The microwave oven has become essential to every modern kitchen. Due to its ability to save time, stress and reduce hazard, we can now heat that cup of tea in the morning before dashing out for work and reheat the frozen leftover soup in the evening when we come back. All with ease.

However, like other appliances, we should not take the microwave for granted as impending dangers may turn into reality. To keep it working, here is a look at five things you should never put in your microwave.



Aluminium foil

Those foils we use to wrap our moi moi, cakes and snacks are not meant to follow the meal to the microwave oven. Reason being that the metal interior of your microwave is made to reflect back radio waves, which are usually called microwaves. These waves are responsible for the electromagnetic energy that warms up food. Aluminum foil reflects back the waves. The results are sparks and potentially a fire.



Paper bags

These days we shop in grocery stores and they collect our items in fancy paper bags. When you get home, do not allow that paper bag accompany any food to your microwave oven. A standard paper bag from the grocery store can catch fire in the microwave? That’s because it doesn’t have susceptors, a specialized material that can handle the radio waves produced by the microwave. As a result, fumes and toxins from the paper get released during the heating process, potentially causing a fire.



Plastic and Steel mugs

These handy cups are perfect for sipping coffee on the go. But don’t try to reheat your tea or coffee in them. Steel mugs can cause friction from the buildup of energy in the appliance. Many plastic mugs can’t take the heating process. But those written “microwave safe” on the outside are ok to enter the microwave oven.



Takeaway Styrofoam

Stryrofoam or polystyrene foam popularly called takeaway in Nigeria has save many restaurants from the excesses of plates and their inconvenience nature. But they have not done any good to the environment as takeaways are littered in every street corner and gutter, adding to the already stretched dirtiness of the street by sachet water polythene bags.

When you buy a food in that restaurant and they choose a takeaway. If you get home, please do not reheat that food inside the takeaway. Kindly remove the food in the takeaway and put it in a stainless steel plate and then reheat in the microwave. Why? By using the styrofoam to reheat, the material can melt, releasing unappetizing and unhealthy toxins into your food.



Eggs

An eggshell traps steam that forms when the microwave does its job of heating. When that reaches critical mass, it can explode. The result is a very messy, hard-to-clean microwave oven.

For more interesting tips, visit www.homeaplik.com

I once try to reheat a cold egg roll i bought. the result as very messy. thank God i was alone at home then my friend would have called me village boi.

Microwave it

Mehn I was wondering how Microwaved egg would taste so I jejely carried one egg to test and satisfy my curiosity. Oboi the boom I heard scared me. Boom-splat and ugghhhhh

If you punch holes in the egg it won't explode

lepasharon:
If you punch holes in the egg it won't explode

Nice idea! I once tried to microwave a leftover scotchegg and ended up with a big BOOM !

chukxie:


Nice idea! I once tried to microwave a leftover scotchegg and ended up with a big BOOM !

loool...I learnt the hard way, trial and error

You are real experimenters with eggs))

BadyBoy:
Honestly, you are right, it is very necessary to understand that in the microwave oven, you can heat and cook food only in special utensils for microwave ovens and never use any plastic and chemical disposable bags, cups and plates. You can read more about the microwaves and some new models of convection microwaves that include in it 2 functions on diligentchef.com. Indeed, this is very comfortable when you can prepare food in it as in the oven and defrost, warm meals like in the microwave.

Could you tell me some more information about it? Let’s talk in PM