Your microwave is a helpful device that makes cooking a lot easier.  It speeds up the process of defrosting, heating up, etc. When your microwave begins to spark it can seem very scary.  It almost looks like your device is going to blow up.  You should not freak out, but instead stay calm and follow these tips.

If your microwave sparks when cooking, the first thing you should do is turn the microwave off and unplug the device to prevent further damage. The lightening storm you see with all the sparks and sizzles can electrocute you if you are not careful. There are two possible problems with your microwave: You may need to simply clean out your device or you may be cooking something that has a high mineral content.

Dirty Microwave

In order to clean the device, you should first unplug it. Place the microwave in an area with a lot of light.  Along the side or back of the microwave is a rectangular piece of metal plate. This is called the wave guide cover and it is screwed directly into the microwave wall. This wave guide cover protects the inside of the microwave from stray bits of food or water. You should carefully unscrew the plate and keep the attachments in a safe place while you are working.  Using a soft cloth and clean water scrub off any food or particles stuck to the cover.  The material is fragile so you should be careful and make sure it is completely dry before you reinstall it.  Place the cover back on the microwave.  If the device continues to spark you should maybe consider replacing the part.

Cooking Food with High Mineral Content

Another potential reason your microwave could be sparking is because of the food you are cooking. Anything metal will react in a microwave and cause sparks and lightening.  Dense vegetables such as green beans, carrots, and peppers have a lot of minerals in them.  These high mineral content vegetables contain a lot more metallic substances than other foods. The minerals include iron, magnesium, and selenium. You should be careful and keep a constant eye on the food when it is cooking to avoid overheating.

Continuing Problems

If you continue to have problems with your microwave you should seek professional help. Use TalkLocal to be put in contact with reliable local businesses within minutes.  You don’t have to do any work! Simply input your problem and availability and TalkLocal will do the rest.  Almost immediately you will be connected with someone who can help you out on the phone.

This entry was originally posted on Friday, August 17th, 2012 at 10:00 am and is filed under Appliances Repair. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.