How to clean your microwave
Maybe this should be more about how not to clean your microwave.
To start, many many sites recommend mixing vinegar and water and microwaving for 2-3 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes to let the moisture do the work. While this does work it’s also, potentially dangerous. There are several incidents documented where it causes an explosion. I am not a chemist but it seems to me that the surface tension of the mixture causes the problem as an air bubble forms underneath the vinegar and when pops does so in a rather big fashion. Reports of microwave doors exploding open are common. That’s pretty concerning. It happened to me, so while this works, lets not do that.
1 cup of water/vinegar mixture before explosion, and what’s left after.
Indeed I was able to clean the microwave fairly easily but a safer way would be to just use water and let the steam of the water do the work. While it might not work quite a well, it will be much safer.
So back to the tried and true is my suggestion for you. Keep it simple and safe. Use a sponge and soapy water.
So while we are at it, what about microwaving dirty sponges to kill bacteria?
Some say it works to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria, but does it? There are also reports that it kills only 60%. Same goes for throwing it in the dishwasher. Of course 60% is better than nothing but it’s still concerning. I would expect it to be higher but if the sponge is kept wet from the time it was pulled out of the microwave or dishwasher it continues to be a breading ground. A third way is to sanitize it in a mixture of bleach, one tablespoon per gallon and let soak for a few minutes. Then let the sponge or dish rag dry.
So my advise? If in doubt throw it out and if cleaning sponges or rags, use bleach. Same goes for counter tops.
Greetings from California! I’m bored to death at work so I decided
to browse your website on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the info you present
here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home.
I’m amazed at how fast your blog loaded on my phone
.. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, amazing site!