A wet or damp oven mitt quickly transfers heat to your hand and can cause a burn. Air trapped in the pores of dry fabric slows heat transfer, while water filling those spaces conducts heat well and removes the insulation. When water in wet fabric touches a hot surface, it also turns to steam, which can cause a steam burn. Keep the mitt dry, and do not use a wet mitt to handle hot cookware.
Fabric protects because it traps air between its fibers, not because the fabric itself is a good insulator. Air transfers heat very slowly; that is why a thick, porous mitt provides protection for a few seconds. When the fabric gets wet, water takes the place of the air pockets, and water transfers heat many times better than air. As a result, the same mitt’s protection time drops to seconds. When you hold a hot baking sheet, heat reaches your hand almost immediately. This protection lasts only a few seconds; it is not indefinite.
The second danger is steam. When water in damp fabric touches a hot surface, it instantly turns to steam. The steam releases all at once the heat it carries to the skin it touches, which is why steam burns can be more severe than burns from hot surfaces. For the same reason, keep your hands away when opening foil or a lid over a dish coming out of the oven. Steam is dangerous because it is invisible. Do not use a wet mitt until it has dried; keeping a spare mitt is the most practical solution.
The mitt itself should also be chosen carefully. Short mitts do not protect the wrist or lower arm; when taking a baking sheet out of the oven, your arm can touch the upper heating element or the edge of the door. That is why longer models that extend past the wrist are preferred. Silicone-coated mitts resist moisture better and reduce slipping, but thin silicone models do not protect as long as thick fabric mitts. The temperature rating is printed on the label. If there is no number on the label, the mitt may not have been made for kitchen use.
How you use the mitt matters too. Grip the baking sheet with the palm, not the fingertips; heat passes most easily through thin, narrow contact points. Use two mitts at once; do not try to carry a tray with two hands while wearing only one mitt. As a mitt wears out, its filling thins and it provides less protection. Replace mitts that are torn, have burn marks, or have flattened interiors. Using a damp kitchen towel instead of a mitt creates exactly the risk described here. The broader the grip, the more slowly heat passes through.
A dry towel is safer than a wet mitt, but it may not be thick enough or provide a secure enough grip. The safest choice is a pair of oven mitts kept dry beside the oven. Do not put mitts on the stove, on a counter where dishes are being washed, or on the edge of the sink; a mitt hung on the oven door handle can also get damp from cooking steam. After use, leave the mitts out to dry, and after washing, do not put them away until they are completely dry. Choose a storage spot away from the stove and sink.
Comments (2)
Yıkadığım eldiveni tam kurumadan kullanmak bu kadar tehlikeliyse iki takım bulundurmak gerekiyor.
Nemli eldivenle tepsi tutup elimi yakmıştım, buhar meselesini bilmiyordum. O anda eldiveni suçlamış, kalitesiz diye atmıştım. Oysa yeni yıkanmıştı ve tam kurumamıştı; kusur eldivende değil bendeymiş.