Microwave Ovens

Happy New Year!

The first Tip Tuesday of the new year. 1 down and 51 to go! This leap year doesn’t really effect the delivery of your weekly tidbits from the Fig. 🙂

Friends, I have a peeve. I’d say a pet peeve, but that implies only one. Who really has only one peeve? This is high on my list, though. When I roomed with our very own Charlene, she asked me what might annoy me the most. Since she had no microwave (ex-chef. ’nuff said.) and I was bringing mine into the household I told her.

I hate a dirty microwave. Seriously. Can you imagine what happens to the crunchy bits you leave on the ceiling of the oven? Next time you fire that baby up, they fall right into your food. Let’s all give a big, collective ‘Ewwwwwwww’.

I understand, really I do. Sometimes you’re pressed for time and you can’t stop to wipe out that bit of burrito that just exploded because you were distracted by little Susie’s math problem. While simple to wipe out as soon as that sort of thing happens, occasionally we really are just in that big of a hurry. That is the very essence of a microwave oven, after all.

But now cleaning day is upon us. The kitchen is in your sites. It’s not too bad, a few dishes maybe wipe off the top of the stove. Then you open the microwave. Suddenly, the theme from Psycho starts playing in your head. Someone has put (*gasp*) spaghetti sauce in there.

Well, we can approach this from a couple of angles, but it’s all basically the same principle. You’re going to use the microwave to help you clean the microwave. The same awesome molecule exciting radiation that cooks food rapidly can re-cook that caked on sauce. I used to simply turn on the microwave oven for a minute or so and then wipe it out with my favorite sponge and cleaner. Since the old days, I’ve done a bit of research and found a couple of helpful tips.

You can put a container of 50/50 vinegar and water in there until it boils. After the time runs out, let it sit and steam a minute. The vinegar will help get rid of food smells. Another tip recommends a second round with a lemon half. I see no reason you can’t add lemon juice to your mix and cut down on the time! Once it has loosened the calcified food, you can wipe it out with a sponge. I don’t need to tell you that the *boiling* water will be hot, right? Good. For those of you who really hate the smell of vinegar, try your favorite cleaner sprayed inside thoroughly.

Happy microwaving in the new year!