The kitchen is the one place in the home you want to be safe. There's fire, lots of heat, appliances and sharp knives. This is one place where you want to be careful. You also want it to be clean and hygienic, so that food is safe for you and your family. Here are some tips for keeping your kitchen safe.

1. Superheated, explosive boiling in Microwave Ovens. When liquids are heated in a microwave oven, they can sometimes become hotter than their boiling point. They liquid will look calm and smooth on the surface, though it is actually hotter than a boiling liquid. If the water is shaken or disturbed, for example when you try to remove the cup or container from the microwave oven, then the superheated water will suddenly boil - bubbles will form and you will see the liquid boiling suddenly. Sometimes this happens explosively as the bubbles suddenly appear and force the boiling liquid out of its container with explosive force. To be safe, never use the microwave to boil liquids.

2. Exploding eggs, potatoes, and containers in Microwave Ovens. Never use the microwave to heat eggs in their shells. As the egg heats up, the steam inside it expands till it makes the egg explode. The same danger exists with any container (like a covered casserole dish) with liquid or moist food inside it. The steam from the food can become pressurized and explode out of the container. The be safe, always leave covers slightly ajar so that steam can escape safely. This is the same reason why you need to poke holes in a potato before microwaving it.

3. Cooking oil Flash Fires. Always keep an eye on oil in a pan or in an electric fryer. Cooking oil can easily overheat and start to bubble. It will start to smoke if it is not quickly removed from the heat source. Once it smokes, it's only a couple of seconds away from spontaneously igniting. The result is burst of very intense fire. This fire is hot and hard to put out, because it is fueled by vaporing oil that keeps coming off the pan. The only safe way to put out such a fire is with a fire extinguisher designed for oil fires. Never pour water on an oil fire, it only makes it worse.

4. Bacteria in the Cleaning sponge. Cleaning sponges and dish rags can become host to plethora of bacteria and mold. This isn't surprising when you think about it; the sponge is frequently wet and it comes into contact with dirt on the countertops or food from dirty dishes. It's an ideal place for bacteria to grow and multiply. Some sponges have enough bacteria to cause serious gastro-intestinal distress. A bacteria filled dishrag used to dry dishes could actually be transmitting a host of bacteria to the dry dishes, which could make you sick the next time you use them. Here are a few steps to keep yourself safe: (1) keep sponges and dish rags dry as far as possible. (2) clean the sponge frequently. (3) change the sponge and dish rag regularly. (4) use an antibacterial sponge. There is a news article on dirty sponges here, and an article about cleaning kictchen sponges here and here.

5. Mold in the Refrigerator drip pan. Some refrigerators have drip pans at the bottom to collect condensation. These pans are frequently wet and are an ideal environment for mold to grow. The mold spores can get into the air and irritate your lungs. To address this problem, try to keep the area around the refrigerator empty so that air can circulate and make the area less damp. You can also empty out and clean the refrigerator drip pan regularly to prevent excess mold buildup.

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