Be very careful doing this. The water can become superheated and explode when the surface tension is broken. Honestly, it’s probably better to find an alternative way to clean your microwave.
There’s nothing special about a microwave that will superheat water. You can superheat water on a stovetop, but nobody ever says not to boil water on a stove.
Not exactly the same way, because it can easily happen in a microwave, while on the stove top you’d probably need a brand-new never-used pan and purified water.
I’ve had it happen once (and I rarely ever boil water in there, usually just heat it up), and glass or ceramic are extremely scratch resistant, unlike metal, so no need for a new container. And filtered water tends to work well enough.
So then the recommendation should be ‘never boil filtered water in the microwave, and never boil filtered water in a new pot on a stove’, not ‘never boil water in a microwave’.
Edit: or maybe ‘Never boil filtered water in a glass or ceramic container’ that makes it clear that the method of heating is irrelevant, it’s the condition of the water and container that is important.
Eh, just do what most microwaves recommend for heating liquid: put a tea spoon in there. And if you are thinking “OMFG that will explode”, read about microwave and metal myths ;)
Yeah, or aluminum, or knifes with the edge exposed. Essentially metal pieces close together, or sharp edges, both create sparks. Unless you have murder spoons, you are fine, I always put them in when I heat liquid, and the manual even says to do so.
Oh that’s smart. I’m gonna try this on my microwave
Be very careful doing this. The water can become superheated and explode when the surface tension is broken. Honestly, it’s probably better to find an alternative way to clean your microwave.
Couldn’t you put a little salt or something in it to make sure it has a nucleation point to start boiling
I’m not sure. That sounds like it might work, but I don’t have any source to know if it will.
Ok now I want to do it more
deleted by creator
There’s nothing special about a microwave that will superheat water. You can superheat water on a stovetop, but nobody ever says not to boil water on a stove.
Huh? How would stovetop boiled water ever be still without bubbling? That’s required for superheating it.
my knob goes to 11
Exactly the same as water being superheated in a microwave, no nucleation sites.
Not exactly the same way, because it can easily happen in a microwave, while on the stove top you’d probably need a brand-new never-used pan and purified water.
I’ve boiled water in the microwave thousands of times, it’s never been superheated. It’s does not easily happen in a microwave.
Every time I’ve seen someone test out this microwave myth, they use distilled water and a new container.
I’ve had it happen once (and I rarely ever boil water in there, usually just heat it up), and glass or ceramic are extremely scratch resistant, unlike metal, so no need for a new container. And filtered water tends to work well enough.
So then the recommendation should be ‘never boil filtered water in the microwave, and never boil filtered water in a new pot on a stove’, not ‘never boil water in a microwave’.
Edit: or maybe ‘Never boil filtered water in a glass or ceramic container’ that makes it clear that the method of heating is irrelevant, it’s the condition of the water and container that is important.
Eh, just do what most microwaves recommend for heating liquid: put a tea spoon in there. And if you are thinking “OMFG that will explode”, read about microwave and metal myths ;)
Metal forks are the problem. Sparking occurs between the sharp tips. Supposedly spoons are safe, but I don’t have any first-hand experience with this.
Yeah, or aluminum, or knifes with the edge exposed. Essentially metal pieces close together, or sharp edges, both create sparks. Unless you have murder spoons, you are fine, I always put them in when I heat liquid, and the manual even says to do so.