A microwave is an essential daily kitchen appliance. You may use it for cooking your veggies or warm your pizza. However you use it, your microwave is bound to get grimy, smelly, and messy. Cleaning the inside of a microwave should not be a rigorous activity. You can clean your microwave easily and cheaply with just a few ingredients you already have at home, like white vinegar or Apple cider vinegar, lemon, dish soap, baking soda, to name a few.

A microwave does not require special cleaning products. You can easily buy your regular cleaning products at a local store if you do not already have them in your home. This makes cleaning your microwave a breeze. It is advisable to avoid bleaching products as they weaken the plastic interior and damage your microwave in the long run.

The important thing is to keep your microwave clean by observing regular maintenance or a cleaning regime. It is essential to clean the inside of your microwave after a few days if there are no splatters or stains. It would be best if you cleaned splatters and stains immediately when you notice them.

How to clean your microwave

Use vinegar

Vinegar is a common cleaning agent that has a smell that quickly evaporates. It is therefore effective when you want to get rid of microwave smells.

What you need

One tablespoon white vinegar
½ cup water
Piece of cloth or sponge or paper towel
Microwave-safe bowl

Procedure

In your microwave-safe bowl, pour the water and white vinegar.
Place inside your microwave on high until the microwave door steams up or the mixture nears boiling.
Let your microwave door remain shut as the microwave cools for about 15 minutes. The steam from the mixture loosens any food particles causing the unpleasant smell, making it easy to wipe them out, and the smell from the vinegar absorbs all other odours inside your microwave.
Use a piece of cloth or sponge and warm soapy water to wipe down the inside of your microwave. Also, wipe the keypad and door.

Use a sponge cleaner

A powerful sponge cleaner is effective in combating unpleasant odors inside your microwave. If after cleaning a microwave with vinegar you still notice a lingering foul smell, it may be time to up your cleaning game by using a sponge cleaner.

To make a powerful sponge cleaner, soak a sponge in white vinegar and sprinkle a little baking soda. Then microwave your sponge for about 30 seconds. You can then use it to wipe inside your microwave, the door, and the glass tray.

Use lemon

Lemons are also used to get rid of microwave smells and deodorize a microwave. You can also use any other citrus fruits like oranges.

What you need

One lemon
2 cups water
Microwave-safe bowl

Procedure

Slice your lemon in half. Pour the water into your bowl, squeeze the lemon juice into the water and place your lemon halves inside.
Microwave the mixture for about 4 minutes but do not let it boil dry or burn your lemon.
Leave this mixture inside your microwave overnight, ensuring the door is shut. The lemon will remove any smells and leave a fruity scent instead.

Use baking soda

Baking soda is used to get rid of lingering smells from food particles or cleaning products. Cleaning a microwave with baking soda is pretty straightforward. All you need is a box of baking soda. Open it, place it inside your microwave and leave overnight. Wake up to a clean and odorless microwave! Baking soda works by neutralizing other odors and does not leave any extra smells.

Alternatively, mix one tablespoon of baking soda with a ½ cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the mixture for about 4 minutes, then use a cleaning rug to wipe down your microwave. Baking soda is used to get bad smells out of your microwave and deodorize it.

Use coffee grounds

Alternatively, you can use coffee grounds if you do not have baking soda and love the smell of coffee. You need to place damp coffee grounds in a bowl and leave it inside your microwave all day. If you do not want to wait all day, you can speed up cleaning. Add two tablespoons of coffee grounds in 1⁄2 cup of water and microwave the mixture for a few minutes. The sweet coffee aroma will absorb any foul smells from your microwave, leaving it with a sweet, pleasant smell that will make you crave coffee all day long.

Coffee grounds are also natural degreasers. Mix two tablespoons of coffee grounds with warm water and use a sponge to wipe down the greasy areas.

Steps to clean your microwave

Remove the turntable or glass tray and clean it separately
Wipe inside your microwave from the ceiling to the sides and bottom
Work on any stains that do not come off by wiping them away. A lemon-water scrub is ideal for removing stubborn stains.
Finish off with the door and keypad. Also, wipe down the outside, and return the turntable or glass tray.
Use a microfiber cloth, dishtowel, sponge or paper towel for cleaning. Using sharp objects to scrape off stubborn stains or food residue will damage your microwave.

How to clean a greasy microwave

Clean the greasy area with water and baking soda. Dip a sponge into the mixture and wring out excess water. Use the sponge to wipe the greasy areas.
You can also clean with water and vinegar mixed in equal parts. Dip your sponge in the mixture and wipe down the greasy areas.
In case of heavy grease build-up, you will need a grease-cutting cleaner or use soapy water. Apply the cleaner directly to the greasy area with a piece of cloth to avoid the cleaner from getting inside the vents. Be careful not to apply the cleaner on electronic controls to prevent damage.

How to get bad smells out of a microwave

It is essential to get rid of smells immediately because when left unattended, they come back when you run your microwave.

For light odours like aromas from spices, you can get rid of them by leaving your microwave door open for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can place baking soda inside the microwave to absorb the smells, ensuring that you shut the door. You can also wipe your microwave with a sponge dampened with a lemon-water mixture.
Strong odours like the smell of burnt food require more cleaning. It would help if you cleaned any residue inside your microwave immediately. You can then place a gel that absorbs odours inside the microwave. Let the gel stay inside until the next time you use your microwave. You can also leave coffee grounds inside to counter the foul odour if you do not mind the smell of coffee.

How to clean microwave stains

It is essential to wipe up spills as soon as they occur to avoid staining your microwave and reduce the cleaning time. Use an absorbent kitchen roll to handle spills.

Use lemon

Squeeze lemon juice into a bowl. Dip one end of your paper towel in the juice and scrub the stained area gently. You can then wipe down your microwave with the remaining lemon, as discussed above.

Use vinegar

In addition to cleaning your microwave with vinegar as discussed earlier, you can add lemon juice to vinegar to make a powerful stain remover. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice to a tablespoon of vinegar. Use a paper towel dampened in this mixture to scrub off the stain.

Use baking soda

Make a paste with two parts baking soda and one part water. Use a paper towel or cleaning rug to apply the paste directly to the stain. Let the paste soak the stain for a few minutes, then give it a gentle rub. Baking soda will work its magic and leave your microwave stain-free.

Top 4 products that do an amazing job at cleaning a microwave

Vinegar

Vinegar is a common household item that is used in cooking and cleaning. It contains acetic acid that gives it a pungent smell and sour taste. The acetic acid dissolves dirt and grime and kills bacteria, making vinegar a powerful cleaning product and disinfectant. Unlike multipurpose cleaners that are not healthy or environment-friendly, vinegar is non-toxic and eco-friendly and will not damage your equipment as it is a natural product. Above all, vinegar is relatively inexpensive. All these features make it the ultimate cleaning companion.

Lemon

Cleaning a microwave with lemon is super-efficient. Lemon is a super cleaning agent for the following reasons:

It contains antibacterial acid, making it a natural bleach
Its rind contains oils that help in cleaning and shining your equipment.
Its smell is refreshing and helps get rid of microwave smells and deodorise it.
Adding a little salt to your lemon produces an abrasive that is not harsh like other chemical-based cleaning products.
The acid in the lemon contains grease-cutting components that make lemon ideal for degreasing your microwave and countertops.

Baking soda

Baking soda is non-toxic and has physical properties and natural chemicals that make it an effective cleaner.

It is naturally alkaline, making it easily dissolve dirt and grease for easy removal.
It can also be used as a mild abrasive when applied directly to your cleaning rug. It helps lift dirt and is, therefore, an effective scouring powder and stain remover.
It deodorises your microwave by neutralising odours making your microwave odour free

Dishwashing soap

Your regular dishwashing soap does a fantastic job in cleaning your microwave. Mixing it with warm water to a bubbly mixture will help degrease your microwave. It removes all dirt and leaves your microwave fresh and clean. If the soap is scented, it will help to get rid of any unpleasant odors.

To avoid the soap scent getting into your food, you can air your microwave after cleaning by leaving the door open for a while.

Will a wet microwave electrocute me

Being near water and electricity is dangerous. For electrocution to happen, you must be on the path of electric current flowing from a conductor to a neutral or ground with a significant amount of current flowing through you. However, it is unlikely that this may happen with your microwave because it will be primarily unplugged or switched off as you work on it.

Check this too: GE Microwave Troubleshooting & How to Guide

Also, the electric connections are hidden in the body of the microwave and cannot be easily reached as you clean. However, you must be careful only to use dampened cleaning rugs when cleaning and not rugs dripping with water. It would help if you did not take any risks with electric appliances.

Conclusion

It is essential to keep in mind that food residue causes foul smells in your microwave. However, using either or a combination of the above tips will help freshen your microwave. Also, cleaning splatters and spills immediately will help avoid any odours. Cleaning food residue while still warm eases the cleaning process and saves time.