diff --git a/include/cantera/base/global.h b/include/cantera/base/global.h
index d4c743b3e..3b3f4c210 100644
--- a/include/cantera/base/global.h
+++ b/include/cantera/base/global.h
@@ -210,37 +210,6 @@ void thread_complete() ;
  */
 std::string canteraRoot();
 
-//! Sets the temporary file directory.
-/*!
- *  The default is to use the
- *  directory specified by environment variable TMP or TEMP. If neither
- *  of these are defined, then the current working directory will be
- *  used for temporary files. Call this function to specify some other
- *  place to put temporary files.
- *
- * @ingroup inputfiles
- *
- * @param tmp String name for the temporary directory
- */
-void setTmpDir(std::string tmp);
-
-//! Retrieves the  directory name where temporary files are created
-/*!
- * @ingroup inputfiles
- * @return
- *    Returns a string containing the directory name
- */
-std::string tmpDir();
-
-//! Delay time in seconds.
-/*!
- * @return
- *     Returns the length of time in seconds for calls to the
- *     sleep function.
- * @ingroup inputfiles
- */
-std::string sleep();
-
 /*!
  * @defgroup logs Diagnostic Output
  *
diff --git a/src/base/application.cpp b/src/base/application.cpp
index 060c4d5ff..7598359d6 100644
--- a/src/base/application.cpp
+++ b/src/base/application.cpp
@@ -376,33 +376,11 @@ Application::Application() :
     inputDirs(0),
     stop_on_error(false),
     options(),
-    tmp_dir("."),
     xmlfiles(),
-    m_sleep("1"),
     pMessenger() {
 #if !defined( THREAD_SAFE_CANTERA )
     pMessenger = std::auto_ptr<Messages>(new Messages());
 #endif
-    // if TMP or TEMP is set, use it for the temporary
-    // directory
-    char* ctmpdir = getenv("CANTERA_TMPDIR");
-    if (ctmpdir != 0) {
-        tmp_dir = std::string(ctmpdir);
-    } else {
-        char* tmpdir = getenv("TMP");
-        if (tmpdir == 0) {
-            tmpdir = getenv("TEMP");
-        }
-        if (tmpdir != 0) {
-            tmp_dir = std::string(tmpdir);
-        }
-    }
-
-    // if SLEEP is set, use it as the sleep time
-    char* sleepstr = getenv("SLEEP");
-    if (sleepstr != 0) {
-        m_sleep = std::string(sleepstr);
-    }
 
     // install a default logwriter that writes to standard
     // output / standard error
@@ -590,24 +568,6 @@ long int Application::readStringRegistryKey(const std::string& keyName, const st
 }
 #endif
 
-void Application::setTmpDir(std::string tmp)
-{
-    APP_LOCK();
-    tmp_dir = tmp ;
-}
-
-std::string Application::getTmpDir()
-{
-    APP_LOCK();
-    return tmp_dir ;
-}
-
-std::string Application::sleep()
-{
-    APP_LOCK();
-    return m_sleep ;
-}
-
 void Application::Messages::popError()
 {
     if (static_cast<int>(errorMessage.size()) > 0) {
diff --git a/src/base/application.h b/src/base/application.h
index 89d072af0..3b2dae26b 100644
--- a/src/base/application.h
+++ b/src/base/application.h
@@ -376,21 +376,6 @@ public:
     //! Static function that destroys the application class's data
     static void ApplicationDestroy();
 
-    //! Set the directory where temporary files may be written.
-    /*!
-     * @param tmp Name of the directory
-     */
-    void setTmpDir(std::string tmp) ;
-
-    //! get the name of a directory where temporary files may be written.
-    std::string getTmpDir() ;
-
-    //! Pause the application for a certain amount
-    /*!
-     * This has been needed in the past for some network file systems.
-     */
-    std::string sleep() ;
-
     //! Set an error condition in the application class without
     //! throwing an exception.
     /*!
@@ -756,8 +741,6 @@ protected:
     std::string tmp_dir;
     //! Current vector of xml file trees that have been previously parsed
     std::map<std::string, XML_Node*> xmlfiles;
-    //! Current sleep command.
-    std::string m_sleep;
     //! Current pointer to the logwriter
     //Logger* logwriter;
 #ifdef WITH_HTML_LOGS
diff --git a/src/base/ct2ctml.cpp b/src/base/ct2ctml.cpp
index 212ba0a41..787f78750 100644
--- a/src/base/ct2ctml.cpp
+++ b/src/base/ct2ctml.cpp
@@ -18,13 +18,6 @@
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <ctime>
 
-// These defines are needed for the windows Sleep() function
-// - comment them out if you don't want the Sleep function.
-//#ifdef _WIN32
-//#include "Windows.h"
-//#include "Winbase.h"
-//#endif
-
 using namespace Cantera;
 using namespace std;
 
diff --git a/src/base/global.cpp b/src/base/global.cpp
index 0afd5816c..c267e43cf 100644
--- a/src/base/global.cpp
+++ b/src/base/global.cpp
@@ -146,21 +146,6 @@ void close_XML_File(std::string file)
     app()->close_XML_File(file) ;
 }
 
-void setTmpDir(std::string tmp)
-{
-    app()->setTmpDir(tmp);
-}
-
-string tmpDir()
-{
-    return app()->getTmpDir();
-}
-
-string sleep()
-{
-    return app()->sleep();
-}
-
 int nErrors()
 {
     return app()->getErrorCount();