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10 Things you should never microwave

The microwave is a magical place. Frozen dinners, hot water, and leftovers all become ready in mere minutes. Every year they save us countless hours of cooking and put that time back into our busy lives. Microwaves were probably even the first way you learned to feed yourself warm food as a kid. But just because microwave ovens are ubiquitous in homes, doesn’t mean they can’t be dangerous. From leaching heavy metals into foods to starting fires, there are a number of things that just can’t be microwaved. Here are a few you should look out for: MEAT If you forgot to defrost your chicken thighs in the fridge the night before, it can be tempting to toss them in the microwave for a while to speed up the process. But this simple step could actually be exposing you to harmful bacteria. Microwaves aren’t great at distributing heat, so thinner edges on your cut of…

Thunderstorm? Here’s why you should skip washing those dishes

Every grade school kid knows to seek shelter during a thunderstorm, but did you know that washing dishes or taking a shower can be dangerous during a storm? It turns out that lightning can still shock you through the pipes in your house. According to John Jensenius, a lightening safety specialist for the National Weather Service, during a storm, you need to stay away from anything that conducts electricity. That includes both wires and plumbing. “Certainly showers would be dangerous. It would be dangerous to be washing your hands or washing dishes,” Jensenius said. “Just avoid those any time you hear thunder.” Anything that plugs into a wall is also dangerous. That means avoid using dishwashers and washing machines, too. If you have plastic pipes in your home, you’re still at risk. Impurities in tap water can also conduct electricity. “Water can conduct electricity as well,” Jensenius said. “We see that on the outside…