Microwaves are arguably one of the most convenient inventions of all time. Instead of waiting for hours to eat, we can now have dinner ready in minutes. It also makes eating leftovers a breeze. While these modern marvels are truly amazing, there are some things that should never be heated inside of them.
1) Chinese Take-Out Containers
No metal should ever go in your microwave. Even a small amount can start a fire or damage your microwave completely. Never, ever heat any metal in your microwave.
People tend to forget that Chinese food containers have that little metal bar for carrying. They might just stick the container in the microwave, only to result in a major problem. Always put this food on a microwave-safe plate to reheat it.
2) Lunch Bags and Plastic Bags
Lunch bags might seem harmless to put in the microwave, but it’s best to avoid doing so. They can catch fire and may create a toxic smoke when heated. In general, try to avoid anything made of paper or plastic unless it’s specifically made to be microwave-safe.
3) Eggs
Some people have shared tips on making hard boiled eggs in the microwave. This is unfortunate, however, because eggs shouldn’t be microwaved.
The heat from the microwave actually causes steam to rise from the yolk in the shell. With nowhere to go, the steam bursts through, creating a major mess. Just make your hard boiled eggs on the stove with boiling water.
4) Red Pasta Sauce Without a Lid
Many of us reheat pasta in the microwave. If you’re one of those people, you know exactly why this is a bad idea.
The pasta sauce bubbles and gets all over the microwave. Unless you want to grab some paper towels and clean it out after each use, make sure you have a lid or damp paper towel covering that sauce.
5) Hot Peppers
There’s nothing actually wrong with heating up hot peppers in the microwave, but if you do this, you need to be very careful.
The steam that comes off these peppers will burn your eyes and mouth when you open the microwave door. Be very careful or you’ll accidentally pepper spray yourself.
6) Travel Mugs
Some people may be tempted to throw a travel mug full of cold coffee into the microwave to heat it back up. You shouldn’t really do this.
If it’s stainless steel, it could ultimately damage your microwave. If it’s plastic, it may melt. Check the bottom of the mug for a marking indicating that it’s microwave safe. If you don’t see it, don’t put it in.
7) Fruit
If you’re someone who likes hot fruit, you may be tempted to heat it up in the microwave. That’s a mistake.
Some fruits might withstand the heat, but others (like grapes) will just explode. If you put raisins in the microwave, they’ll just smoke and make your kitchen smell awful. If you want to heat up your fruit, you should put it in the oven or in a toaster to prevent the fruit from making a huge mess.