Yes, you can paint the inside of the microwave with high heat-resistant paint. It helps save the face of a long-lasting microwave. Repainting helps to cover chipped areas to prevent rusting.
Microwaves have a long lifespan. Their lifespan reduces with how you use them. However, chipped paint inside can accelerate their rate of damage. High-quality heat-resistant paint helps to prolong the life of a microwave.
You can notice a rusting microwave when a section starts changing color to orange-brown. Leaving the color to spread will damage the microwave’s metal frame.
The interior of the microwave may be repainted with appliance friendly paint. Homemakers typically use microwave-safe paints to cover the interiors of appliances. It works best in nearly all instances! Generally, enamel paint is microwave-safe.
Repainting seals the chips and protects your microwave. It also prevents incidents of microwaves leaking from the oven.
Reasons to Paint Inside of Microwave
A microwave is one of the most valuable appliances in the kitchen. It helps you reheat food fast without losing its texture, color, and taste. Thus, owners use it several times, exposing it to quick wear and tear.
Modern microwaves are long-lasting due to advanced technology. However, daily use of a microwave affects its body and overall performance. You can see the physical damage after a few years.
Touch-up products and paints eliminate the need to replace microwaves frequently. However, before applying any DIY repairs and painting, you should check the damage’s extent.
Types of Microwave-Safe Paints
Before you start painting inside of microwave, you should know the different types of paints suitable for a microwave. They help you repair minor scratches and chips inside a microwave. Spray-on and brush-on paints are among the most common microwave paints on the market.
You can use more than one type depending on the microwave cavity design. However, you should ensure that it suits your microwave size and design. The paint should contain metallic components to prevent a microwave’s sparking.
The paint should not heat up when using a microwave. Use your hands to check the temperatures of the painted and unpainted parts. If the painted part is cooler, then know you used enamel paint.
Before you use any paint, check the ingredients list. It should give you an insight into the paint safety despite the ‘microwave-safe” label. Don’t use any paint with metallic elements or microwave-sensitive components. Check out the types of paints suitable to paint inside a microwave below.
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Spray-On Paint
Spray-on paints are the most common choice for homeowners. They are easy to use and don’t leave a mess after the project. However, they are best for larger microwaves and widespread rust repairs. Ensure there’s no rust on the microwave before you start painting. It prevents further damage to the metal after you repaint your microwave.
Clean the microwave before painting. The paint sets well if the microwave is dry and free of debris. Remember to apply as many layers as the microwave needs. Let each layer dry before painting another layer. Also, it would be best if you allowed the paint to dry before using the microwave.
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Brush-On Paint
Brush-on paints are best for minor repairs. As the name suggests, you use a hand brush to repair a chipped or scratched area. You’ll find this paint in a small bottle. In most cases, the area should not have rust when using a brush on paints. Apply as many layers as you need. These paints are available in many local stores.
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Touch Up Sheets and Kits
All microwaves have a waveguide cover inside. The covers are usually shiny, Just like other microwave parts, they are subject to wear and tear. You can use a touch-up sheet to replace the waveguide cover.
The sheets are highly heat resistant. They’re made of silicone resin mica. In their package, you’ll find the sheets, sandpapers, stirrers, brushes, and other items you need during repairs. The extra tools depend on the manufacturer’s or packagers’ preferences. The kits make your painting work easier. Also, your microwave will look new after the project.
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Non-Toxic paints
Some paints have toxic chemicals that are a health hazard. You surely don’t want such kind of paint in your microwave. Ensure that all the ingredients in the paint are safe for humans. Also, they should not leach when exposed to high temperatures.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions to point out whether the paint is toxin-free. Also, avoid low-quality paints as they have higher chances of toxin presence. High-quality paints are the best to use in items that face constant high temperatures. They also ensure you don’t need to repaint your microwave regularly.
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Heat Resistant Paints
Any paint you choose should be heat resistant. Acrylic paint is unsuitable since it only withstands heat up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. A microwave can heat up beyond 300 degrees making the paint unsuitable. Ensure the paint you use is suitable for the inside of a microwave. Be careful not to select paint for microwave exteriors.
Steps to Paint inside of Microwave
It’d help if you had the right tools and skills to paint inside of microwave. The process is challenging, and you must follow the proper steps to get a professional outcome. However, all this is easy after you select heat-resistant, non-toxic paints suitable for microwave cavities. Once you assemble all the painting tools, follow the steps below.
Diagnose your microwave
You can’t plan painting work before you know you need to repaint your microwave. Check for any scratches and chips on the enamel. Small-scale damages are easy to repair. Most of them will need a brush on paint or a touch-up kit.
Sometimes you might notice sparking or arcing within the microwave. It may lead to a hole in the microwave walls; the damage could be so extensive that you can’t cover it with layers of paint. It’d be best to consider disposing of such a microwave to prevent accidents.
Unplug from Power Supply
Never repair a microwave when it’s plugged into the power supply. Unplugging is an essential safety measure for any repairs. Also, keep the microwave unplugged until the paint cures and dries well.
A wet microwave will damage the new paint and prevent the microwave from functioning well. You also risk electric shock when you repair or paint a microwave plugged into a power supply.
Clean
Your microwave should be free from dust, debris, oils, and food particles before you repaint it. Thus, cleaning is essential when you want to repaint a large area of the microwave cavity.
A degreaser will help you eliminate oils and food scraps from the microwave. However, it can’t clean rust from chipped areas. It would help if you used sandpaper to scratch off any rust and rusty areas inside a microwave. After cleaning, let the microwave dry before you start painting.
Apply Paint inside of Microwave
Wear your protective gear before the actual painting work. Then paint your microwave as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Each product has a different drying time depending on the ingredients. Also, the temperatures in the environment will determine the speed at which the paint will dry.
Check whether you have applied all the parts that needed painting. Also, you should apply as many layers as your microwave needs.
Allow Paint to Dry
After you apply the final layer, you should let the microwave dry completely. The manual instructions on the paint give an idea of how long you should wait before using the microwave. Also, you should allow each layer to dry before adding another layer.
Risks when Paint Inside of Microwave
It’s not risk-free to paint the inside of microwave. Selecting the right paint is the first step toward safely painting a microwave. All paints come with manufacturer’s instructions that ensure you are safe from paint leaching into your food.
You can paint a microwave yet underestimate the damage that rust has caused in the microwave. Thus, you face higher risks of accidental fires and food contamination. Only proceed with the project when you are sure the damage is manageable.
When you paint a microwave before the warranty period, the manufacturer will not compensate for any damage or malfunction to your appliance. Painting a microwave also increases the risk of kitchen fires.
It’s safer to involve an expert or a supplier before undertaking any microwave repairs. They can better assess the extent of the damage and recommend the best method to apply when painting and the type of paint that will cover the damage.
Final Word
It’s possible to paint the inside of microwave. However, there are some risks involved. The paint you use should be heat-resistant and toxins-free. Also, check the methods suitable to repair the microwave.
If you need to paint the entire microwave cavity, spray-on paint is the best. You can use a brush to paint areas you can’t reach with spray paint. Also, brush-on paints are best when fixing a small area with paint.
Cleaning the microwave is an essential safety precaution when painting a microwave. Also, remember to unplug the power source before you start painting. Don’t use the microwave until the final layer of paint dries completely.