Microwave control panel
Wipe it with a damp cloth and dry it straight away. GE rules out sprays, lots of soapy water, abrasives and sharp objects, and warns that some paper towels can scratch it.
Precautions
- Disconnect from the power supply first
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
Start here
What this is, what tends to go wrong with it, and what to do about it.
The science behind this: Moisture and electrical appliances
Part of Microwave oven.
In detail
The control panel is the part of a microwave touched most often with greasy fingers, and GE's manual gives it stricter rules than the case around it. The case may be washed with a sudsy cloth, then rinsed and dried. The panel gets only a damp cloth, followed by thorough drying. Sprays, large amounts of soap and water, abrasives and sharp objects are all excluded. The last caution surprises most people: some paper towels can scratch the panel. Kitchen roll that is fine elsewhere in the kitchen cannot be assumed to be fine here, and a soft cloth is the safer choice for drying. GE gives no reason for keeping the panel almost dry. Liquid sprayed or flooded onto a panel may work in at its edges, where wiping cannot reach. That is an interpretation, not something the manual states. Two rules from the same manual cover the whole appliance, including the panel. Unplug the cord before cleaning any part of the oven. And do not use cleaners containing ammonia or alcohol on the outside, because they can damage its appearance. That rules out many glass and multi-surface sprays. This guidance comes from one manufacturer's manual for its own models.
What works
Water is safe on, in specific conditions, Microwave control panel
Safe only in specific conditions
This is only appropriate within specific limits, and nothing is established outside them.
Only within these limits:
- A damp cloth only, never a spray or a large amount of soapy water
- Dry the panel thoroughly straight afterwards
- With the microwave unplugged
Some paper towels can scratch the panel, so dry it with a soft cloth.
Precautions
- Disconnect from the power supply first
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Owner's Manual: Microwave Oven, models JEM31 and PEM31
GE Appliances · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That the control panel is wiped with a damp cloth and dried thoroughly, that sprays and large amounts of soap and water are excluded, and that the cord is unplugged before cleaning. (states this directly)
Why
- Microwave control panel is explained by Moisture and electrical appliances
Sources for this page
Sources
Owner's Manual: Microwave Oven, models JEM31 and PEM31
GE Appliances · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That the control panel takes a damp cloth and thorough drying, that sprays, large amounts of soap and water, abrasives and sharp objects are excluded, that some paper towels can scratch it, that the cord is unplugged first, and that ammonia or alcohol cleaners can damage the appearance. (states this directly)