21
USE YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN SAFELY
General Use
Food
ARCING
If you see arcing, open the door and correct the problem.
Arcing is the microwave term for sparks in the oven.
Arcing is caused by:
• Metal or foil touching the side of the oven.
• Foil not molded to food (upturned edges act like
antennas).
• Metal, such as twist-ties, poultry pins, or gold rimmed
dishes, in the microwave.
• Recycled paper towels containing small metal pieces
being used in the microwave.
Do not attempt to defeat or tamper with safety
interlocks.
Do not place any object between the oven front frame
and the door or allow residue to build up on sealing
surfaces. Wipe with a mild detergent, rinse and dry.
Never use abrasive powders or pads.
Do not subject the oven door to strain or weight such
as a child hanging on an open door.
This could cause the oven to fall forward resulting in
injury to you and damage to the oven.
Do not operate the oven if door seals or sealing
surfaces are damaged; or if door is bent; or if hinges
are loose or broken.
Do not operate the oven empty. This will damage the
oven.
Do not attempt to dry clothes, newspapers or other
materials in the oven. They may catch on fire.
Do not use recycled paper products as they may
contain impurities which may cause sparks or fires.
Do not hit or strike the control panel with hard objects.
This can damage the oven.
Never use your microwave oven for home canning.
The oven is not designed for proper home canning.
Improperly canned food may spoil and be dangerous
to consume.
Always use the minimum recipe cooking time. It is
better to undercook rather than overcook foods.
Undercooked foods can be returned to the oven for
more cooking. If food is overcooked, nothing can be
done.
Heat small quantities of food or foods with low
moisture carefully. These can quickly dry out, burn or
catch on fire.
Do not heat eggs in the shell. Pressure may build up
and eggs can explode.
Potatoes, apples, egg yolks and sausages are
examples of food with non-porous skins.
These must be pierced before cooking to prevent
bursting.
Do not attempt to deep fat fry in your microwave oven.
Always allow a standing time of at least 20 seconds
after the oven has been switched off to allow the
temperature to even out, stir during heating, if
necessary, and ALWAYS stir after heating. To prevent
eruptive boiling and possible scalding, you should put
a spoon or glass stick into the beverages and stir
before, during and after heating.
Do not leave the oven unattended while popping corn.
Do not pop corn in a paper bag unless it is the
commercially prepared Microwave Popcorn product.
The kernels can overheat and ignite a brown paper
bag.
Do not put packaged Microwave Popcorn bags directly
on the oven tray. Place the package on a microwave
safe glass or ceramic plate to avoid overheating and
cracking the oven tray.
Do not exceed the Microwave Popcorn manufacturers
suggested popping time.
Longer popping does not yield more popcorn but it can
result in scorch, burn of fire. Remember, the Popcorn
bag and tray can be too hot to handle. Remove with
caution and use pot holders.