Why not to put aluminium foil in microwave

It is a fact that the microwave is the best invention of the 20^th century and can be found in millions of homes across the world. Not only does this appliance enable you to warm food and liquids but also lets you cook innumerable items.  Microwave finds use also in offices where staff need to warm foods and liquids on a regular basis.  This incredible device must be used in a certain way to ensure its safety and also your own. For example, it is said that metals must not be used inside microwaves and same is true with aluminium foil.  It is said that aluminium foil must not be used in microwaves as this can cause sparking and may damage the appliance.

Infact one has heard many stories of explosions and fires as well relating to microwave ovens and usage of microwave ovens inside them.  But do you really know the reason behind this? Well the following is a detailed account on why not to put aluminium foil in microwave:

1. Understanding how microwave ovens work

Microwave ovens use microwaves to heat food.  Microwaves are nothing but radio waves which have a frequency of about 2.5 Gigahertz. When they are absorbed, they are directed converted into atomic motion which is heat. However the waves of this frequency are absorbed by fats, water and sugar but not plastics ceramics or glass.

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2. Microwaves cannot heat metals

What happens is that the inside walls of a microwave oven are made of metal which works as a mirror. The thick metal coating reflects microwaves and if you put any food in a metal pan inside a microwave, the walls will not allow the food to be heated or cooked.

3. Why not to put aluminium foil in microwave

It is true that microwaves wouldn’t food cook kept in thick pans. However when it comes to thin metal pieces like aluminium foil etc, microwaves tend to heat them up very quickly and this can lead to a fire or explosion.  Also, if the foil is crinkled from anywhere then it may form sharp edges through which electric current will run and cause sparks.  If these sparks tend to hit anything else in the oven, then this can lead to big fires and hence accidents.

This is why it is advisable to use materials which are microwave safe such as borosilicate. There are many other varieties of materials too available in the market which can be used very safely in the microwave oven. So make sure you get only those containers which are microwave safe so as to avoid any kind of accidents.  However if you have faced any difficult or want to get a microwave sparking problem checked, you can contact Mr Right. The professionals will visit you at home and resolve any kind of issue that you may be facing with your appliance.