Raise your hand if you have ever heated up a plate of spaghetti in the microwave only to find the walls and ceiling splattered with sauce. Not to worry, here’s how to clean a microwave, in mere minutes, using vinegar and water.
Microwaves have got to be one of the best inventions. My parents have a picture of me stirring hot chocolate on the stove top when I was young; now, a minute in the microwave is all you need. The not-so-great thing about microwaves is they get dirty. Bags of popcorn leave a little buttery goodness behind and spaghetti sauce explodes everywhere. Not to worry because I have the best way to clean a microwave, inside and out; and it’s so easy.
What You Need to Clean A Microwave
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Ingredients Needed to Clean A Microwave
- Vinegar
- Lemon– Optional
- Dish Soap-You can use a store-bought version or our homemade dish soap recipe
Supplies Needed to Clean A Microwave
- Microwave-Safe Glass Liquid Measuring Cup
- Toothpick
- Cleaning Cloth or Sponge
- Stainless Steel Cleaning Cloth– for those with a stainless steel microwave
How to Clean A Microwave Naturally
Let’s start with the “before shot” of my microwave.
Lots of stuck on food and splatters. Yuck.
The Easiest Way to Deep Clean the Inside of A Microwave
Using a microwave-safe glass liquid measuring cup, add 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 cup water. I typically use a two-cup measuring cup, but the contents tend to overflow, so you can always go with a larger measuring cup to (potentially) avoid this.
If you happen to have a lemon on hand, slice up 1/2 of it and add it to the vinegar and water mixture. Lemon helps to freshen the microwave while covering up the strong vinegar smell.
If you do no have a lemon (or choose not to use it), add a toothpick to the mixture to prevent the water from exploding.
I remember seeing a news show about water literally exploding when it had been heated too long in the microwave. I don’t want this to happen, so I always put a toothpick in the water. I am not a scientist, so I cannot guarantee this works, but apparently by putting a toothpick in the water, it will agitate the water to prevent any explosion from happening. I do it, and the water has never exploded.
Place your measuring cup (with the vinegar, water, and lemon/toothpick) into the microwave and heat on high for 5 minutes.
Once the timer goes off, keep the door closed for an additional 5 minutes to allow the steam to really work. Open the microwave and carefully remove the liquid measuring cup. It will be hot, so use an oven mitt.
The next step is to remove the turntable, if your microwave has one. Allow the turntable to cool until you can easily handle it. Please note that some of the water and vinegar mixture may have boiled onto the turntable, so use caution as you remove it. It may be hot… and wet. Carefully wash the turntable with dish soap and warm water and thoroughly dry it.
Prior to returning the turntable, wipe down the inside of the microwave with a damp cloth or sponge. Everything should wipe off easily as the steam should have loosened any grime and splatters from the walls and ceiling.
Once the inside is clean, return the turntable to its place.
How to Clean the Outside of a Microwave
For the outside of the microwave, use an All-Purpose Spray and wipe it down with a cleaning cloth. If your microwave is stainless steel, use a stainless steel cleaning cloth. Simply add water to the cloth, wipe, and dry with a lint-free cloth (I always use a flour sack dish towel).
You can check out this post on cleaning stainless steel appliances for more information if you’d like.
That’s it… you’re done cleaning the microwave!
Check out those results!
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Common Questions About Cleaning A Microwave
How often Should I Clean My Microwave?
How often you clean your microwave really depends on how often you use it; as well as how dirty it gets. If you are looking for the “right answer”, you’ll find most suggest cleaning your microwave once a week. If you want my honest answer… I clean mine about once a month. Obviously, if something explodes or you see a lot of visible splatters, it’s a good idea to clean it sooner rather than later.
Can I Use Disinfecting Wipes to Clean My Microwave?
While disinfecting wipes may seem like a good way to disinfect your microwave, I wouldn’t recommend it. Disinfecting wipes can contain chemicals that are not meant to come in contact with surfaces that touch food unless they are thoroughly rinsed with potable water; and many are not intended to be used on glass (which most turntables are made of). If you want a safe way to disinfect your microwave, I would suggest Force of Nature Cleaner. It is made with salt, water, and vinegar, yet is powerful enough to be registered as a hospital-grade disinfectant. I have a whole review of Force of Nature Cleaner (plus a coupon code) if you want to learn more.
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Thanks for the toothpicks tip. Exploding water would be horrific.
I completely agree. No need to have boiling water exploding while cleaning the microwave.