How To Clean A Microwave

Cut the grease + grime from the carousel to the touchpad.

Ugh, the microwave. Such a blessing and a curse. The price we pay for such convenience is the utter hassle of having to clean it. Has your microwave been overrun by food splatters, curious odors, and a thick coat of grime? Does the inside look like a Jackson Pollock painting of sauces and gravies? Does the touchpad resemble a greasy version of the FBI’s biometrics lab?

Okay, admit it. It’s time for a microwave deep clean.

There are many ways to go about cleaning your microwave, and the most successful techniques involve some form of steam. Creating steam helps to loosen stubborn bits of food and moisten sticky spots, making them easier to scrub off. Because steam equals heat, you may want to don a pair of kitchen gloves for this task to avoid burning your hands.

• Get creative with alternative cleaning products. A diluted window cleaning solution is gentle enough to clean both inside and outside your microwave. Mix two parts window cleaner with one part water, soak a sponge in the mixture, and use it to wipe down your microwave, removing the carousel and scrubbing it separately. You can soak stubborn stains with the solution for a few minutes before wiping. Then use a clean wet rag or paper towels to wipe down the interior with water to get rid of any residue from the cleaning mixture. Leave the microwave door open to air out any residual cleaner scent and/or wipe down with a dry rag.
• ‘Round the outside. As previously mentioned, don’t neglect the exterior and doors of your microwave. The touchpad, handle and vents tend to accumulate grease and dirt, too. Mix some dish soap like Dawn and warm water (or the aforementioned baking soda paste to spot treat nasty build up) and apply to the doors and outside of your microwave with a sponge. Then wipe clean with water and dry with a rag.
• If your microwave is stainless steel, you can use a pinch of rubbing alcohol to wipe away fingerprints.
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works well on microwave doors and exterior, as well.
• The better to see (inside) you with. Hit greasy microwave door windows with a 50/50 mixture of white or apple cider vinegar and warm water. Rinse with a clean damp rag and wipe dry.
• Yo microwave is so greasy. If you’ve got major grease build-up, wipe the exterior of your microwave door down with an all-purpose, grease-cutting cleaner like Mr. Clean Clean Freak Mist. Apply the cleaner with a cloth or sponge (instead of spraying directly onto the microwave) to prevent it from getting into the vent holes. Avoid spraying any electronic controls to avoid potential damage.

How to remove burnt smells from microwave

• Seek professional help. And if it’s a really strong smell (like burnt popcorn) that just won’t seem to go away, step up your smell game by using an odor eliminator product — sometimes they come in gel form - to trap and remove the strongest odors.
• Changing or cleaning your microwave’s filter can definitely help air out any lingering odors. Be sure to check the owner’s manual before messing with the filter, but most of them are removable and can be hand washed with regular dish soap and warm water. Be sure it’s totally dry before replacing.
• Sweet, sweet baking soda. Leave a bowl of baking soda inside the microwave to soak up and neutralize smells.
• Air it out. Try leaving the microwave door open overnight to let the smell dissipate.
• Vinegar + water. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to ½ cup of water and microwave it for two minutes. Leave the microwave door shut afterwards with the hot vinegar mixture inside for about fifteen minutes. Remove the vinegar and wipe out the inside of the microwave with a clean damp rag. The initial smell of the vinegar might seem overwhelming, but it will quickly neutralize and dissipate, taking the original unsavory smell with it.

What you need to clean a microwave properly

(Hint: Most of it can be found in your pantry.)

• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
• Baking soda
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Vinegar
• Paper towels
• A gentle but effective dish soap, like Dawn Dish Soap

How often should you clean your microwave?

Depending how often you use your microwave, they ought to be cleaned about once a week. This may seem like a lot of microwave maintenance, but if you keep on top of those little splatters and stains, you won’t have to resort to using an ice pick to chisel off the leftovers from last month’s leftovers. And let’s be real: You know when you’ve got to clean your microwave. Just look at it. It may not be as outwardly embarrassing as a dirty stove top (hey, just shut the door!) but still. If there is any visible grossness inside your microwave, stop what you’re doing, find some vinegar and get in there.

Fine, you can finish that bite. But right after that.

Cleaning the microwave is similar to cleaning the stove, in a sense. It gets used so frequently that it’s just going to get dirty again right away. But don’t be discouraged! Now that you’ve committed all of these microwave cleaning tips to memory, you’ve got the tools and knowledge to steam clean and baking soda scrub all those stubborn splatters, burnt stains, and greasy fingerprints away again (and again, and again!).