7 microwave mistakes

Microwaves are great for heating food quickly. However, there are some foods and cookware that you should take extra care with when using a microwave. Here are 7 things you should never do to a microwave.

1. Don't microwave an egg in its shell. Ka-BOOM! The same applies to foods with unbroken skins, such as potatoes and hot dogs—poke them with a fork first.

2. Don’t overheat liquid such as water, coffee or tea because they can heat beyond the boiling point without appearing to boil. As a result, very hot liquid could suddenly boil over when you take the container out of the microwave or insert a spoon or other utensil into the liquid. Stirring distributes heat evenly, so make sure to stir both before and halfway through heating liquids. Don’t use a straight-sided container with a narrow neck to heat liquids and leave the container in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds before removing it.

3. Don’t heat baby bottles and baby food jars in the microwave. The food or liquid could have a hotspot that could cause a burn.

4. Don't use the following when microwaving: margarine tubs, paper bags, plastic dishes and bags not rated for microwave use; metal pans or dishes with metallic trim; wire twist ties; glass cookware not approved for microwave use; or recycled paper products (impurities in some recycled paper could cause sparking).

5. Don’t open the microwave door if the food inside it ignites. Instead, keep the door closed, turn the microwave off and disconnect the power cord, or shut off power at the fuse or circuit breaker panel. Once the fire is out, have a local microwave repair expert inspect the microwave and fix any damage before using it again. Don’t try to repair it yourself because high-voltage capacitors in a microwave can retain a lethal electrical charge even when the microwave is unplugged.

6. Don’t forget to clean the grease filters on an over-the-range microwave once a month. They're on the bottom of the microwave.

7. Don’t try to use your microwave with the door open; doing so can expose you to harmful microwave energy. And don't tamper with the safety interlocks.