We’ll help guide you through how to clean your microwave easily and efficiently without the need of elbow grease, ensuring your microwave will smell fresh and look brand new once again.
We’ll show you the best products to use and give recommendations on less harmful, more eco-friendly products which will help maintain, protect and improve the lifespan of your microwave.
What is the best way to clean the inside of a microwave?
Keeping up with the cleanliness of your microwave can be extremely hard if you decide not to clean your microwave after every use.
Below is a guide on how to clean your microwave with minimal effort:
- Wipe any hard food particles from the inside of the microwave, remove the plate and wipe away crumbs, replace the plate.
- Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of hot water and place in the microwave on full heat for 1 minute.
- After the minute has elapsed, leave the bowl in the microwave for 10 mins to allow the steam to consume the microwave.
- Remove the plate and soak in a bowl of hot soapy water for 2 minutes.
- Whilst waiting for your plate, gently wipe inside the microwave with hot soapy water and a microfibre cloth. No other cleaning products are required as the steam from the water would have loosened all the hard stubborn food particles.
- Remove the plate and wipe clean with a microfibre cloth.
- Dry the inside of the microwave with clean dry cloth, replace the plate.
- The inside of the microwave will now be smelling fresh, clean and ready to use.
How to clean a microwave door
It isn’t just the inside that counts towards the hygiene and appearance of your microwave.
Making sure the door is kept clean will keep your microwave in tip top condition.
Sticky hands can mark the stainless steel on the door and also leave stubborn stains, leaving the microwave looking grimey.
A microfibre cloth and soapy water is best to use to wipe down the door and glass and the latch of your microwave.
Dry thoroughly using a microfibre cloth, lightly spray the glass with window cleaner and shine using a Chamois leather.
- Use soapy water and a microfibre cloth;
- Wipe down all the stainless steel, glass door and latch;
- Dry thoroughly using a microfibre cloth;
- Lightly spray with window cleaner and shine with a chamois leather cloth.
Your microwave will now look shiny and new and ready to use again.
How to remove stuck on food from a microwave
Stubborn food particles can be difficult to tackle without the correct cleaning method and material.
Applying steam to your microwave will soften hardened food deposits and make cleaning a breeze.
Adding the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of hot water and placing it in the microwave on full heat for 1 minute will allow stuck on food to loosen and be wiped away with ease.
How to get a burnt smell out of a microwave
If you don’t thoroughly clean your microwave after each use, you can transfer smells to other meals you’re preparing.
The taste of burning on your next meal wouldn’t be ideal.
- Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of hot water and place in the microwave on full heat for 1 minute;
- After the minute has elapsed, leave the bowl in the microwave for 10 mins to allow the steam to consume the microwave;
- Wipe dry with a microfibre cloth;
- Leave the microwave open for 2 hours before use.
How often should you clean a microwave
Cleaning your microwave after every use is highly recommended. This will contribute to the efficiency and maintain the life expectancy of your microwave.
It also saves time removing stubborn food stuck to your microwave and lingering smells.
The last thing you want is for your morning porridge to come out smelling of last night’s chicken tikka masala; it’s not a great mix…..
Bacteria can live in the walls and corners of your microwave due to spillages and splatters from warming.
It is important to deep clean and steam to avoid a spread of bacteria contaminating your food.
Can you clean a microwave with white vinegar?
Whilst some cleaning experts are advocating cleaning with white vinegar, I would disagree.
Frequent use of vinegar on stainless steel and rubber can eventually corrode, leading to unsightly rusty areas.
Ensure you use hot soapy water, a microfibre cloth and dry thoroughly after cleaning – this will contribute to the lifespan of your microwave.
Using a chamois leather will keep your microwave looking shiny and new.
Can you clean a microwave with baking soda?
Baking soda is a great cleaning agent, it becomes tempting to use it on everything.
Whilst baking soda is safe to use on some appliances, you can’t use it on everything. It’s abrasive, which means it can cause discolouration on your microwave.
It’s also extremely messy too clean with and can take twice as long as soapy water.
Can you clean a microwave with lemon juice?
Lemon juice is safe to use to steam your microwave and will leave your microwave smelling fresh.
Dry thoroughly after steaming and ensure you leave your microwave door open for 2 hours after the steaming process, so the smell of lemon isn’t transferred onto any of your foods.
I wouldn’t recommend cleaning the interior & exterior of your microwave with pure lemon juice. This can be harsh to use and can cause discolouration to your stainless steel.
