I know that boiling water sanitizes it, but does microwaving it do the same?

Answer 1

when water boils, then practically anything living within it dies... for some of the more sturdy bugs it takes a while though, so be on the safe side, you should give it a good five minutes of actual bubbly boiling...

Microwaving does of course basically the same... it heats the water to boilingpoint. which of course has the same effect as boiling it on a regular stove...

in other words, what sanitizes the water is the heat, not the microwaves as such. some bacteria may die from the waves. or rather from the heating of their inner fluid... which is basically water too... but most viruses are pretty much unfazed by them. the heat will kill them though.

Answer 2

If you bring it to a boil in the microwave it is the same as bringing it to a boil on the stove. Word of caution on boiling water in the microwave. Put a plastic spoon or something wooden in the water because when you take it out it can blow up in your face if there is nothing to absorb some of the energy.

Answer 3

It's achieving the temperature that does the sanitizing- not the method used to achieve it. As long as the water boils rapidly it kills the bacteria, it does not matter whether you use gas, electricity, wood or microwaves to do it.

Answer 4

Only if you boil it long enough AND you boil it in a container safe for microwaving, like pyrex or Tupperware's microwave containers. Other containers are too porous and the microwaving releses pthalenes into your water.

Answer 5

In a long term, using microwave can cause cancer... So just boil water using a kettle...

Answer 6

yes both do it but not on the same level lets say boiling kills 99% maybe where as doing it microwave will kill about 72% just an example not exact figures

Answer 7

if the water boils...usually you need at least 8 minutes of boiling to do it.

Answer 8

Yes, as long as you bring it to a boil.