Should I Remove The Protective Film From Microwave? (Explained)

A microwave is an essential appliance in every home. For example, you may buy a microwave from a store or have it shipped.

When it eventually arrives, you’ll see a strip of the protective film outside and inside your microwave. Sometimes, this protective film blurs the buttons on the control panel.

You’ll certainly wonder if you should remove it. However, you’ll want to avoid damaging your new microwave after spending a lot to purchase it.

You can remove the protective film from your microwave depending on where it is. So, for example, if the protective film is used outside the door and on the control panel, remove it. It is there to protect the body while shipping. The one inside is best left in place for safety purposes.

In this article, I’ll further explain the purpose of the protective film and how you can remove it.

Should I Take Out the Protective Film on a Microwave Before Use?

Yes, you should remove the protective film covering the outside of your microwave before using it. The protective film protects your microwave while moving it from place to place.

You find that the protective film outside your microwave is thin, and you find it in microwaves and other appliances too.

It is to protect the microwave’s body. For example, in a microwave, you see that it has a glass door, and while moving this appliance, it is prone to scratches.

So with this protective film, the door and the control panel won’t get scratched and damaged. When it gets to you, you don’t need to leave the protective film on it.

You do not need to move your microwave from place to place, so there’s no risk of damaging it. However, some people use the microwave like that without removing the protective film.

There’s nothing wrong with using it like that, but it’s safe to remove it as it has fulfilled its task.

However, having the protective film left outside the control panel sometimes blurs its buttons, so it’s best to remove it. 

Be careful when removing the protective film to avoid scratches on it or the touchpad. However, you can remove the scratch from the touchpad if that happens. 

After removing the protective film from the microwave body, there might be residue on the surface of your microwave. 

This residue can attract dust to your microwave, so you should clean it after removing the protective film. Just use a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol to wipe the surface clean.

Then you are good to start using your microwave. However, note that this is the only protective film you can remove from your microwave without damaging it.

You cannot remove the protective film inside the microwave. If you remove this film, you will damage your microwave and be unable to use it.

However, in some microwaves, you can remove the protective film inside, so you should check before removing it. 

The table below shows the differences between the interior and exterior protective film.

Interior Protective Film	Exterior Protective Film
It is inside your microwave door.	It is outside your microwave door and control panel.
Removal of this protective film will damage your microwave.	You can remove this protective film without any damage.

Why Is There a Protective Film on Microwaves?

The application of protective film on your microwave is for the protection of the appliance. It prevents your microwave from scratches and damage.

If you order your microwave online or buy it in a store, the protective film prevents it from scratching while moving from place to place.

For example, if you ship yours, your microwave might be shipped with other goods that might scratch it if not for the protective film.

Even in a store, it can get scratched from other goods, hence the need for a protective film. This protective film also protects the keypad on the microwave from damage.

You wouldn’t want to buy a new microwave with defects or scratches; after that, it’s left to you to either remove it or leave it on.

However, in a microwave, you’ll find two kinds of protective film on it, one inside and the other outside the microwave.

The protective film outside is the one that protects the body and keypad of the microwave. The protective film inside your microwave protects the metal in the door. 

Unlike the protective film outside the microwave, which you can remove, you can’t remove the one inside. So if, for any reason, it starts coming off, there’s a problem that you need to fix.

If you use it like that, it can result in fire damage, so when you see it peeling, stop using it and call a technician. You can also replace the protective film in your microwave by yourself.

Follow the steps below to replace the protective film in your microwave;

• First, ensure you unplug your microwave from its power source. 
• Remove the peeling protective film. You can slide a credit card under to loosen it and peel it off.
• Remove the entire film from the microwave door. You can use a glue-removing spray if it’s difficult to remove.
• If you use a spray to remove the protective film, clean the surface with soap and water.
• From the new protective film, remove the sticker on the back.
• Place the film on your microwave door. Ensure you place it correctly and that it covers the microwave door. 
• Smooth out any space in between it. You can make use of a credit card to smoothen it out.

How Do You Remove the Protective Film from a Microwave? 

You can remove the protective film outside your microwave in different ways. The easiest way to do that is to use your hand.

However, sometimes you might be unable to peel off this film with your hand. That might be because the film on it is old, but if it were new, you should be able to peel it off quickly.

Follow the steps below to remove the protective film from your microwave;

• Look for an opening around the film that you can use to pull it off.
• If you can’t see an opening, use a credit card rounded edge to remove a corner of the film and make an opening.
• Once you get an opening, you can then use your hand to pull the film off. But, again, ensure you peel it gently to avoid scratching the microwave.
• If the protective film gets stuck at a spot while removing it, place the credit card under the film to remove it.
• After removing the protective film, clean the surface with a citrus cleaner to wipe off any adhesive residue left after the removal of the film.

You can also use a hair dryer to remove the protective film outside your microwave. You need to use it to warm up the film, and it becomes easier to pull up.

Another method to try is to use tape to pull it off. Add tape to the end of the protective film and pull the tape off; it will give you an opening to remove the protective film.

You can now use your microwave after removing the protective film.

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