When heating food in a microwave, ending up with a mess is only a matter of time. Luckily, cleaning a microwave is easier than it looks. Here, you’ll learn how to tackle this chore using items you already have in your house.
Step #1. Wipe the debris and scrap off stuck-on gunk
Before anything else, you need to remove as much gunk and debris as possible to avoid further messes. Besides, dried food could catch fire if heated in a mostly-empty microwave for extended periods (precisely what you need to do in the next step).
Step #2. Heat a bowl filled with vinegar
Although there are several products for cleaning appliances, the truth is you don’t need anything fancy. A bowl of vinegar heated for three minutes is enough to eliminate most stains—also, it doesn’t leave pesky chemicals behind.
As the vinegar gets heated, it will release steam, loosening up the dirt on the walls. Don’t open the door when the time’s up. Let more steam cover the walls for a couple more minutes while everything cools down.
Step #3. Wipe the microwave walls
Once the bowl and turntable are safe to the touch, take them out. Then, use a microfiber cloth dampened with warm soapy water to wipe off the now-loosened grime. Be careful not to leak water through the ventilation holes because it could damage the appliance.
How to clean stubborn stains on your microwave
If there are lingering stains after completing the previous steps, you can use the scrubbing power of baking soda to remove them. Mix half a cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water to make a cleaning paste. If necessary, adjust the quantities until reaching toothpaste consistency.
Then, spread a thin layer of the paste over any challenging stain and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then, dip a soft toothbrush in warm water and scrub the stains.
Step #4. Wash the turntable
Boiling and overflowing liquids tend to end up on the turntable, which, most of the time, makes the plate dirtier than the rest of the microwave. Washing it apart lets you clean it thoroughly; besides, it is more comfortable than cleaning it inside the microwave.
Place your turntable in the sink and use warm soapy water and your kitchen sponge to clean it. Thanks to the steam, you won’t need too much elbow grease to leave the plate spotless. However, you can use the rough side of the sponge if you encounter hard spots.
Step #5. Rinse and dry
To avoid leaving traces, smudges, or marks (the main objective is to leave the microwave oven spotless, after all), you’ll need to rinse before finishing. So, dampen a clean microfiber cloth with water and give your microwave a final wipe. Once you’re done, dry it with another clean rag.
We can leave your microwave spotless!
Rochester Residential & Commercial Cleaning delivers outstanding cleaning services to Rochester Hills and surrounding areas. Besides leaving your house in pristine condition, we tackle the grime inside your microwave! Get a free estimate today.
