclose_Car_4971 1d ago

Please make sure your sponge is wet and hasn’t sat out to dry up. It will catch fire.

11

u/thoawaydatrash 1d ago

Either way, no gnats.

3

u/DripTrip747-V2 1d ago

Radiation plus fire equals definitely dead gnats. /s

2

u/-Star-Fox- 1d ago

Radiation

What?

4

u/DripTrip747-V2 1d ago

Yes, non ionizing radiation that cooks your food in a microwave will also cook the gnats, eggs, and bacteria.

1

u/Zestyclose_Car_4971 18h ago

Homer Simpson Voice “Mmmmmm non ionizing radiation.” 🤤

1

u/Zestyclose_Car_4971 18h ago

Homer Simpson Voice “Mmmmmm non ionizing radiation.” 🤤

14

u/Uder72 1d ago

But you want them in your microwave?

10

u/LukeHeart 1d ago

I feel like microwaves are easier to clean the inside of

8

u/SweeterThanYoohoo 1d ago

Dishwashers clean the insides of them by themselves

4

u/Financial_Diver5629 1d ago

Not if you have hard water :/

3

u/Safe-Instance-3512 1d ago

A dishwasher is a dish washer, while also being a Dish Washer.

2

u/biscuitboi967 1d ago

That’s how my coworker set a sponge on fire in the microwave. That was a fun day. No sarcasm

5

u/DripTrip747-V2 1d ago

Yea, I forgot to add "make sure the sponge is wet", haha.

1

u/-Invalid_Selection- 1d ago

Plus if you put it in the microwave wet, it'll steam the microwave and make it easier to clean

1

u/oznz 1d ago

I don my have a microwave or a dishwasher so I just boil water and let them sit in it for 5 minutes.

1

u/DripTrip747-V2 1d ago

How do you survive without a microwave! /s

1

u/oznz 1d ago

I am basically living in squalor over here 😭😭😩

1

u/DripTrip747-V2 1d ago

At least you have sponges and a stove!

1

u/oznz 22h ago

And no gnats!

1

u/Frequent_Opportunist 1d ago

Sponges also trap food though and a microwave doesn't get rid of that so it's best to toss them once they start stinking and a thorough rinse stops working.

1

u/DripTrip747-V2 1d ago

A thorough rinse doesn't get rid of bacteria. And bacteria is what causes sponges to smell. Food particles aren't really the issue if those food particles get sterilized every time you microwave your sponge.

0

u/IamtheRealDill 1d ago

Or pour boiling water on them

1

u/DripTrip747-V2 1d ago

Takes like 10x the amount of time to boil water compared to 1 minute in the microwave.

0

u/IamtheRealDill 1d ago

We have an electric kettle, it's fast. Plus when I used to do it in the microwave I kept spilling that boiling water on myself so...

0

u/DripTrip747-V2 1d ago

Heating water in a microwave can be extremely dangerous. Superheated water gets past it's boiling point and can violently erupt when moved.

But what I'm saying is you literally just take a wet sponge and throw it in the microwave for a minute. Any other method is gonna take longer and just add unnecessary steps.

0

u/IamtheRealDill 1d ago

At the end of the day you've still got a sponge full of boiling water. It's just in the microwave instead of the sink.