HOUSTON -- You probably noticed all the muck and mire in your office microwave -- it's not like you have to clean it. You just assume it's safe, right? Not so fast, as News2Houston Healthbeat reporter Krista Marino found out, it's what's lurking inside and leaking outside that could make you sick.

At KPRC Channel 2, lunchtime means a busy time for the two break room microwaves.

"I use it every day," employee James Pope said.

"(I use it) probably three times a week," employee Julie Hernandez said.

So, many employees just ignore the filth inside and the smelly splatter.

"Every once and a while, I'll wipe it out if I notice it gets really dirty," employee Adam Hinsdale said.

News2Houston employees thought whatever germs were in the microwave would be killed by the heat. They were wrong.

"Some of these bacteria are very resistant. They survive in the environment," said Dr. Bob Emery, the executive director of environmental health and safety at the University of Texas Houston. "If the heating continues to occur, it may put a hard crust on the outside, but inside, it's still not burned and support bacterial growth."

Emery checked out Channel 2's microwave. He sent his lab workers to test it.

They swabbed both machines in the break room, and took samples of all the splatter. Emery also checked for another danger, leaking radiation.

"You check around the seals and the integrity of the glass," he said.

With special equipment, Emery tested how much radiation was emitted.

The Food and Drug Administration says it should not be more than 5 millawatts per square centimeter. One of News2Houston's microwaves was over the limit.

"It looks like somewhere in the order of perhaps 10 or so," Emery said.

It was enough to put it out of order and out of the break room. But was it enough to make us sick?

"At very high levels, there are biological effects people can be concerned about," Emery said.

One hundred is considered high, so 10 is probably not harmful, according to Emery.

"There have been a series of studies of the possible link between exposure and the induction of cancer, but all of those have been inconclusive at best," he said.

At the lab, the results were also not comforting.

The bacteria were too numerous to count, according to the lab workers.

The testing plates showed possible salmonella, e-coli, and staph.

While there are no documented cases of food poisoning from a microwave, Emery said food-borne illnesses are widely under-reported.

"People get sick and they don't know it," he said.

According to Emery, it's possible the gook and grime in your lunchroom microwave could be the culprit.

"It could happen and people just don't know it," Emery said.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

Emery said the cleaner the appliance is, the better.

Clean the microwave with soap and water or a little bleach.

Also, cover food when you microwave it. That way nothing can fall into it.

A visual check should let you know if you have a leak. There's also testing equipment you can buy at any reputable electronic store.