Has your microwave ever set something on fire?

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

I don't know if I should get a new microwave or what to do. We had something on a paper towel cooking for 2 mins, when I opened the door the paper towel was on fire!

I have not tried the oven since, should I just replace it or is this something they can do under certain situations? The microwave is from 1993, it's a Whirlpool came with the house.

PorscheGAL · PorscheGAL's Garage

Is there damage to the inside of the microwave? I had that happen but it was because the microwave itself had caught fire.

Honestly that microwave has lasted a long time for a microwave. I would just replace it.

Jagshund · 05-05-2010, 07:38 AM

I once left too much of a metal seal on something to be cooked- it started arcing and lighting s**t on fire in there (paper towel or napkin). It was really neat to watch for the three seconds it took me to run across the kitchen and shut it down.

legion · 05-05-2010, 07:40 AM

I have a Sanyo microwave from 1987 that is still going strong.

We had one external at work that consistently failed to read the instructions on microwave popcorn, and would put the bags in for 5 minutes and walk away. They would either be on fire or heavily smoking when the microwave shut off. He did this every day around 3:00 for months.

You'd think he'd bother to read the bag after the first time it caught on fire.

vash · vash's Garage

microwaves are cheap now. i would buy new one. no sense risking the growth of a third or fourth nipple.

i work in a relatively dark tunnel. i watched a fire and spark show recently, when a laborer tried to warm up a pound cake..still in the foil bread tin. the top of the box said, "microwave-able!" his foreman read the instructions that said to "remove from in, before microwaving product" ...the ass chewing was almost better than the sparks.

masraum · 05-05-2010, 07:52 AM

Wow, so you're microwave is a Jedi now. Congrats.

Wow, '93. I bet that thing is a monster, wait, that would have been one made in '83.

The good news is that if you buy a new one today, it'll probably only last 3-5 years and then die.

stomachmonkey · 05-05-2010, 07:54 AM

A sponge from the sink.

My wife thought 5 minutes on high would be a good way to sterilize it.

BlueSkyJaunte · 05-05-2010, 08:03 AM

Woke up from a nap to a smoke-filled room one day--my mother-in-law had left a potato in the microwave on high. I think she had intended to check it periodically and just forgot.

The next day she decided the best way to dispose of the (still hot) embers in the grill was to dump them on the wooden deck. Burned a hole straight through to the ground.

She might be trying to kill me?

As I write this I suddenly realize I shouldn't be surprised when my wife uses my expensive taps to drill holes in her earthenware planters. And she has a mechanical engineering degree!

71T Targa · 05-05-2010, 08:11 AM

Dry oatmeal. Needed to replace the microwave after that.

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Thanks guys, better safe then sorry I suppose. I'll replace it this weekend. I embarrassed to say that (with risk of losing my man card) this was turkey bacon.

rick-l · 05-05-2010, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PorscheGAL

Honestly that microwave has lasted a long time for a microwave. I would just replace it.

Why

If it is putting out enough RF to catch something on fire I would say it is working great.

Jagshund · 05-05-2010, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

A sponge from the sink.

My wife thought 5 minutes on high would be a good way to sterilize it.

That's a great way to sterilize sponges; however, it's supposed to be in a bowl full of water- and then only for three or four minutes. Gets the stink out.

Never tried putting a dry one in there. My wife's going to be out of the country for ten days starting next week. I might have to try this.

trekkor · 05-05-2010, 10:09 AM

When I was I kid, I heard you could easily tear a phone book in half if you microwaved it first.

They burn...

KT

Zeke · 05-05-2010, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1968Cayman

That's a great way to sterilize sponges; however, it's supposed to be in a bowl full of water- and then only for three or four minutes. Gets the stink out.

Never tried putting a dry one in there. My wife's going to be out of the country for ten days starting next week. I might have to try this.

He didn't say it was dry. But it got that way.

I tried some popcorn a couple weeks ago and got a burned bag with about 30% of the kernels popped. It used to work better than that. Does all the other stuff, so I guess I'll just forgo the popcorn.

lane912 · 05-05-2010, 03:25 PM

there are people that think that RF is heard by bee's and that is the main contributing factor to their declining numbers.

Zeke · 05-05-2010, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lane912

there are people that think that RF is heard by bee's and that is the main contributing factor to their declining numbers.

Well, I guess that wouldn't bee from our little home units.

HHI944 · 05-05-2010, 03:47 PM

I had a roommate that wrapped a ton of fireworks in tin foil, then a gas soaked rag around that and put it in the microwave.
So, does it count if the microwave set the kitchen on fire, but the largets chunk you could find of the microwave was about the size of a coffee cup?

Zeke · 05-05-2010, 03:48 PM

jeez, what was his problem?

HHI944 · 05-05-2010, 03:50 PM

He was drunk and pissed off because we were getting evicted (house was in his name thank god, I'll give ya three guesses as to why we were getting evicted)