When you first hear something like that, it may sound awkward. But, there are a lot of examples in which you’ve felt if you could really put a towel in the microwave, and asked yourself- can I put a towel in the microwave at least to dry it?
Therefore, it is always good to have such knowledge so that you can take the chance to do something strange but valuable. Due to the same reasons, the effects of putting a towel in the microwave and the things to consider if you really can do it are explored here in order to help you avoid unforeseen issues.
What Is A Microwave Used For?
In short, a microwave is a form of electromagnetic radiation that runs between 300 MHz to 300 GHz frequencies. And, the length of the waves is about one millimeter to one meter. However, the frequency of microwaves differs according to the different sources, and the frequency band can be EHF or UHF.
In our context today, microwaves are being used in the microwave oven to heat food. Though the mechanism is the same, the primary purpose of using microwave radiation here is cooking food. Because of this modern microwaving technology, cooking has become easier, and things like industrialization, radio astronomy, remote sensing, medical treatment, satellite communication, wireless networks, etc., have also become possible.
Can I Put A Towel In The Microwave – Is It Really Possible?
Suppose you are in an emergency to dry your clothes, but you don’t have a dryer in your room. In such a condition, you may look for an alternative but cannot decide what you should do. Don’t worry if you have a microwave in your room. Because you can easily use it to dry your clothes like towels.
Don’t be overwhelmed after hearing that you can heat your cloth in your microwave. Because this method doesn’t work the same for all clothes, you should be very careful when using your microwave for such purposes. Usually, soft clothes like towels can be efficiently heated using a microwave.
Sometimes you may see some people heat their small items like pillowcases, socks, etc. But, using them in a microwave doesn’t only look nasty, the inner part also can get dirty using these types of clothes.
If you look at the fundamental characteristic of the microwave, it can deliver the necessary warmth very quickly. So, the towel can be dried or warmed very quickly using the microwave. However, before using it for other purposes, instead of heating foods, you need to make sure the microwave is clean. Otherwise, your towels may get dirty from the leftover drink spills and food inside.
Tips For Putting A Towel In The Microwave
Though there is less chance that putting a standard towel in the microwave will create many problems, you should still keep in mind several things to make sure you are doing it right. Because being careful and considering precautions before clicking on the “On” button of the microwave is a must to ensure safety.
Check The Towel For Metal Particles
Before putting a towel in your microwave, examine it carefully to see if any metal tag or weight is attached to the towel. Inspect very carefully if the towel is a decorative one. Because finding the tags may seem tricky in such towels due to the same colored tags.
You’ll do this because the metal items create sparkles in the microwave. And, the sparkling causes flames sometimes. This happens as the metal reacts to the electromagnetic radiations produced by the microwave. So, keep this in mind always when drying a towel in the microwave.
In addition to that, don’t go far away from the microwave when heating a towel in it. After all, you should always be aware of the possible circumstances, like creating sparks or catching flames.
Remember The Temperature
You know that a microwave can get very hot when it is switched on. So, always keep in mind that you cannot put anything that cannot withstand the temperature. Usually, most of the towels can withstand the heat of the microwave as they are designed to be dry-washed in dryers where the temperature is higher than the microwave.
When you are heating clothing items that are not made for machine drying, these clothes can be damaged and cause a fire at some point. So, you should think about the item, whether it can take the pretty hot temperature of the microwave or not.
Don’t Put Non-Cotton Towel Inside
Never put any non-cotton towel in the microwave. If you want to microwave clothing that doesn’t contain 100% cotton, there is a big chance that you’ll get into a messy situation. For instance, when your towel has nylon or polyester, the fabric will melt, creating a big problem.
When talking about spandex material on the fabric, it is hazardous for microwaving. Because the spandex can create a fire inside when reacting to the radiation. So, always stay away from putting such materials inside of your microwave ever.
Besides, you should remember that all of the natural fabrics are not suitable for microwaving. If you put any delicate fiber in the microwave, the reaction won’t be good at all. Rather, you may get a blob of fibers instead of a dried cloth.
Look At The Time
Typically, when you are using low heat settings, you should keep the towel in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Keeping the towel inside more than that may burn it. As the time is not so long, we recommend you stay near the microwave until your microwave is done.
Conclusion
As you can see, a towel will work just fine in the microwave. There are, however, some factors you should consider before placing the towel inside. First, check for any metal tags or weights attached to the towel. If not, then make sure that the towel is 100% cotton fabric and machine dry supported. After ensuring all these things, you won’t face any problem putting a towel in the microwave.
Leave a Reply