Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Cleaning

• To get the best out of your microwave and ensure its long life, you should spend a little time cleaning it regularly. Fortunately, this is a simple matter, since food splashes do not burn on in the way they do in a conventional oven.
• Always wipe up any spills straight away or they will attract the microwaves next time you cook, which could affect the cooking time. Microwaves can’t differentiate between food to be cooked and crumbs, mucky dribbles or splatters.
• Wipe out the inside with a dry cloth or kitchen paper (paper towels) after use to remove any condensation that may cause rust in time.
• Make sure door seals are kept clean or microwaves could escape.
• To freshen the interior (after cooking fish, for instance), put 300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups water, a few slices of lemon and a clean cloth into a bowl. Heat on Full Power for 3–5 minutes until boiling. Leave until lukewarm, then squeeze out the cloth and wipe all over the surfaces of the interior. Dry with a dry cloth or kitchen paper (paper towels).
• Never use scourers or oven cleaners on your machine.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning a combination oven.

Troubleshooting

If you think your oven is not working properly, there are several simple checks you can do before calling out an engineer.

• Check the oven is properly plugged in.
• Check the wires in the flex have not worked loose from the plug pins.
• Check the fuse has not blown.
• Check the oven door is shut properly.
• Check the oven is not set to ‘hold’, ‘timer’ or ‘auto’.
• Make sure the air vent is clear and there is nothing heavy on top of the oven.

Do’s and don’ts for your microwave

• Do read your manufacturer’s instruction booklet properly.
• Do make sure your oven is plugged in using a properly earthed, fused plug in a normal 13 amp socket.
• Do make sure the oven has an airspace of at least 10 cm/4 in behind it to allow air to circulate freely.
• Do use your normal household kitchenware for cooking and serving food but make sure it is microwave-safe first. If you are unsure, perform the dish test.
• Don’t use metal containers or utensils in the microwave or large pieces of foil or metal ties.
• Don’t use sealed containers as these could burst with the build-up of steam.
• Don’t try to deep-fry foods in your oven – the oil temperature cannot be controlled.
• Don’t turn on the oven when empty. Keep a cup of water in it when not in use to prevent this.
• Don’t put cans of food in the microwave.
• Don’t use the cooker if it is damaged in any way – especially if the door is loose or if the seals are faulty.
• Don’t try and repair a microwave oven yourself. If the quick troubleshooting checks given above don’t work, call out an approved service engineer.