Okay, microwave sterilisation.

Some people hate it - can't get it to work, etc.

Some people love it - less fuss than a pressure cooker and Tupperware is available everywhere.

Mix up your MMGG substrate in a big plastic bowl - get the vermiculite wet, and stir in the rice flour slowly. Resist the temptation to add more rice flour - it just turns the substrate into glue. Once mixed, nuke for 1 min 30 secs on full power. Remove. Stir well. Nuke again, same time. Remove. Stir. Nuke. Remove. Stir. Nuke. When you can't put your face over the bowl because the clouds of boiling steam are threatening to melt your face, it's ready to go into the plastic boxes, or glass jars if you've got ones with plastic lids. (You weren't thinking of putting *metal* lids into a microwave, now were you?).

Into the jars/boxes with the substrate, and remember to leave about 3/4 of an inch at the top for dry vermiculite. Fill all jars/boxes to the top with dry vermiculite and put the lids on *lightly*. If they're screw-on jar lids, don't screw them on all the way. If they're pop-top plastic lids, pop them on only at one corner. Nuke again for 1 min 30. Leave in the nuke to rest for 5 mins. Nuke again, leave to rest. Nuke again, leave to rest.

Leave them in the microwave to cool *completely*. This means that as the jars/boxes suck in air as they cool, they're sucking in nuked air, which should be as sterile as everything else in there. Overnight is perfect. Then open the nuke *very* carefully, reach in with one hand and seal all the boxes or jars.

Use good quality plastic boxes - thin ones like old margarine containers will melt with the heat in the substrate. Don't be tempted just to do one big nukezap for 10 mins - you'll wreck the substrate, the boxes, and probably the nuke - the substrate needs the cooling period between zaps so it doesn't explode.

Make sure you're standing by to kill the power when the electric sparks start arcing across the lids. It might not burn out your nuke.

But if it does, then it's an expensive lesson.

Perhaps people who have problems using the microwave have weaker contams, or the microwave is less air proof so they contam will cooling.

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Please don't chase the clouds, pagodas.