Latest news with #microwave
CNET
15 hours ago
- General
- CNET
Use This 2-Minute Hack to Clean Your Microwave With Ease
Now that it's summer, you might not be using your microwave as much as you were, but you still need to keep it clean. And because it's so often overlooked when doing kitchen cleanups, it's easy for meals to leave behind a hardened mess that can be a nightmare to clean. Don't worry if this all sounds a little too familiar because you definitely aren't alone. And it doesn't have to be this way. Plenty of home cooks run into this problem and turn to forums like Reddit to get tips on the best ways to rid their microwaves of stubborn, caked-on food. The solution? It's easier than you might think. We asked cleaning experts for their favorite tricks and go-to methods so you can get your microwave spotless with minimal effort. Why it's important to clean your microwave Keeping your microwave clean is important for more than aesthetic your microwave clean isn't just for impressing the in-laws, but can have an effect on your appliance's utility. "A clean microwave prevents cross-contamination of flavors and avoids buildup of bacteria from food splatters," says Galia Ivanova, CEO of Cleaning Estimate, a UK-based cleaning service. "I've seen microwaves where old residues not only cause unpleasant odors, but also affect the appliance's efficiency. Regular cleaning ensures your food tastes as it should and your microwave lasts longer." Bacterial buildup from splatter can be a serious hygiene issue. "Considering the microwave is one of the most used kitchen appliances, if it's dirty it can be a haven for bacteria and food-borne illnesses," says Delah Gomasi, Managing Director and CEO of MaidForYou, who adds that microwave cleaning is one of the first training modules that cleaners at MaidForYou must undergo, as it correlates directly to overall client satisfaction. Try to keep your microwave clean in the first place A microwave needs cleaning just like everything else in the kitchen. David Watsky/CNET Regular -- and quick -- attention to your microwave can help it stay in such a condition that you don't have to fear it or clean it very often. "The best way to keep your microwave clean is to use a microwave safe food cover," says Gomasi. "This means any spillage will not penetrate the microwave in its entirety and only dirty the food cover itself, which can be easily washed." A damp paper towel can also act as a barrier for splatters if you're heating something in a standard bowl or plate. If splatter does occur, "I recommend wiping down the microwave after any spills immediately," says Ivanova. This is much more easily done with spillage that is still fresh before it has an opportunity to dry and adhere to the walls of your appliance. Read more: Skip the Microwave: Expert Tips for Reheating Your Leftovers The easiest 2-minute hack for cleaning a microwave Cleaning your microwave is as simple as using your microwave, no speciality products or supplies needed. You're basically giving it a steam bath. "I've found the easiest way to clean a microwave without the use of harmful chemicals or cleaning products is to microwave vinegar and water in a microwave safe bowl for two minutes," says Gomasi. A tablespoon or two of white or distilled vinegar with a cup of water is enough. You'll just need to nuke it long enough to boil and steam. Using vinegar is an effective and natural way to clean your microwave. Pamela Vachon/CNET "Once that's done, allow another two minutes before using a damp cloth to wipe down the interior of the microwave," he says. "It may take multiple passes but this is the most effective way to clean your microwave." The acid in the vinegar steam can break down and soften particles, making them easy to wipe away. "It's eco-friendly, simple, and effective at removing pent up food spills" says Gomasi. You can use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe down your microwave after using the vinegar. Pamela Vachon/CNET Lemon juice or lemon rinds can also be used in this way for a fresher scent or for another take, "One of my favorite methods is using herbal steam," says Ivanova, who recommends fresh mint, rosemary, thyme or other aromatic herbs in place of vinegar in the steam bath. The steam will still help to break down bits without the acid, and the essential oils will leave your kitchen with a pleasant smell. The glass turntable plate in your microwave can be put in the dishwasher or hand washed. How often should you clean your microwave? If you're doing the above after each use of the microwave or when spills occur, you shouldn't have to give it the steam bath treatment more than once a month. If you're more haphazard about covering your items, though, "we typically recommend that our clients clean their microwave at least twice a week, especially if they're not using a microwavable food cover to prevent spills" says Gomasi. "You'd be surprised at just how many people don't do this." For lingering microwave odor, try this Is there anything baking soda can't do? Angela Lang/CNET If you've given your microwave the vinegar steam bath a few times, and you still have stuck-on stains or lingering odor, you might need some more metaphorical muscle, but major scrubbing still isn't necessary. "For a deep clean, I make a natural paste using equal parts baking soda and coconut oil," says Ivanova. "Apply this paste to the interior surfaces, especially on stubborn stains, and let it sit for 15 minutes. The baking soda acts as a gentle abrasive, while the coconut oil breaks down grease," she says. "Afterward, wipe it off with a warm, damp cloth," which should leave your microwave clean and subtly scented. Ivanova also has a hack for keeping odors down continually. "Place a small bowl filled with dry coffee grounds at the back of your microwave when it's not in use," she says. "The coffee grounds absorb lingering odors and moisture, keeping the interior fresh. Just remember to remove the bowl before you use the microwave." Read more: Home Cleaning Guide: A Step-by-Step Cheat Sheet To Deep Clean Your Home Don't forget to disinfect Finally, while vinegar is a useful cleaning agent, it doesn't meet the standard to be considered a disinfectant by the Environmental Protection Agency, so for a final reassurance you'll want to give your microwave a wipe down with an actual disinfectant. Disinfecting your microwave will keep it from becoming home to mold and germs. Pamela Vachon/CNET "Be sure to use a toxin-free disinfectant to keep germs at bay," says Lana Tkachenko, Eco-Friendly Cleaning Expert and Marketing Director at Force of Nature. "Your microwave comes in contact with the foods you eat so you don't want to use anything to clean it that you don't want to also put in your mouth." Read more: How Often Should You Clean Your Oven? The Answer Might Surprise You
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Tea in the microwave? Why gen Z are giving up on kettles to make a brew
Name: Kettles. Age: 132. First featured in a catalogue in 1893. Appearance: Increasingly obsolete. I already don't like where this is going. Get with the programme. Apparently young people in Britain are not using kettles to make cups of tea. They're boiling their water in a saucepan? Worse. You don't mean … I do. It pains me to say that they are now microwaving it. Hear that sound? It's King Arthur weeping. Or maybe they're doing it right. Maybe they're sick of making tea in an old, limescale-filled, single-use appliance. But that's traditional! It doesn't matter. A survey of just over 2,000 UK energy bill payers by Uswitch has found that 58% of under-30s have used a microwave to make a cuppa, and one in six say they do it every day. Why? Is it quicker? No. A mug's worth of water takes 48 seconds to boil in a kettle, and almost three minutes in a microwave. So, does it produce a better quality drink? Also, no. Dr Tim Bond from the Tea Advisory Panel says that microwaves heat water unevenly, which leads to uneven tea extraction, which leads to a stewed flavour. Then why microwave water at all? Well, the answer may be twofold. For one thing, student halls are increasingly prohibiting the use of kettles due to steam setting off alarms, so some young people at university are forced to nuke their water in a microwave … What's the other reason? The American influence. The what? Americans typically don't use electric kettles, so they are more likely to microwave their water. Perhaps people who grow up consuming US culture are starting to believe that it's the norm. Wow. First they elected Trump, and now this. It's OK. It just means that owning an electric kettle has become a sign of the resistance. The UK may not be a perfect country but we do at least know how to boil water properly. Yes! And our national rallying cry should be: 'Tea before milk!' Actually, about that … What now? A few years ago a scientist from Leeds University worked out that for many of us, tea actually tastes better if you put milk in before tea. This feels like an affront to everything I hold dear. Don't worry, you can add it to the list of things that Gen Z have berated for – their reluctance to use capital letters, their inability to change a lightbulb and, perhaps most worryingly, their dislike of democratic political systems. This is all making microwaved tea feel quite trivial. Well, quite. Do say: 'I'll put the kettle on …' Don't say: '… put it on eBay, I mean. Now, who's for a cup of refreshing microwaved tea?'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
My Gen Z son commits a hate crime every time he makes a cuppa… and he's not alone
One of the first things we do when my Irish mother-in-law comes over is, of course, put the kettle on. She is also the only person we get the teapot and tea cosy out for, but unfortunately this ritual seems to have bypassed my kids completely. My 16-year-old Gen Z son, Charlie, uses the microwave for everything, including – shock horror – making a cup of tea. And, according to a new survey, he is not alone. Apparently, almost two-thirds of under-30s make tea in the microwave, a Uswitch poll of 2,000 Brits has shown. Why Gen Zs – that baffling and unknowable generation born between 1997 and 2012 – are kettle-dodgers who would rather pop a teabag in a mug of cold water and heat it in the mee-cro-wah-vey, as Nigella Lawson rechristened it, defeats me. It's clearly not about saving time or effort. 'Microwave heating can produce uneven temperature,' says Dr Tim Bond from the Tea Advisory Panel. He also advises that 'heating a mug of water in a microwave takes about two minutes and 40 seconds – significantly longer than the 48 seconds required to boil the same volume in a kettle.' Even longer than that if, like my son, they use one of those hideous, oversized Sports Direct mugs. And it's not a taste thing either: a microwaved brew is 'flat, with a stewed flavour,' says Dr Bond, and offers 'inconsistent extraction of tea bioactives, which are packed with health and wellness benefits '. So it's not better for you. We've heard the debates about whether to put milk in first or last (last, obviously), but for Gen Z, the only question is how long to put it all in the microwave for. My son says he worries that the kettle might become too hot to use and, in his words, 'overboil'. The microwave is, he thinks, a safer bet. I haven't the energy to tell him how microwaved water can become 'superheated' and bubble over the moment the cup is moved. I can't help thinking that microwaving tea is less a TikTok craze (though American influencers went through a phase of filming themselves 'making an English cuppa' in this way) or another small act of Gen Z rebellion, and more a case of kettle-phobia. When Charlie was eight, I left him and his siblings in the care of my Boomer dad. Charlie burned his hand on the hob and has been a bit wary around kitchen appliances, including the kettle, ever since. And yet he will quite happily blast the Nutribullet multiple times a day to make protein shakes… I can certainly attest to how revolting a microwaved brew is. One Mother's Day, my kids sweetly offered to make me breakfast in bed. Alongside some charred toast with a great dollop of butter was a mug of what looked like taupe-coloured sludge, the teabag floating at the top. Yuck. 'Looks lovely, thanks, darlings,' I said before nipping discreetly to the loo to chuck it away. I remember a time when I had three kids under five and rarely got to finish a hot cuppa, so would quite often use the microwave to reheat my tea – but only after I'd made it properly first. I once found a mug in the microwave which had obviously been festering there for several days. Experts say the best way to make a cup of tea is to pour boiling water over a teabag and leave it to steep for three to five minutes without stirring, before adding a splash of milk. I hope that, in time, my kids will see sense and that they will never subject my mother-in-law to a microwaved brew. I can only imagine how horrified she would be. She would probably spit it right out of her china cup.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Gen-Zs are ditching the kettle and instead microwaving cups of tea
For generations, putting the kettle on has been the first step to making the perfect cup of tea. But not for Gen-Z, who are using the microwave to make their cuppas. Almost two-thirds of under-30s admitted to making a brew in this way. In a poll of 2,000 Britons, 60 per cent of Gen-Z respondents said they blast cups of cold water and teabags in the microwave. 'Heating a mug of water in a microwave takes about 2 minutes 40 seconds – significantly longer than the 48 seconds required to boil the same volume in a kettle,' said Dr Tim Bond from the Tea Advisory Panel. 'Microwave heating can produce uneven temperature and inconsistent extraction of tea bio-actives, which are packed with health and wellness benefits. 'The brew is flat with a stewed flavour.' Experts say the best way to make a cup of tea is to pour boiling water over a teabag and leave it to steep for three to five minutes without stirring and then adding a splash of milk. The poll by price comparison service USwitch found the worst culprits for abandoning the kettle were southerners, with 28 per cent of London and the South East using the microwave method. Those from the East Midlands were least likely to microwave a brew, at 12 per cent. Natalie Mathie, of USwitch, said: 'It's possible that some younger people use a microwave because kettles are banned in student accommodation, but this is a trend that is growing with each passing generation.' She added it 'seems like an affront to basic tea-making traditions'. Separate research earlier this month found that 22 per cent of Britons pour cold milk into their cup before the boiling water when making a cup of tea.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Desiree Burch's life on a plate: ‘Comedy runs on crisps'
Photograph by Alex Lake The microwave did most of the cooking in our family. My parents worked, so us kids took care of ourselves by reheating frozen foods from Costco. Vegetables were something we explored on our own. The only time we dined together was Thanksgiving and Christmas, which sounds sad but we just got on with it. At the weekend, my mom would cook a fry-up. Bacon and eggs, yes, but also Spam. It was always in the pantry and tasted phenomenal sliced and fried – much better than on the grill. My siblings and I could eat it all day. It's probably why I still like breakfast food so much. After I moved to England [from the US] I was excited to have high tea at the Savoy. As it turns out, a cucumber sandwich can be pretty great. It was lovely: the grand dining room; flights of tea I'd never heard of; getting buzzed off caffeine; the fancy trays; spending far too much on cake. Oysters with a glass of champagne is cliche, but I don't care – it feels fantastic Everybody I've made sweet potato pie for in the UK assumes it's savoury, and is delighted to learn it's a dessert made with nearly an entire bag of sugar. It's perfect for Thanksgiving; you think you can't fit more food into your body, then have three slices. My Greek-Cypriot boyfriend taught me the holy trinity of his cuisine: halloumi, olive oil and lemon. Lemon has the power to transform the taste of anything – even a fried egg is perked up if you finish it with a squeeze. He does the cooking, I load the dishwasher afterwards. Once you reach your 40s, you change the way you eat. I'm lactose intolerant now, so I lean towards food with ingredients that don't cause me pain, like spinach and eggs on toast rather than cereal in the morning. That said, visits to late-night chicken shops do still happen. There was a time when I didn't like seafood. Salmon, which is the bacon of the sea, was my gateway drug fish. Now, I even love shellfish. Oysters with mignonette and a glass of champagne is cliche, but I don't care – it feels fantastic. Comedy runs on crisps. There's always salt and pepper or salt and vinegar on my tour rider – preferably Tyrells or Kettle Chips, because I enjoy life. Prawn cocktail isn't my vibe and I stay away from cheese and onion; I can't be smelling like that when I talk to people on stage. When I perform at Edinburgh Fringe, I can't fuck with food that might mess up my voice. I know where I am with a tuna baguette from Pret. After a show I'll head to Desi Pakwan; the lamb biryani is excellent and affordable. You must also make a pilgrimage to the Deep Sea chip shop and Storries Home Bakery, because they're open late. If you drive past people queuing at a Mexican food truck in California, you turn around and come back. The meat will have been marinated for at least a day by someone's abuela [grandmother] and the food will be better – and much cheaper – than any restaurant. You can get fresh produce in the US, of course, but so much of what you buy in supermarkets is processed. Bread doesn't taste like bread. I hope the UK doesn't go further in the direction of adding unnecessary, unnameable ingredients to food. My favourite things Food It's a toss up between a burrito al pastor and a classic New York bagel with salmon, cream cheese and capers from Zucker's. Those are the two I could eat at the end of my life, then be ready to go. Drink Daytime champagne in a bar that has just enough people to have an atmosphere, but not so many that you need to yell to make yourself heard. Dish to make Good guacamole is everything. I make it fresh, which is hard to get in the UK, and it has to start with the best avocados. If you get them right, everything else falls into place. Desiree Burch's new show, The Golden Wrath, will be at the Monkey Barrel at the Edinburgh Fringe from 28 July to 10 August. She tours the UK from October 2025. Tickets at Hair And makeup by Neusa Neves at Arlington Artists using Makeup By Mario, Lashify Lashes and Color Wow Hair.
