IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

MEMO: Office microwave is a mess

Experts say microwave ovens — especially in the office — are a breeding ground for bacteria and require regular cleaning and airing.
/ Source: WebMD

Experts say microwave ovens — especially in the office — are a breeding ground for bacteria and require regular cleaning and airing.

Miss. Manners, why do people let our office microwave oven get so filthy?

Go ahead; heat your lunch — if you dare. All that muck and mire stuck to the microwave oven is enough make anyone a raw food fanatic.

One friend, now a work-at-home mother, remembers well the microwave at her former job. “It was disgusting, and what’s more, it smelled, and that’s really unappetizing. There were fingerprints all over it, and the pushbuttons were filthy.”

In fact, “if the health inspector came to your house or office, I doubt it would pass ... a microwave can get pretty disgusting,” says Beth Kitchin, MS, RD, professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, tells WebMD.

“People are so afraid of food poisoning in restaurants, but studies have shown that our own kitchens are much worse than any restaurant,” she says.

Not that the crusty stuff inside a microwave will poison you. When you blast something in the microwave oven, you do kill bacteria, says Kitchin. “Cooking is one of the best ways to kill bacteria. I’ve seen reports that 70 percent of raw chicken has campylobactor bacteria. When you cook it thoroughly, it’s unlikely that bacteria would survive.”

Some tips:
To keep your microwave oven clean and smelling fine, regularly swab it, inside and out, with household cleaner containing bleach. Then, use water to wipe off the cleaner, or you’ll smell bleach after you cook.

Keep the microwave oven door open between uses can help cut back on lingering odors.

To prevent splatters, don’t forget to cover your food, advises Laura Molseed, RD, a dietitian with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center:

Use plastic wrap, resting it on top of the container — not touching the food or sealing the container — to create steam that heats food quickly and kills bacteria. Just be sure to create a vent, or your food will explode.

If you’re using the microwave to defrost food, make sure you immediately cook it because it’s already started to heat, thus you’ve created an environment for bacteria to grow.

WebMD content is provided to MSNBC by the editorial staff of WebMD. The MSNBC editorial staff does not participate in the creation of WebMD content and is not responsible for WebMD content. Remember that editorial content is never a substitute for a visit to a health care professional.