# The enamel inside my microwave is beginning to chip—Bad Thing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-enamel-inside-my-microwave-is-beginning-to-chip-bad-thing/211451>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 4, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-enamel-inside-my-microwave-is-beginning-to-chip-bad-thing/211451 "2003-11-04T23:56:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-enamel-inside-my-microwave-is-beginning-to-chip-bad-thing/211451/1 "2003-11-04T23:56:52Z")

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I noticed this as I just used it—in the rear corner of the microwave along the bottom seam, a bit of the white interior finish is chipping, revealing a bit of oxidized metal. Is this bad?

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-enamel-inside-my-microwave-is-beginning-to-chip-bad-thing/211451/2 "2003-11-05T04:39:27Z")

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It should be fixed, [here’s how.](http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/micfaq.htm#micrdtoi). Note the issue of smoothness.

Other things to note: If it is near the door or waveguide, it can be a more serious problem, but it doesn’t appear to be the case here. The issue is _why_ is the paint fail. Did you let messes just sit there and not clean them up? Perhaps the metal there is defective and caused the paint to fail. Etc. Something to keep an eye on, after you fix it.

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**Author:** ![vasyachkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c5a1d2/32.png) [@vasyachkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vasyachkin)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-enamel-inside-my-microwave-is-beginning-to-chip-bad-thing/211451/3 "2003-11-05T05:00:18Z")

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i dont think its a serious problem. after all some microwaves have a metal interior altogether ( although stainless steel is non-magnetizable, dunno if that matters here ).

besides, i always leave the spoon or fork in the microwave and no problems. sometimes i heat up tuna right in the can in the microwave ( but i remove the lid first, else the microwaves will not get inside, also sometimes the paper wrapper sets on fire ).

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**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-enamel-inside-my-microwave-is-beginning-to-chip-bad-thing/211451/4 "2003-11-05T05:25:28Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ftg \*  
> \*\* The issue is _why_ is the paint fail. Did you let messes just sit there and not clean them up? Perhaps the metal there is defective and caused the paint to fail. Etc. Something to keep an eye on, after you fix it. \*\*

Yeah, I was a bit lax in cleaning, definitely. I’m reforming my ways as far as kitchen cleanliness, etc. I’ve learned my lesson.

Thanks for the information!