Microwave Hacks: 10 Surprising Ways to Use Your Microwave Oven


Do you think your humble microwave is only for reheating food or making popcorn? Then this article will prove you wrong! This fascinating kitchen gadget can be used for multiple purposes in your daily life more than you can imagine.
From bringing life into your stale bread to disinfecting your kitchen tools, the microwave is a superhero. Therefore, in this article, we’ll demonstrate some hidden potentials of your favorite microwave oven and make it more efficient for you. Let's dive in!
10 Creative Uses for a Microwave
Let's uncover the 10 surprising microwave tips that can save your time or tackle uncanny tasks effectively-
Sanitizing & Sterilizing Kitchen Tools
Does your kitchen sponge look grimy? Well, if you soak it in water with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and then on high heat microwave it for 2 minutes, it'll be good as new and disinfected.
Research shows that by doing this, the germs are eradicated 99%. After taking the sponge out, let it cool down and you're good to go!
Also, if your chopping board feels filthy, rub lemon on the cutting side and microwave for 1 minute on high heat. You'll get a disinfected and fresh-smelling surface.
Peeling Garlic or Tomato Skin
If you hate smashing garlic and peeling it, then you can use your microwave for a similar effect. You can microwave a whole head of garlic for 20-30 seconds and the skin will slide off. For individual cloves, just keep it around 10 seconds.
The same goes for tomatoes too. Heat your tomato for at least 30-40 seconds then put it into cold water. You'll see the peel coming off itself.
Extracting More Juice from Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits like lemon, lime, grapefruit or oranges, after being taken out from the refrigerator, it's challenging to squeeze out the juice. You can simply microwave them for 10-30 seconds, take them out, roll them between your palms and squeeze them.
Heat loosens the membranes to squeeze all the juice out! However, don't overheat it as it can cause the fruit to burst.
Dehydrating Herbs
Herbs like thyme, parsley, basil, celery leaves or rosemary can be used for this process. To keep these herbs fresh and intact, you can wash the herbs, pick the leaves from the stem and pat dry them. Then, place the leaves in between two paper towels and microwave them for 1 minute in gentle-medium heat.
If after 1 minute it's not still dried, please microwave it for another 30 seconds. Once the herbs are dried, you can grind them and place them into an airtight container away from sunlight.
Toast Seeds, Spices or Nuts
Mostly we toast nuts or seeds on the stove or oven for rich aroma or color, but if you're short on time, you can simply microwave it for the same result. On a microwave-safe plate, spread the nuts/seeds in a single layer, and add a small amount of butter or oil. Then heat it high for 1 minute.
After 1 minute, take it out, mix the nuts/seeds again and microwave it for 1-2 minutes. Keep stirring after 1 minute, so it doesn’t burn.
For whole spices, in rainy or monsoon, it sometimes absorbs moisture and loses fragrance. To retain the aroma, you can simply toss the spices in the microwave and take them out after 10-15 seconds. Such a quick microwave hack, right?
Revive Stale Bread
Another genius microwave hack is reviving any stale bread or snacks like chips, crackers or cereal. You can wrap the bread in a damp paper towel and microwave it for 20-30 seconds at intervals. The moisture from the paper towel will get absorbed in the bread reviving it.
For snacks, spread the snacks on a safe plate and microwave for 15-20 seconds and get the fresh crispiness.
Chop Onion without Tears
This is one of the most unique microwave uses if you want to chop onions without crying. Throw the onion in the microwave for 30-35 seconds before chopping it and it'll get rid of the stinginess. Amazing, right?
Softening Brown Sugar
If not stored carefully, brown sugar tends to solidify into hard rock clamps. Another microwave life hack is to put the hard clamp on the microwave and drop a few drops of water. Microwave it for 10-30 seconds and repeat this process until you get the soft and fluffy sugar.
Frothing Milk for Latte
This one is a time-saving microwave tip. If you want a cafe-like latte, no need to invest in expensive coffee machines. Pour the milk into a mason jar halfway, and seal it. Shake it vigorously for 40-60 seconds.
Put the jar in the microwave immediately for 30 seconds and the foam will stabilize. Pour the milk immediately on your latte and get a cafe-like finish!
Decrystallize Honey
Here's a non-cooking microwave use. If your honey has solidified or is grainy in a jar, you can restore it to a liquid state by microwaving it. Open the lid and on medium power, heat it for 30 seconds. Stir it occasionally to get a fully liquid form.
Best Microwave Ovens in Bangladesh


To enjoy the best microwave hacks and tricks, you must have the best quality microwave ovens. For you, we picked the top 3 microwave ovens from the House of Butterfly. Here are those-
1. LG 32-LITER CONVECTION MICROWAVE OVEN
This amazing microwave combines microwaving with conventional facilities like grilling, roasting or baking. It's a big size 32 litre perfect for a family.
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You can make Ghee in this microwave within 12 minutes. Not only ghee, you can also make curd or delicious paneer.
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The 360° motorized rotisserie allows you to evenly cooked and crispy barbeque recipes.
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Instead of boiling milk, you can simply press “Pasteurize milk” and it'll kill bacteria keeping nutrition.
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The inside stainless steel cavity enables good heat distribution with no peeling off!
The LG microwave oven price in Bangladesh is 41,900 BDT.
2. eco+ 25 LITER SOLO MICROWAVE OVEN
Eco+ microwave oven offers you a healthy and tasty cooking style. Even though it's a very fantastic microwave, you can't grill or roast in this one.
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It's equipped with a child safety lock preventing unintended dangers.
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The LED display shows clear information and easy control of the cooking system.
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It has a defrost function which allows quick and easy thawing of food saving time.
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The multi-cooking stage cooking function helps to set the cooking stages at different power levels.
The price of this amazing microwave oven is 13,900 BDT.
3. WHIRLPOOL 25-LITER GRILL MICROWAVE OVEN
This Whirlpool Microwave Oven is 25 litres making it very suitable for medium families.
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You can have amazing grill functionality enhancing the taste of pizza or sandwiches.
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It comes with an auto-cook facility with preset recipes like pasta, rice, or soup.
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This one has feather touch membrane control which is highly sensitive with a sleek design.
You can get this amazing microwave oven for 17,800 BDT.
FAQs
What are some effective microwave cleaning tricks?
Here are 3 effective methods-
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Mix 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon white vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for 5 minutes. The steam from this liquid will loosen the grime and grease from the interior.
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In a bowl of water, soak a lemon slice and microwave it for 5 minutes, it'll cut through the grease leaving a fresh scent.
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For stubborn stains, mix baking soda with a little water, make a past,e and apply on the grimy place. Scrub it gently with a soft sponge and it'll wipe out.
Do microwaves kill food nutrition?
No. Microwaving is one of the best ways to preserve food nutrients. The process of cooking in a microwave is quick and uses little water. So, there's no way for vitamins or nutrients to evaporate from the food while boiling.
Which one uses less energy: the microwave or oven?
Microwaves use less electricity or energy than ovens. It cooks faster without hassle, making it an extremely efficient and cost-effective option.
What are some useful microwave cooking shortcuts?
Here's some everyday microwave solutions-
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Before steaming veggies, pre-cut it. Small pieces of veggies cook faster and evenly.
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Before baking, soften butter quickly in 10-15 seconds in a microwave-safe bowl.
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Reheat pizza or pasta without drying it by adding a few drops of water or placing a damp paper towel on it.
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For a quick scrambled egg for breakfast, whisk the egg in a bowl and microwave it for 40 seconds. Stir and microwave for another 40 seconds. Ta-daa!
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Quick defrosting of meat and veggies.
Final Thoughts
Henceforth, you can understand that a microwave isn’t just a reheating kitchen appliance. If you can smartly utilize the hidden microwave features, it can be your great ally.
From cooking quick meals to sterilizing kitchen gadgets, the potential of microwaves is immense. So, explore all these innovative microwave ideas and make it the hero of your loving kitchen!