12 things your microwave can do

November 05, 2014

Tips & Tricks

Most people have a microwave oven in their home, and probably use it every day. But, odds are, they’re just using it just to heat up food. Here are some cool microwave hacks that you can use to make your life easier.

Remove stamp from an envelope

You can remove stamps from envelopes by putting a drop of water on it and then microwaving it for about 15 seconds.

Disinfecting sponges

Microwaving a sponge can kill 99.9% of household germs including E. coli and salmonella. Soak your sponge with water and put it in the microwave for about 60 seconds.

Bake cakes

You can bake a cake in your microwave in under 5 minutes. Just use 1/4 cup flour, 5 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 egg, 3 tablespoons milk, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and a dash of vanilla extract and salt. Mix them in a large mug until smooth and microwave it until puffed.

Peel garlic

Peeling the skin off garlic demands a lot of patience, but microwaving bulbs for 15 seconds makes it come off much more easily. The steam generated by heating can break down the bond between the clove and the skin.

Get the most juice from a citrus fruit

Before juicing an orange or lemon, microwave the whole fruit for about 15 seconds. This will make it easier to juice and help you get every drop.

Toasted nuts

Put some nuts in a microwave-safe bowl, add a little oil, and microwave them in one-minute increments, stirring after each. This trick also works for foods like pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Sterilizing soil

To protect your potted plants from pests and diseases, plant them in sterile potting soil. Put about 2 pounds of moist soil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for about 2 minutes. The process can also kill weed seeds.

Cleaning the microwave

Microwave a bowl of water with a small amount of vinegar for about five minutes. The steam will soften the the grime making the inside of the oven easier to clean.

Dry herbs

Parsley, basil, oregano and other herbs dry easily in the microwave. Place about 1 cup on a paper towel and microwave it on high for about 4 minutes.

Decrystalizing honey

Honey that has solidified can be brought back to liquid life by removing the lid and heating on medium for about 2 minutes.

Hot compress

When you have muscle pain, a warm compress can make you feel much better. Heat a wet towel on high for about 1 minute and you will have a hot compress fast.