We all know that you’re not supposed to put metal in the microwave as it could start a serious fire. We also know that you shouldn’t heat up leftovers in plastic or styrofoam since it could melt or leach harmful chemicals into your food.
But there are certain things that you’ve probably put in the microwave before that really shouldn’t go in there. Learn how to keep you and your family safe by checking out this list of surprising things you shouldn’t put in the microwave.
1) Hot Peppers
Believe it or not, these bad boys can burst into flames. They can also release chemicals that can burn your eyes or skin when you open the microwave.
2) Grapes or Raisins
Think twice before nuking a dish with raisins or grapes. The microwaves will cause the grapes or raisins to produce a plasma that can start to smoke a lot and possibly catch fire. It will definitely ruin your dish. If you need to nuke raisins for a recipe you could place them in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with water, put a lid on it. Microwave for 30 to 45 seconds until the water is hot. Let the raisins sit in the water for 5 minutes then drain.
3) Nothing
Sometimes we think we put something in the microwave but actually didn’t. Well, from now on you should double check because running your microwave with nothing in it is dangerous. When there is nothing to absorb microwaves, the machine’s main elements are left to absorb them which can but those components or start a fire.
4) Dry Sponges
We’ve all heard the trick about putting your sponge in the microwave to disinfect it and that’s totally fine. But it’s imperative that you make sure the sponge is wet first. A dry sponge can go up in flames in the microwave!
5) Clothing
I’ve seen some “hacks” on the internet that says you can put wet articles of clothing in the microwave to dry them out quickly. Yeah… don’t. There are so many YouTube videos that show people doing this. But your socks could come out looking like the ones below. So, you might want to use your hair dryer instead.
6) Paper Bags
We’ve also seen hacks that say you can make popcorn by putting kernels into a brown paper lunch bag. These can emit dangerous fumes when heated and can also present a fire hazard.
7) Herbs
If the herbs are already dried and you’re using them to season your food, you’re fine. But trying to dry out herbs in the microwave (yet, another “hack” you’ll find on the internet) could be a fire hazard if they get too dry.
8) Overheated Liquids
Heating liquids for too long in a glass or ceramic container can cause the container to burst. It may look OK when you’re taking it out of the microwave but if you stir or disturb the liquid it could explode. Put a wooden spoon in your container to prevent this and make sure you’re heating the liquid for the recommended time frame. Remember this when you’re reheating your coffee that’s gone cold.
9) Chicken or Turkey Livers
These can heat unevenly and get hot spots inside of them. These hot spots can burst and cause your food to explode and leaving you with a serious mess to clean up.
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