Have you ever wondered if you can heat up the leftover pizza that you ordered last night? Well, with a microwave, you can most certainly do it. But how about out heating up the pizza directly with the cardboard box it comes with? Then we all fall into a dilemma. We have always been warned about how not all materials work well with microwaves and how hazardous they can be. And especially metals are a strictly prohibited material when it comes to microwaving. But what about cardboard?
Can you put cardboard in the microwave?
Well, in most cases, cardboards are compatible with microwaves. Although cardboards are quick to catch fire, microwaves have a different mechanism for heating food. Therefore, there are no major issues. However, it is recommended that one should always check for safety labels to rest assured. It is because cardboard is made of recycled materials, which means they might have incompatible compounds present in them that will either cause damage or contaminate the food inside them.
So, the answer to the question would be both a yes and a no. But if you are confused, read the points discussed below.
Cardboards in a microwave
Whenever a question arises about microwaving cardboards, it is difficult to give a straight yes or a no as an answer. In most cases, cardboards are very compatible with microwaves, but in some, it can be hazardous than ever.
However, most cardboards are safe in a microwave because microwaves do not act like conventional heating systems.
Materials like cardboard can burn up very easily whenever exposed to high heat temperatures from heating systems such as stoves or conventional ovens. But when it comes to microwaves, they are not exposed to such heat.
Microwaves produce radio waves that only react with water molecules contained in food. Since cardboards hardly have any water content, it is very unlikely that they will cause any damage.
But sometimes, cardboard can suck some amount of moisture from the food placed on it. But that is not enough moisture to react adversely with the radio waves produced by the microwave to heat up and burn immediately. Therefore, it is safe to say that cardboards can be used in a microwave.
Nevertheless, it is very important to always check for microwave-safe symbols. These symbols ensure that the cardboard is pure and there is no potential threat. But if it doesn’t contain one and you still use them in a microwave, there can be some dangers that you might face.
Why putting cardboard in a microwave can be unsafe?
The basic understanding of carboards being unsafe is that they are made of recycled materials. This means some cardboards are pure, but some carboards have coatings of elements such as water, wax, plastic, glue, metal, etc.
When these cardboards are set in a microwave at a high temperature, harmful substances such as wax and plastics have a very high chance of melting and mixing with the food. That can be very poisonous and harmful to the consumer’s health.
Another reason is the metal. When cardboards have metal mixed with them, it can be hazardous to use them in a microwave. It is the basic idea that metals are the worst material to use in a microwave. They can cause immediate fire and bring in damage.
Therefore, it is always safer to check labels and symbols that ensure the cardboard is microwave safe. And even if there is no symbol present, always heat the food at a low temperature to avoid contamination.
