Dart Den

Full Version: Microwave cork bark ?
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Will microwaving the crap out of cork bark kill any creepy crawlies that are in the holes? I.E. spiders......little bastards.
i usually soak mine in a little water, then bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes
Soak your cork bark in water then microwave for 3-5 minutes while it's still wet. This should kill anything hiding inside it. You could also use the same method as we do for plants. Soak the cork in a 10 percent bleach solution for 5-10 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.
I'd worry about soaking wood in bleach and putting that in a humid environment. Boiling it and then baking would be your best bet in my opinion.
I seem to recall some dialog where it was stated categorically that all of the cork bark had to be sterilized during the import process, so I've never worried about trying to sterilize it in my builds -- and I build with a lot of cork bark... Besides, I've got so many spiders come for escapee fruit flies I'm sure any cork spiders would be totally outnumbered :-)
I wouldn't count on microwaving. I've watched to many fruit flies make their way in to my microwave while I was heating something up, only to fly out when it was done. I don't know how they manage that since they have moisture in them like any other life form but they do.

For cork if you were to microwave it, you might do better soaking it in water then microwaving it. The heated water/steam should kill just about anything... Not sure what will happen to the cork though. Baking it on low heat is probably safest/easiest and most effective.