How to Clean and Shine your Microwave

There are few people in the world who don’t enjoy a delicious meal. But, almost everybody cringes away from the cleanup work, whether it be the dishes, the stove or microwave oven.

It’s especially easy to procrastinate cleaning the microwave when you can close the door and the mess is out of sight and out of mind.

Eventually, the task of cleaning that grimy and gunk-covered microwave becomes daunting, and it seems as if it would be easier to buy a new one.

Well, no more!! There are tricks to clean and shine your microwave.

Steps to Clean and Shine a Microwave

Things you’ll need:

• Lemons – 2 large or 3 small
• Microwave-safe glass bowl
• Knife
• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Sponge scrubber
• Clean dish rag or paper towel
• Oven mitts

Step 1. Put lemon juice in a water-filled glass bowl

• Fill a microwave-safe glass bowl or measuring cup with water.
• Slice 2 large lemons (or 3 small ones) into halves.
• Squeeze all the juice of the lemons into the water.
• Do not throw away the rinds. Put them in the bowl as well.

Lemon is the most efficient cleaner to make your microwave squeaky clean.

Step 2. Heat the bowl in the microwave

Just put the lemon-water bowl inside your microwave and close the door.

Set the microwave on medium heat for 7 minutes and turn it on.

This will heat the contents of the bowl enough to give rise to steam. Let it sit for an additional minute so that the steam and vapors have time to condense on all the surfaces, thus loosening the dried and sticky grime.

Now it’s time to take the bowl out. Do it wearing your trusted oven mitts.

The water will be tremendously hot. Be careful while handling it. You don’t want to sustain any burns on this extremely easy job.

Step 3. Wipe the microwave with a paper towel

Use a clean and dry dish rag or paper towel to clean the inside of the microwave. Tissue papers shouldn’t be used as they become soggy and rip apart, making your job messy and irksome.

Gently wipe down the walls of your microwave. You’ll see that the hard-stuck grime has loosened up and comes off easily.

Similarly, gently wipe away all the grime from the bottom, the top and the inside of the door. Remove the microwave plate or turntable before cleaning the bottom.

For stubborn spots that don’t come off, rub a piece of lemon directly on them.

Step 4. Make baking soda paste

Now, use baking soda to clean the microwave plate or turntable that you had put aside.

• Put some baking soda in a small glass bowl.
• Mix in just enough water to make a thick, goopy paste.
• Stir it thoroughly so as not to leave any lumps.

Steps 5. Clean the microwave plate

• Put a glob of the baking soda paste on a soft scrubbing sponge.
• Scrub the microwave plate gently with the baking soda paste.
• Keep scrubbing with more paste until your microwave plate is grime-free.
• Wash it under running water after you are done removing the grime.
• Wipe it dry with a clean, dry dish rag or paper towel.

Step 6. Prepare a white vinegar solution

When you’re done with the inside, you’ll also want to clean the exterior of the microwave. You can prepare a cleaning solution by mixing some white vinegar with hot water in equal proportions.

Step 7. Wipe the exterior of your microwave

• Dip a soft, clean rag into the white vinegar solution.

Simply wipe the entire external surface with the vinegar solution until it shines.

Stand back and examine your handiwork. You’ll notice that the lemon has given a fresh aroma to your oven. Even your kitchen might appear a bit cleaner to you.

Additional Tips

• Be sure to unplug the microwave before wiping it clean to avoid any shocks.
• Instead of lemons, a white vinegar or window cleaner solution can be used as an alternative.
• Cleaning products other than window cleaner should not be used as an alternative as it can make your appliance catch fire or explode, or can give rise to any other safety hazard.
• Do not use a sealed container as it may explode under the pressure.