Paint For Inside Microwave Oven

[Jeff Wisnia]

Our kitchen's GE microwave oven is still working fine, but the white paint on the oven floor is cracked and peeling off where the rollers on the round three wheeled carriage under the rotating glass dish have been rolling over it for a few years now.

The bare steel is exposed and getting slightly rusted and the peeling paint trail is widening. Its appearance mildly annoys me every time I see it.

Anone know what paint(s) are suitable for brushing over the worn area to improve appearances? Perhaps one of those little brush top bottles of white appliance touch up paint would do the trick.

I'm thinking that because the paint is right up against a metal surface it probably can't absorb much of the microwave energy and get heated anyway.

Thanks guys,

Jeff

[HeyBub]

White touch-up appliance paint should work. You might try lubricating the wheels with just a touch of powdered Teflon to minimize future wear.

[Pete C.]

Skip the paint and get some thin UHMW poly sheet to cut a ring of and glue down as a track for the rollers.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Thanks. That was the first thing I'd thought of, but the "track" is depressed into the oven bottom and has sloping sides, which are also missing some paint now, but maybe a ring of poly sheet as you siggest will take care of the flat surface the wheels roll on and some white paint will replace what's flaked off the sloping sides.

I think I'll try that..

Jeff

[Phisherman]

I'd wipe the rusted area with a little cooking oil or shortening and forget about repair work. Most of my appliances working over 15 years look a little worn too (cooktops, dishwasher racks, dented sink, etc), but glad they still work fine. Glad Martha S. doesn't live here.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Your prolly right, I should heed the adage, "Pretty is as pretty does."

Jeff

[Norminn]

The oil would cook, and possibly burn? Time for a new micro? Don't know if deep rust will let microwaves leak, or what hazard that would pose, but they are darn cheap nowadays.

[Pete C.]

Don't know how the oil film would hold up. Only a rust through would let microwaves out. Cheap for a basic unit, not so cheap if used as an excuse to upgrade to an Advantium or similar. Of course the old unit could migrate to the workshop for reheating coffee while working on a project.

[Norminn]

clipped

I started a fire in my microwave once, thawing a loaf of bread and had forgotten to take off the metal twist tie. My son asked, "What's burning?" I said, "What do you mean?" He pointed at the microwave and the flaming bread wrapper. Very small amount of flame, and no damage done. So, that leads me to ask about exposed metal inside the mw.....dangerous?

[Pete C.]

Not if used properly. In the early days of microwave ovens they simply said not to use metal in the microwave, assuming (possibly correctly for the time) that consumers were not sophisticated enough to understand the actual restrictions on using metal in a microwave. More recent microwave oven user manuals and microwave cookbooks give the real instructions, which mostly amount to: No sharp points and not too close to the oven walls. I readily use stainless bowls in the microwave and leave spoons in containers in the microwave without issues. Microwave instructions and cookbooks also tell you to use aluminum foil to shield thin areas on foods from overcooking. Your metal twist tie violated the "no sharp points" rule, concentrated the energy and caused arcing which started your fire.

[BobK207]

Jeff-

Phisherman's suggestion of wiping with cooking oil is a good one. Been using that technique to keep my 1984 Panasonic countertop microwave from rusting at the rotary tray wheel path.

I clean under the rotating tray every so often. The paint is only gone on the wheel path so I can only see it when the tray is out.

I was thinking about painting but figured the paint wouldn't hold up, plus the light oil rub has prevented any rust damage.

cheers Bob

[Michael]

I think you're right to be concerned about exposed metal on the inside of your microwave, primarily because of possible electrical arcing and secondarily because of aesthetics There are several glossy, enamel paint products available that are designed to cover exposed metal and make things look better, too. Some of the paints come in a small tube with an applicator, like car touch-up paint. Check around online or call a local appliance parts/repair place since markups vary widely. Oil will work its way underneath the margins of your current wearline and cook, which may likely exacerbate your current problem. Powdered teflon might be okay for ongoing friction, but I would never use it unless people with chemistry and medical expertise could assure me that it's not carcinogenic, especially in a microwave where we prepare food at high heat to be ingested. Sheesh, we're not even supposed to cook in plastic, so there's no way I'm using teflon in there. Be sure to follow directions with the paint, including thorough shaking of the paint and cleaning the surface thoroughly of anything greasy or wet so that the paint will adhere.

[willshak]

From homeowners hub. posted on April 18, 2008, 10:36 am

[=]

Seems like this is a question to pose to GE. Try the GE Answer Center

1-800-626-2005. Check for the hours that they're open.

Tomsic

[micky]

I had a microwave with nothing but metal walls, ceiling, and floor. No paint at all. I don't think arcing is a problem here. He can check further by removing the dish and the trivet and warming a cup of water. I'll bet there will still be no arcing. Uncovering more of the metal won't make it worse.

The walls are not hot, even when cooking, which is why one can clean a microwave just by boiling water in it. Food dries on but does not get "cooked on". Just cook something and then touch the wall or the the place on the floor with no paint, and you'll see it's not hot.

Only polar molecules are heated, and I gather it's only the polar molecules with a resonant frequency the same as the oven's. That is, water.

[micky]

But even with water and the food that contains it, the food splattered on the walls and floor doesn't get heated.

[hrhofmann]

t on the oven floor is cracked and peeling off where the rollers on the rou nd three wheeled carriage under the rotating glass dish have been rolling o ver it for a few years now.The bare steel is exposed and getting slightly r usted and the peeling paint trail is widening. Its appearance mildly annoys me every time I see it.Anone know what paint(s) are suitable for brushing over the worn area to improve appearances? Perhaps one of those little brus h top bottles of white appliance touch up paint would do the trick.I'm thin king that because the paint is right up against a metal surface it probably can't absorb much of the microwave energy and get heated anyway. Thanks gu ys,Jeff-- Jeffry Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE) The speed of light is 1.

8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

I would just go with a good epoxy paint, or maybe even just a good Rustoleu m spray paint. HEAT is not an issue, only wearability.

[abernahi]

Spray paint is the way to go. Rustoleum. Clean it well and dry before spraying.