Your trusty old microwave; the day you got it was the day it looked so new and clean. Unfortunately, just like your fridge, stove, and oven, your microwave is bound to get dirty, greasy and grimy over time. There are a few different methods for cleaning your microwave, but we’ve narrowed it down to two: one using natural sources and one using store-bought products. Read on to find out which is more fitting for your micro cleaning needs.  

Natural All the Way

If your microwave needs nothing more than cleaning up greasy surfaces and food spills, a natural cleaning solution will work just fine. Although you can also use lemon as a natural source, we’ve found that it’s not as effective as white vinegar for cleaning microwaves. Here is the step-by-step cleaning method of using white vinegar.  

Step One: Fill a glass bowl halfway with water, add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and place it in your microwave to heat for 5 minutes (or until it starts steaming or fogging up the glass door).  Never let the water boil in your microwave, that is dangerous, and we just want the steam to loosen up the dirt and grime.  

Step Two: Use a hot pad and take the bowl out. Then, turn the power off or unplug your microwave for safety reasons before you start the cleaning process. Remove the plate/turntable so you can wash it in the sink with regular dish soap and a sponge after you have completed Step Three.

Step Three: With the interiors sweating and the grime and grease loosened, take a clean microfibre cloth or non-abrasive sponge and wipe the insides. We can also use microwave cleaning wipes. Start with the roof, then onto the sides; leave the bottom for last as any food particles from the top and sides will fall to the bottom when wiping.  You can dampen the cloth by dipping it into the vinegar & water bowl; just make sure that the water isn’t too hot.

You may want to use rubber gloves for this part just because the heat in the microwave may still be a little too hot for comfort and the vinegar & water mixture could also be too hot for unprotected hands.

Step Four: For the exterior, you can either use plain, warm water or the same vinegar solution to wipe away any dirt using a regular dishcloth. If it is stainless steel, you can shine it, consider using olive oil; it’s also great for removing stubborn stains.

Window Cleaner to the Rescue

For a very soiled microwave that hasn’t been cleaned for a while,  natural cleaning solutions may not be strong enough for cleaning it.  If that is the case, your trusty, window cleaner has been proven to be the best cleaning option. Here’s the step-by-step method.  

Step One: Take one part warm water and two parts window cleaner and mix in a bowl. This is generally enough to clean the interiors and exteriors, but you can make another solution if it gets over or too dirty.

Step Two: Remove the turntable and hand wash it with your liquid dish soap.  To clean the interiors, use a soft sponge dipped in the solution and follow the same process as cleaning with vinegar; i.e., start from the top, move to the sides and clean the base last. For stubborn stains or hardened food spills, pour this solution into a small spray bottle and spritz the gunk directly. Allow it to soak for a few minutes before wiping it clean.

Step Three: Take a clean kitchen cloth soaked in water and wipe the insides down thoroughly. Make sure that there is no trace of window cleaner left in your microwave after you’re done wiping it out. Leave the door open to dry and air out. If the smell of the cleaner is still evident, wipe it down one more time,  with a damp cloth until the microwave is odorless.

Step Four: Cleaning the exteriors with window cleaner is perhaps the easiest part of the micro cleaning guide. Just spray the glass door, handle and sides and wipe clean with a microfiber cloth. Your microwave will look as good as new, inside and out!

  We make cleaning guides simple, yet effective so that homeowners are never overwhelmed when they do it themselves. Choose the easiest way to clean a microwave. For professional household cleaning, Simply Maid offers topnotch services to tackle all home cleaning needs at your convenience. To get a quote, please visit our services and pricing page. You can also call us on 1-300 858 937 for more information.