It’s safe to say that most people have a microwave in their kitchen. Want to heat up last night’s dinner for today’s lunch? Just pop a plate in the microwave! Although we tend to think that microwaves are only good for heating up cold food, they also offer a ton of other uses. You may have an entirely different relationship with your microwave after reading this!
1. Bring New Life To Stale Bread
If your bread has become dry, hard, and stale, simply wrap it in a damp tea towel and place it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. When it comes out, the bread will be soft and fresh-tasting again.
2. Clean Your Sponges
To get the most life out of your sponge, stick a damp sponge in the microwave for one to two minutes. This is a quick and easy way to disinfect it so that you can continue to use it, even when it looks like it’s past its best.
3. Clean Your Cutting Boards
Microwaves are also excellent tools for cleaning wood cutting boards. Cut a lemon in half and use the fruit side to scrub at the cutting board. Put the cutting board in the microwave for 45 seconds to one minute and it will be disinfected.
4. No More Tears
If you slice a small amount from each end of an onion and put it in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds, your eyes won’t tear up when you go to cut it!
5. Easy Garlic Peeling
To remove garlic peels more easily, stick the full clove in the microwave for about 30 seconds. The skin will come off with little to no effort afterwards.
6. Crunchy Potato Chips
If humidity (or accidentally leaving the bag open!) has caused your potato chips to become soft or stale, place them on a paper towel and zap them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. When they come out, they will be crispy and crunchy again.
7. Scramble Some Eggs
To cook some eggs without using a stove or a pan, just crack an egg or two in a bowl, add some milk (if you want), salt, and pepper, then stir. Microwave the eggs at 30 to 45 second intervals, stirring in between. Voila — scrambled eggs!
8. Clean Your Microwave
To clean your microwave the natural way, place a few lemon slices inside a bowl of water. Microwave the bowl for 4 to 5 minutes. When the time’s up, use a cloth to wipe the insides clean!