Prevent From Entering the Microwave With a Damp Paper Towel
If your microwaved leftovers burst and splatter throughout the entire heating process, creating a hell of a mess like the one pictured above, then you’ve missed a key step. You will need a damp paper towel, of course.
Place a damp paper towel over a bowl or container of leftover food. Most importantly, it contains food and prevents it from splattering over the interior walls and ceiling of the microwave. Wetting the paper towel is important because the water makes it heavier and helps it stick to the container, creating a slight seal and preventing it from ripping off, as is usually the case with a dry paper towel or napkin.
As a bonus, it also adds a little moisture to the situation, which will help steam out leftover food and prevent it from drying out as it clogs.
You don’t need a lot of water on a towel or napkin for this to work. Just run it under the tap for a few seconds, squeeze out the excess and cover the food on top.
This works best with a container or bowl with some depth so that the paper towel does not actually touch the food; Placing it directly on food plates can sometimes create a messy situation where food sticks to the paper towel. Even that might be better than sprinkling dirt all over the microwave, though.