Many people use paper towels to cover the food and reheat the food to prevent splattering inside the microwave. While some people have reported their paper towels have caught a few sparks. But, the practice of putting paper towels in the microwave is often widely accepted.
Can you microwave paper towels?
Yes, paper towels are microwave-safe. Since paper towels do not have high moisture content, they usually do not burn easily. Even if you use a damp paper towel, it may not catch fire that much easier.
Points to note while placing paper towel in a microwave
If you are confused, you can follow these steps-
◉ Try to look at the packaging of the kitchen towel. Microwave-safe towels come with special ratings. It may come with a phrase mentioning “Microwave-proof/Microwave-safe.” Some towels can also use an image of a microwave or a few parallel wavy lines. Such towels are ideal for microwave usage.
◉ Paper towels that are made with wood pulp do not contain any water inside these. You can also use these paper towels for reheating food in the microwave.
◉ Paper towels, which are all white without any prints, are microwave-safe towel variants. These items usually come with USDA approval for use in the microwave.
◉ It is better to avoid recycled paper towels. These paper towels usually come with other materials like plastic, metal alongside the recycled paper. Due to this, recycled papers usually catch fire easily.
Safe practices while using a paper towel in the microwave
But, you need to be cautious. Otherwise, the tooth towel may catch fire while inside the microwave. Following a few steps can help you a lot while you reheat or warm your food-
◉ Only use microwave-safe paper towels. It is always better to be safe during reheating food.
◉ While using paper towels for liming food inside the microwave, only use a single towel. If your towel roll comes with multiple strands, separate it and use a single layer. A maximum of two layers of paper towel is permitted in case of heavy splattering food.
◉ Always place an increased towel on the plate or bowl for covering the food inside the microwave.
◉ Using multiple towels is more harmful and dangerous. A stack of paper towels often contains more moisture in total and may end up catching fire easily.
◉ Folding paper towels can also make them more prone to fire. Folding causes extra crises in the towels. These creases have higher chances of catching fire. Hence, use it properly.
◉ If you are using a printed paper towel, do not use the printed side on the side of the food. Only the west side should be in contact with the food.
◉ In case your food needs some moisture, you can use a damp paper towel. In such a case, only a single layer of damp paper towel is recommended.
Final Words
Paper towels are often used as food linings. These are usually safe for use in the microwave. But, do not use paper towels for more than half an hour, depending on the quality. Using them for a longer duration can cause them to catch fire.
