11 Things That Absolutely Do Not Belong in Your Microwave Oven
People on the move often rely on their microwave ovens to cook practically everything. It is certainly one of the most reliable appliances, but you still have to be very careful about what you put in it because it can easily break down.
Here are some things that should NEVER be put in your microwave oven:
Aluminum Foil
Sparks flying around are fun to see, but not from your microwave oven. The interior of your microwave is made of metal, which allows it to reflect the radio waves onto the food being cooked. These electromagnetic waves emit the energy that warms up your food. When you place any aluminum foil (or any type of metal) inside your microwave, the electromagnetic waves reflect off the foil causing it to ignite and burn. This is not only damaging to your microwave, but dangerous.
Brown Paper Bags
I’m not talking about the type of bags that popcorn comes in. These bags have susceptors woven into them that consume the electromagnetic waves so that the popcorn heats up and pops. Your regular brown paper bags that you pack your lunch in do not have these susceptors and can easily catch fire. This happens because they’ll release toxic fumes which can easily cause fire.
Plastic Bags & Containers
Keep all plastic bags out of your microwave because when plastic is heated it releases an organic compounds called Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. These are what makes plastic clear and supple. Research suggests that BPA and phthalates might be “endocrine disrupters,” which are substances that somehow behave like human hormones in the body, and not in a healthy way. All food should be placed on a microwave-safe glass plate before heating.
Travel Coffee Containers or Mugs
A typical travel coffee container or mug is made of plastic and/or steel. Neither one of these materials belongs in a microwave oven, especially the steel. Steel cups keep your beverage from heating up and can damage your microwave. Some plastic is “microwave safe,” so check the mug’s label to see if that’s the case. You can heat your coffee up in a standard microwave-safe mug and then pour it into your travel mug to take with you.
Damp Clothing
Your microwave oven cannot serve as a substitute for a clothes dryer, no matter how desperate you are. Microwave ovens are for heating food, not for drying your favorite shirt. You would have better luck using your iron to get your shirt dry in an emergency. Just make sure you don’t have it set too hot because some shirts are made of synthetics that can easily melt under a hot iron.
Hard-boiled Eggs
There are tons of recipes out there that make it seem like all you need is a coffee mug and a microwave oven. If you’re in a hurry to have a hard-boiled egg and you’re considering using your microwave for this, think again. Microwaves cook at extremely high temperatures and before you know it your egg would have exploded, making a huge mess, not to mention the smell.
Hot Peppers
If you’re thinking of adding a little more heat to your hot peppers by cooking them in your microwave, you might want to reconsider. Hot peppers in a microwave can spark and even cause a fire. But what’s worse, is that when you open the door, the chemicals from the peppers will hit you in the face, causing your eyes to burn and you to choke. It’s not unlike what happens when people are hit with pepper-spray. So it’s best eat your hot peppers raw, don’t you think?
Styrofoam Containers
Although restaurants and fast food joints routinely use polystyrene (or Styrofoam) containers for leftovers, this material should not go into a microwave. The reason is that the foam may start melting, which will release chemicals into your food. In fact, your food could melt right through the Styrofoam container. On the other hand, some polystyrene containers are microwave-safe, you just have to see if this is printed on the item before putting it in the microwave.
Lidless Containers
Food should be covered before it’s placed in a microwave, otherwise it can splatter all over the oven, and possibly detonate. Keep your spaghetti covered if you want to heat it up in the microwave or prepare to clean up a huge mess. Always use a microwave-safe cover when heating up your food.
Chinese Takeout Boxes
Most Chinese takeout boxes come with a thin metal handle, and metal is a no no for microwave ovens. When these boxes are heated, this handle may cause sparks to fly and even flames. Plus you’ll ruin your leftovers. Take your food out of the box and heat it up in a microwave-safe container.
Nothing at All But Air
We all get distracted and it could happen that we think we’ve placed our food item in the microwave when we haven’t. We then turn it on when there’s nothing at all in there except air. This is a real good way to ruin a perfectly good microwave. The truth is that the whole thing could blow up in your face. Microwaves have to have a destination and if they’re released in the oven and just bouncing off one another, they will become absorbed into the microwave oven and it could combust.
Microwave ovens were made to heat food up, so don’t complicate things by being creative. In this case keeping things simple is the best and safest way to go.
