A 74-year-old property manager in Israel has put banknotes in a bowl of bleach, which she has placed in the microwave oven, DPA reported, citing the country’s National Bank. The woman did this because she was afraid of COVID-19.
The nearly 2,900-euro ($ 3,300) banknotes burst into flames. In a letter to the bank, the woman explained that she wanted to disinfect the money from the tenants through this procedure.
“I feel very guilty because this is not my money. I am an honest citizen who has never destroyed money,” the letter said. The woman sent more than 70 banknotes to the bank.
A review by the currency department found that the banknotes were genuine and the bank decided to exchange them and return them to the woman.
“Needless to say, banknotes in Israel contain iron fibers that can cause flames in the microwave,” the bank said.
According to health experts, the likelihood of coronavirus infection from banknotes or coins is very small.
A bank spokesman notes that the financial institution replaces thousands of damaged banknotes each year. “So far, however, we have not had a case of cooked banknotes,” he said.
