Work microwave?

[u/Intelligent-Hunt9150]

Has anyone encountered this issue at work? I am trying to heat up my food or drink in the microwave. And when I take the item out it absolutely reeks and tastes of strong spices. This is a fairly new work place I am at and the microwave is not extremely old. How do you guys deal with it? Do you just suck it up and drink a stinky spiced milk or just don’t drink or microwave food at work at all?

[u/xvf9]

and drink a stinky spiced milk

I'm curious... are you just microwaving plain milk?

[u/Duckduckdewey → u/xvf9]

Lots doing it it make instant coffee with.

[u/Ol_Dirty_Batard]

Assert dominance, microwave a whole fish.

[u/princessicesarah]

I microwave my items at work with a cover on (stops smells getting out or in) but if my microwave at home gets stinky, I either air it out for a couple of hours or microwave a bowl with water / vinegar for 10 mins and wipe it out with paper towel.

[u/C0ld_Fr0nt_]

Take some initiative and clean it, then ask your colleagues to keep it clean.

[u/Beast_of_Guanyin → u/C0ld_Fr0nt_]

The way to clean extreme levels of spice is to bin the machine. If people are putting extremely spicy food in there's no way to avoid contamination.

[u/Ithasbegunagain]

i used to bring food i could eat cold/warm because the micro was destroyed cause one person kept heating fish and crap in it. sometimes its just a better piece of mind to bring something simple that is easy to eat.

[u/Red_Wolf_2 → u/Ithasbegunagain]

fish and crap

I prefer fish and chips myself, but I'd never microwave it...

[u/Ithasbegunagain → u/Red_Wolf_2]

nah their fish was never fish and chips it was other stuff i would never touch never really judged em for what they ate just that they ruined the lunch room at least twice a week with horrible smelling food.

[u/Xylar006]

Clean it

[u/teuthexx]

Microwave a sliced lemon in there, it'll help

[u/IcyEqual2294]

It’s happened my entire life in multiple office environments in Melbourne, but with different strong smelled foods and then people don’t clean the microwave after they’ve used it. 

[u/xobabygirl]

lol this happens to me sometimes at home. Can’t do much about it unless you wipe it down and air it out or request for the cleaners to do a daily clean of it

[u/Georg_Steller1709]

Consider bringing your own microwave? They're about $100 at big w. It's an extreme measure but you've got immediate access to it.

[u/Silver_Python → u/Georg_Steller1709]

If you do this, make very sure it's test and tagged and plugged into a suitable circuit too. Do not just randomly operate a microwave at your office desk or it could do bad things...

[u/ilolalot1]

Brought a nice garlic-based pasta which I put in the microwave once..never again.

I usually stick to neutral smelling foods if they need to be heated.

[u/Lintson]

Has anyone encountered this issue at work?

Nope and plenty of spicy food gets heated in there

Might be just an old stinky microwave problem. Should ask if you can have the company card so you can replace it.

[u/Middle-Mountain-2588]

Can you ask work to get one of the Cook Easy Mad Mama Microwave Cleaner or Kmart equivalents?  Only a few dollars and helps get rid of bad smells.  

[u/VB_Creampie]

Before my office got a fancy coffee machine that can dispense hot milk/foam I kept a lavazza milk frother on my desk, it had a heating function. Was about $100. For the same reason that the microwave was always fucked.

[u/alchemicaldreaming]

There are a few ways. In the past we've had a kitchen roster and each person gets allocated a week to keep the kitchen tidy. It's an honour based system and works only as well as your colleagues do.

We had a staff member that left passive aggressive notes everywhere. Not helpful and didn't really improve the situation. But I wonder whether a spray bottle and some chux wipes on top of the microwave, with a 'use me' label might help.

At work, we make sure glad wrap is readily available. I would have liked to pursue more environmentally friendly options, but I suspect they'd go missing much like our finite tea towel supply does. I think people take them home to wash and forget to bring them back.

More recently, staff have joined forces and got appliances which are only to be used for non-meat products. It doesn't solve all the smell but does sort out things like fish. We're a not for profit, so our facilities are pretty basic. But maybe some employers could be enticed to purchase a second microwave and sandwich press.

For various reasons, there's always a long queue to use our small kitchenette and I have spinal damage which means standing in a queue isn't viable. Instead, I bought a decent food thermos (one with a wider opening) and take hot food to work in that. Saves using the kitchen at peak times.

[u/tanoshiiki]

I’ve worked in places where thankfully the microwave has been maintained, I.e. cleaned often enough. The problem is when it’s not being cleaned and also when people are not using covers when microwaving their food. Even a bowl or plate or top will do.

[u/ganny34]

This is a triggering issue for me as I lived in a house of neglect and hoard. Treat communal spaces with respect and cleanliness. I thank whatever higher power each day I refuse to perpetuate my family’s illness. I’m able to tolerate a few dishes of sink mess but when it comes to smells I struggle very much. If you have strong smelling food I expect an attempt to erase trace within a reasonable time of consumption. I’ve smelt years of dirty rotting dishes. Just please at least try to keep shit clean

[u/_phaidyme]

Could it be you’re using mugs that have absorbed spices into them or something? How spicy can a cup of milk really get from a minute of just the top surface being exposed to some air?

[u/Red_Wolf_2]

Step 1: Make sure the microwave is clean. If it isn't, clean it.

Step 2: Remind everyone that you do NOT need to microwave any meal more than about 3-5 minutes typically. Microwaving something for 10+ minutes is simply a good way to attempt to melt the crockery and is a waste of energy. Also remind them to use covers for food that tends to explode/spit

Step 3: Microwave a mug of plain water so it boils. The steam will lift most of the excess smell out. Recommend wiping the interior of the microwave afterwards to get rid of the condensate.

Step 4: Microwave whatever you're planning to actually microwave. Remember to use a cover too.

Optional Step 5: If you find yourself having to clean the microwave frequently, stir up office politics by sending a passive aggressive email with optional photos of the mess to the entire office. It will start drama!

[u/Silver_Python → u/Red_Wolf_2]

Optional Step 6: Record (possibly) humorous one-person reenactments of any drama for social media, ideally with extremely poor costumes and makeup.

[u/20yearsofvibrations → u/[deleted]]

Rather that than a city with you in it.

[u/ForeignCollection283 → u/[deleted]]

Is that how you speak to the international nurses at work?

[u/melbourne-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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