Overheating your plastics could end up melting the plastic. When plastics melt, they produce awful smells that leave your microwave stinking and potentially ruin your meal.
However, you don’t have to microwave plastic containers to produce this smell in a microwave oven. Sometimes, there are other things that cause it.
Keeping a clean and odorless microwave oven is important because it handles the food we consume, but also because the odor can impact the taste of the food you heat in the smelly microwave.
To remove the burnt plastic smell from your microwave, begin by first opening it to allow air into the appliance. Next, place a bowl of odor-breaking substances, such as lemon juice and vinegar, in the microwave and heat the solution for 6 minutes then leave it in the microwave for 15 more minutes. The steam from the solution will remove the plastic odor.
Anytime you’re using a microwave that smells, and notice the source of the smell, make sure you remove it immediately. The longer you keep ignoring the smell, the harder it will be for you to deal with it.
How To Remove Burnt Plastic Smell From Your Microwave
As much as burnt plastic smells are annoying, you can get rid of them with ease, provided you don’t wait for long before taking action. The best part about this problem is that it’s quite easy to restore, and it can be done by anyone.
Here’s how you can freshen up your smelly microwave:
1. Do a Brief and Quick Inside Clean
Clean up any crumps and particles you can spot on the inside of your microwave before nuking your solution, and it will prevent burning these particles further during the process. If there are splatters, wipe them away with a sponge.
2. Prepare your Solution
Mix three tablespoons of white vinegar with water in a bowl that’s safe to use in a microwave to avoid having more burnt plastic smells. You can also add a spoon of vanilla extract to the solution if you like to beat the odor thoroughly. You can also use lemon juice.
3. Heat the solution
Put the mixture of vinegar, water, and vanilla, then heat it for around 6 minutes. You should see steam fill the microwave after the solution boils.
4. Allow Some Time
After five minutes of heating your solution, allow it to remain in the microwave for 15 to 20 minutes to give time for the steam to penetrate every area and dissipate the smell.
5. Take Out Your Bowl
Remove your bowl carefully from the microwave.
6. Clean Your Microwave Once More
Place a clean cloth in the solution remaining in the bowl and wipe the interior of the microwave. Do the same to the door as well as the top part of the microwave. Clean the plate also with some water and soap.
7. Use Baking Soda to Remove any Remaining Smell
In case your microwave still smells at this stage, place a cup of baking powder in a bowl, put it inside your microwave, close the door and let it stay there overnight or for a day.
If you follow these steps, you’ll have a fresh microwave-ready to use.
What Causes a Microwave To Smell Like Burnt Plastic?
Microwaves are designed to heat your food fast and efficiently. In the process, the microwave can make the objects placed inside super hot within no time.
The longer you continue holding items in your microwave, the hotter they get, causing them to burn, and they end up producing burnt-plastic smells.
Let’s see a few things that can make your microwave produce burnt plastic smells.
1. Plastic containers
Some plastic containers could be heat resistant, but others melt when exposed to high temperatures. Sometimes whether a plastic container melts or not depends on how long you hold it in the microwave. The moment a plastic begins melting, it will produce a smell that leaves your microwave stinking.
2. Plastic Wrap
Some plastic wraps may be heat resistant, while others are not. That’s why when they are heated to a certain degree, they’ll start producing smells that are not good for your food.
3. Food Spots
While heating your food, a portion of it may bubble out and spill on the inside of the microwave. If these spills aren’t cleaned immediately, they continue to harden every time they are heated.
With time these spots could start producing plastic-like smells whenever they heat up. Food spots should always be cleaned because they are likely to create fire hazards in worst-case scenarios.
4. Microwave Turntable
Microwaves have turntables to ensure even heating of food, and most of the turntables are made of glass. But, the piece that rotates and holds the turntable is usually made of plastic. If this plastic is heated for a long time and starts to melt, it may smell.
5. Microwave Components
If you sense a strange smell of burnt plastic while your microwave is running, there’s a possibility that it’s caused by damaged wires or failing components within the microwave. Be careful if you think your microwave is starting to malfunction.
If you’ve cleaned your microwave and the smell reappears every time you run the appliance, then I’m sure there’s something wrong with the appliance and you should consider contacting a technician or replacing it.
How Do You Remove the Smell Of Burnt Plastic From a Microwave?
There are several methods you can use to remove the smell of burnt plastic from your microwave. You can use any of these methods depending on the intensity of the smell.
1. Use Water and Soap
After removing any debris lying inside your microwave, heat a cup of water in the appliance, and the steam will help clear the smell.
Soak a piece of cloth in a bowl of water mixed with soap and clean your oven. Finally, rinse and dry your microwave before leaving it open for around 3 hours to allow some air to flow in it.
2. Steam Your Microwave Using Vinegar
Strong smells may fail to disappear from cleaning using water and soap. If the odor remains after using water and soap, it’s time to try vinegar.
All you need to do is add a tablespoon of vinegar to a bowl, mix it with one cup of water, and heat it in your microwave.
Wipe the inside of your microwave using a sponge, and if the smell is still there, add four teaspoons of vanilla to your vinegar mixture.
3. Deodorize Your Microwave
Does the smell persist? If it does, there’s another method you can apply. Place a deodorizer, for example, baking soda, inside your microwave and leave it in there for 24 hours.
When the deodorizer is in the microwave, it absorbs all the remaining odors.
Make sure not to use the microwave when the deodorizer is inside, as this may lead to food poisoning. If there’s still a smell by the time you remove the baking soda, the plastic is perhaps trapped in the charcoal filter of the microwave.
Is It Safe to Use a Microwave When It Emits a Burnt Plastic Smell?
Plastic smells coming from your microwave may result from the items you have placed in it, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, a smell of plastic could mean that your microwave is failing.
So, to be safe, it’s better not to use a microwave that emits a burnt plastic smell. Instead, contact a technician to repair your microwave, and if it’s impossible, replace it with another one.
How Do I Know If My Microwave Is Failing?
There are a few signs you can look for whenever you suspect that your microwave is failing. If your microwave makes unusual noise and produces a smell this could indicate a faulty appliance, and it needs checking to avoid risks.
When troubleshooting your microwave, disconnect it from the power supply to prevent electric shock that could lead to death. It’s also advisable that you contact a technician to perform these checks and repairs instead of doing them yourself.
Another way you can know that your microwave is failing would be to check if it’s heating your food correctly.
If it doesn’t heat your food at all or heats it slowly, this could be a sign of defectiveness. Sometimes this could be caused by a low power level, so it’s always OK to confirm.
If you see sparks inside your microwave when it’s in use, that’s also a sign that it has a problem. In case there’s smoke, and the food does not emit it, then the problem could be severe and needs instant attention.
Whenever your microwave is faulty, always replace it or ask a technician to repair it. After examining the microwave, the technician will advise on the best solution.