\nYour microwave\u2019s life expectancy is about nine to ten years, but this is when you maintain your microwave without causing early damage before the life expectancy is up. Avoid these risky actions and your microwave will be around for years to come.\n
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One of the most simple (but perhaps irritating) tips for maintaining your microwave boils down to keeping it clean. Sure, cleaning your kitchen appliances isn\u2019t exactly a fun chore, but it\u2019s pretty important when it comes to your microwave. Maybe you only clean it when there\u2019s a sizable mess\u2014but you shouldn\u2019t leave those small, everyday stains, says John Bedford, founder of Viva Flavor, a site dedicated to helping amateur cooks explore the world of food and drink. \u201cFood that remains on the sides will continue to absorb energy during future operations, and will burn the interior over a longer period of time,\u201d he explains.\n
Basically, your microwave is expending unnecessary effort to \u201cheat up\u201d the lingering remains of your past meals, which will eventually impact the components and shorten the lifespan of the appliance,\u201d Bedford says. So wipe down your microwave after every use. He also recommends giving it a deeper clean once a month, which includes the exterior and the mechanisms of the door as well.\n
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One essential thing any microwave cook should know is the foods you should never microwave. You should definitely avoid microwaving a whole egg since the water that the eggs contain can heat up and expand. Potatoes, though, can be safely microwaved; just make sure to poke a few holes in the potato with a fork so that the pressure buildup will have somewhere to go.\n
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Of course, food isn\u2019t going in your microwave totally alone. Make sure that anything else you\u2019re putting in there is not going to cause problems either. You likely already know that metal is a big no-no, but other materials can also damage your oven. Plastic, in particular, could present an issue.\n
\u201cAny plastic that isn\u2019t [microwavable] could melt, and even small smudges of melted plastic inside the microwave can cause problems,\u201d warns Walton Holcomb, founder of BrewSmartly. You don\u2019t want that in your microwave or anywhere else near your food. And you should also make sure that you\u2019re not microwaving any packaging that might contain tiny bits of metal, like an accent or a leaf.\n
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Appliances, to be fair, are inanimate objects. So you might think it\u2019s OK to be less than gentle, on occasion, when using them. But this can damage them over time! And yes, we\u2019re talking to you, elbow-door-closers.\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019re taking something out of the microwave, it\u2019s really tempting to use an elbow to slam the door shut,\u201d Bedford explains. \u201cThere are actually some quite delicate mechanisms in most microwave doors, as it\u2019s obviously important they secure properly to keep the energy on the inside.\u201d And aggressively slamming the door won\u2019t just shorten the life of your microwave \u2013 it can also be dangerous. If the door gets damaged, it might no longer be sufficient to keep all the energy in, and that would be a safety issue. Treating them rough like this is definitely one of the ways you\u2019re shortening the life of your appliances.\n
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Maybe there are a few seconds left on the microwave and you just run it instead of resetting it. Running it when there\u2019s nothing in it is also certainly easy to do by accident. If you notice this, you should definitely put a stop to it, because it can damage your microwave. Take it from Bedford: \u201cWith nothing inside, all the microwave can do is absorb its own energy!\u201d he told Reader\u2019s Digest. \u201cI\u2019ve done this accidentally before and killed the appliance after only around ten seconds.\u201d Now that\u2019s an embarrassing headache no one wants.\n
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Kitchen circuits can be a tricky business and might be better left to an electrician to figure out. But here\u2019s what you need to know: Your microwave shouldn\u2019t be run on the same circuit as larger kitchen appliances.\n
\u201cAccording to the 2020 NEC Code, large kitchen appliances need to be served by multiple circuits,\u201d explains Craig Anderson, owner of Appliance Analysts. \u201cThis is because appliances, especially in the kitchen, have been getting larger and larger over the years. The conflicting electricity demands are too much for one circuit and can threaten to damage or inhibit your appliances.\u201d\n
Again \u2013 not something the average homeowner would really be expected to know, but certainly good to know! Anderson warns that this could particularly be an issue in older homes, which tend to have fewer circuits, to begin with.\n
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Never wondered if your microwave has a weight limit? Neither have we. But rest assured, it does! As Bradley Keys, Marketing Director for PatchMD, explains, \u201cMany foods and dishes are well below our microwave\u2019s capacity, [which is] why we tend not to care about its weight limitation. However, be mindful of heavier dishes and large frozen items.\u201d He warns that microwaving something overly heavy can strain the unit, potentially damaging the turntable, motor, and even magnetron.\n
Where can you find your unit\u2019s weight limit? It\u2019s \u201cusually printed on the microwave door or can be seen in its manual,\u201d Keys says.\n
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If you\u2019re savvy with kitchen hacks, you might already know that popping your probably very grimy kitchen sponge in the microwave for a minute or two is a great way to clean it. But you have to make sure that, in turn, you don\u2019t dirty your microwave! Your kitchen sponge could be \u201ccovered with salmonella, staphylococcus, and other bacteria for days after you use them,\u201d warns George Pitchkhadze, CMO at Thrive Cuisine.\n
And he says that while the dishes you\u2019re using the sponge on will dry, negating the bacteria, the same can\u2019t be said for the microwave. \u201cThey retain moisture well and are warm often, making them a perfect breeding ground for all kinds of diseases,\u201d he says. But this doesn\u2019t mean you should stop using it to clean your sponge \u2013 just make sure you\u2019re cleaning the microwave afterward! Specifically, \u201cclean the inside of your microwave using disposable, biodegradable tissues,\u201d he suggests.\n
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Those of you with a packed countertop, this is for you. If you\u2019re boxing your microwave in, it could prevent proper airflow, causing damage over time. \u201cIf a microwave oven is located with its heat vents too close to a wall or cabinet, restricting airflow, the electronics will get too hot for what they are designed for long-term, [causing] early failure,\u201d says William Pinson, an appliance technician.\n
This even means that you should avoid keeping things on top of it, too. Likewise, you shouldn\u2019t keep it too close to your oven or any other major heat source, which could cause it to overheat over time.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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