‘Risks involved’: Experts issue warning about viral microwave hack

Experts have issued a warning about the risks of a TikTok-viral microwave cleaning hack – saying it should be avoided despite its “convenience”.

One of the positive aspects of TikTok is finding life hacks and weird features of everyday items that you wouldn’t otherwise know about.

Most recently, the hack going around has to do with your microwave – and while it’s not exactly a secret, many people are just now finding out about it.

TikTok user @thehypnoinfluencer shared in a video with 6.8 million views that the glass on the microwave door slides out, making it easier to clean, per The New York Post.

“How come I am just finding out about this now?” creator Gina DeMarco said in the video.

“I am 48 years old, and I never knew that it did that.”

The video with nearly 400,000 likes shows DeMarco sliding the glass panel out of the front of her microwave door.

As some people in the comments soon discovered, the hack doesn’t apply to all microwaves – it depends on the model.

In addition, it seems as though there’s some safety issues with this so-called hack.

“Despite the apparent convenience of removing the glass door to clean, some risks might be involved in such instances,” CEO of Handy Cleaners and cleaning expert, Daniel Brown, told The Kitchn.

“Although this method can offer easy and better access to deeper cleaning and those places that are hard to reach on your microwave door, doing this can void the manufacturer’s warranty.”

'How come I am just finding out about this now?' content creator Gina DeMarco said in the video. Picture: TikTok

There’s a reason why microwaves have both an inner and an outer glass pane: microwave radiation. Picture: TikTok

Microwaves have both an inner and an outer glass pane to protect against radiation.

“Microwave ovens heat food using microwaves, a form of electromagnetic radiation similar to radio waves,” the Food and Drug Administration noted.

Messing with the microwave’s structure could lead to exposure to electromagnetic energy that could have potential direct and indirect hazards.

“Taking out the microwave door has the capability of damaging the integrity of the microwave, which can lead to a number of hazards such as potential exposure to harmful microwaves, electrical malfunctions, and even injuries due to broken glass,” Mr Brown explained.

While this super easy “hack” might be helpful when it comes to cleaning, it is probably not worth the risk when it comes to human health and safety.

This article originally appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission