Heating Water In The Microwave Landed Her Daughter In The Emergency Room With Burns
Sometimes, waiting for the kettle to boil is just such a hassle. So, the next course of action would be to toss a mug of water in the microwave to heat up.
However, this seemingly simple shortcut can actually be hazardous to your health. The water can bubble over or explode in your face.
Before you get burned, TikToker Kristin Beamer (@marleysroselife) is issuing a PSA about the dangers of heating water in the microwave.
“Our microwave cost us a trip to the ER and another trip to the eye doctor this morning. I didn’t share this when it happened because I’m only sharing it with Polly’s permission. And she said in case it can help someone else to share it,” began Kristin in her video.
One Sunday night, Kristin’s child, Polly, was getting ready for bed and wanted to make herself a cup of tea. She poured water into a coffee mug and heated it up in the microwave, the way she does every single day.
At the time, Kristin was standing in the kitchen about 10 feet away from her. Polly took the mug out, placed it on the stove, and dropped a tea bag into the mug. That’s when the water exploded right out of the cup and onto her face, resulting in first-degree burns.
Kristin picked Polly up and hauled her into the bathroom as fast as she could. She splashed cold water onto her face to alleviate some of the damage. Then, her husband took Polly to the emergency room.
When Kristin looked at the cup, she was shocked to see there was no water in it. The water had been so hot that it evaporated once the surface tension was disturbed.
Thankfully, Polly was okay, and no significant harm had been done. Her face only had first-degree burns, and there was a second-degree burn on her finger.
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She did end up developing a small blister on the inside of her eyelid later, so Kristin took her to the eye doctor, who reported no damage to her eye.
Kristin also explained why heating water in a microwave can quickly turn dangerous and cautioned against warming up water in this way. Using a kettle is much safer, even if you have to wait a little longer for the water to boil.
“I do think most people are aware of the dangers of heating water in the microwave, but in case you don’t, the way a microwave is when it heats the water molecules, it excites them really quickly. And sometimes, that water becomes superheated, which is hotter than boiling. But it doesn’t boil,” said Kristin.
Hopefully, this PSA will prevent others from going through the same kind of trauma as her daughter.
More About:Human Interest