What should you not microwave?
Michael Green
Published Jun 05, 2026
11 Things You Should Never Put In The Microwave
- Aluminum Foil. It's nice to see sparks fly, but not so much when it comes to reheating your food. ...
- Paper Bags. All paper bags are not created equal. ...
- Plastic Bags and Plastic Containers. ...
- Travel Mugs. ...
- Your Favorite Shirt. ...
- Hard-boiled Eggs. ...
- Hot Peppers. ...
- Styrofoam in Microwave.
What can you not put in a microwave?
15 things to never put in the microwave
- Paper bags. Paper bags can release toxins that can potentially catch fire.
- Take-out containers. If the container has any metal, don't put it in the microwave! ...
- Yogurt & butter containers. ...
- Eggs. ...
- Styrofoam. ...
- Grapes. ...
- Cookware with metal trim. ...
- Sauce or dip without a cover.
What is safe and not safe to put in a microwave?
Single-use plastics like those used for yogurt, cottage cheese and other foods should never be microwaved. The same rule applies to plastic to-go containers that don't clearly state that it is microwave-safe. Similarly, do not use cracked, old or discolored plastic containers.What explodes in the microwave?
Sparks aside, other foods—particularly those that are round or have skin—can actually explode in the microwave.
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Exploding foods:
- potatoes (unless you poke holes before cooking)
- shelled eggs.
- tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- lemons.
- limes.
- oranges.
- hot dogs.
- spaghetti squash.