It’s been several weeks since you’ve checked the inside of your microwave oven. Your children love to cook microwave snacks without the protective lids, so you expect a mess. What can you do to get all that caked-on grease and food out of your machine?
You should avoid using harsh, synthetic cleaners inside of your microwave oven. These include bleach, ammonia, and Clorox. Rather, use lemon juice, vinegar, and essential oils to cut through the grease and leave a fresh scent behind.
Will hot water help cut through the grease in your microwave? What can you use to get burnt food out of there? And, what’s the best way to get your machine smelling fresh and pleasant again? We will help you navigate the best ways to clean your microwave oven and avoid damaging it.
You SHOULD Clean Your Oven With the Following:
Microwaves should be cleaned with softer chemicals or other natural household cleaners. Hot water, when used in tandem with other natural compounds, works effectively at removing grease.
It is easier to clean a microwave oven if you remove the spinning plate and any other parts and clean them separately. You can take these parts and soak them in hot soapy water in the sink or wash basin. Never submerge your whole machine, though. This will break your machine.
Certain parts of the machine clean better with different cleaners. While the interior cleans well with baking soda and vinegar, you can feel free to use harsher chemicals outside the machine. We will help break down each and every one of those recommendations.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
White, red, and apple cider vinegar are the best natural cleaners for breaking down burnt-on grease. The acidity in the vinegar works to dissolve the grease and cut through it, making it easier to remove with a rag or sponge.
To use in the microwave effectively, you should:
- Fill a spray bottle with warm water
- Add 3-4 tbsp of vinegar
- Sprinkle baking soda in the microwave
- Spray the vinegar-water blend over the interior of the machine
- Let it sit for 10 minutes
- Wipe down the inside with a damp rag
Hot Water and Soap
Boil a small pot of water, place it inside your microwave oven, and shut the door. Do NOT turn on your machine, however, since most pots are not microwave-safe. Just let the pot sit in the machine for 10-15 minutes. The steam will release and soften any hard, baked or burnt-on grease and food.
After you let the steam do its work, take hot, soapy water and wipe down the inside of the machine. We recommend dish soap since it cuts through grease but is not too overpowering and harsh.
Salt and Hot Water
If you do not have dish soap or other soft soaps, you can replace it with salt. Simply follow the steps above using a hot pot of water to steam up and soften the baked-on food in your machine.
To create a cleaner with salt, follow these simple steps:
- Use hot water from the tap and fill a wash basin
- Add 3 tbsps of salt
- Mix until the salt is dissolved
- Add an extra tbsp of salt inside your machine
- Wipe down the interior with a sponge or rag
The extra salt will create extra abrasion while you clean. This will not scratch your machine but will help cut through grease.
Lemon Verbena and Eucalyptus Oil
Lemon verbena is a beautiful, flowering plant native to South America and North Africa. Eucalyptus is a native evergreen tree of Australia. Both come as essential oils and are excellent for cleaning, disinfecting, and purifying a space.
To use in the microwave, follow these directions:
- Add warm water to a spray bottle or wash basin
- Add 1 tbsp of lemon verbena
- Add 1 tbsp of eucalyptus
- Soak the inside of the machine with the spray
- Let soak for 10-15 minutes
- Wipe out with a rag
This method is best for consistent cleaning rather than heavy-duty cleaning. Both of these oils are natural disinfectants and also neutralize odors. Wipe out your machine weekly with this cleaner for the best results.
Lemon/Lime Juice and Citrus Acid
Lemon and lime juice make the perfect cleaning agent for grease and bad smells. Both are natural disinfectants and have plenty of acids to cut through burnt on food and grease. They also neutralize bad odors and leave a fresh, clean scent behind.
To create your own cleaner, follow the steps below:
- Fill a spray bottle or wash basin with warm water
- Add ¼ cup of lemon and/or lime juice
- Spray undiluted lemon and/or lime juice inside the machine
- Let sit for 10-15 minutes
- Wipe out the machine with your diluted cleaner
For added potency, you can add citric acid powder and/or pieces of the peel to your cleaner. The peel of the fruit has natural oils which help break down grease. Add sea salt for added abrasion for especially dirty microwaves.
Best Sponges and Other Cleaning Devices for Your Microwave
Dish sponges, mild abrasion sponges, and coarse rags are the best options for cleaning your microwave oven. Rags and sponges should be new or thoroughly sanitized before using them to clean your microwave.
To clean your sponge or rag properly, you can use the following methods:
- Wash them in the washing machine with soap and hot water
- Soak in bleach for 2 hours and rinse thoroughly
- Boil on the stove in a pot of water for 30 minutes
Before using any sanitizing methods, ensure the sponge or rag is free of debris. Any food or dirty particles should be rinsed off before you start sanitizing to prevent cross-contamination.
You SHOULDN’T Clean Your Oven With the Following:
The exterior of the microwave can be cleaned with harsher chemicals. But, it is not recommended. Never use harsh chemicals inside of your machine, though.
Harsh chemicals will leave residues, and the scent will linger long after you use it. This can make your food taste bad or potentially contaminate your food.
Bleach
Bleach is a harsh and incredibly potent cleaning agent. Composed of several harsh chemicals, this substance cuts through and kills almost anything it comes into contact with. Bleach is a mixture of sodium hydroxide, calcium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium hypochlorite.
Some bleach also has chlorine, which makes it reactive to other household cleaners. Although great for bathrooms, hospitals, and other heavily contaminated surfaces, it should be used sparingly in the kitchen. Bleach leaves a residue that can contaminate your food and leave a harsh, pungent scent.
Avoid using this in your microwave to prevent contamination and harsh scents.
Clorox and Powdered Bleach Cleaners
Clorox, Commit, and other powdered bleaches should not be used to clean a microwave. Not only do they have the harsh compounds found in bleach, but they have it in a higher concentration.
Using Clorox, Commit, and other powdered bleach could corrode your microwave and damage it. If you are careful, you can potentially use it on the outside of your machine, but we do not recommend it. It is corrosive and could scratch the machine’s metal parts and cause them to rust.
Clothing Cleaners (borax and other detergent soaps)
Borax, powdered fabric cleaners, and liquid cleaners come in a higher concentration than dish soaps. Although not nearly as corrosive as bleach, these cleaners can leave harmful residue in your machine.
You might notice your food tastes soapy and unpleasant after cleaning your machine with these soaps. This can give you diarrhea and other digestive issues, so we recommend against using these in your microwave.
Ammonia (such as Windex and other Ammonia-based glass cleaners)
Ammonia is a highly toxic cleaner that is effective at killing bacteria. However, it is unsafe when used in enclosed, unventilated areas or when mixed with chlorine bleach. Ammonia has a very potent scent that can damage respiratory systems and irritate the nose.
Similar to bleach, it is really hard to get the residue of this cleaner out of your microwave. This could lead to cross-contamination and harmful fumes being released in the air.
Oven Cleaner and Harsh Grease Cutters
Oven cleaners are designed for industrial-styled ovens. They contain very harsh and potentially harmful chemicals which should not be used in a microwave.
Oven cleaners and degreasers can be harmful when consumed and leave a harsh scent behind. Only use these cleaners on their recommended surfaces and avoid contaminating your microwave oven with these cleaners.
Worst Sponges and Cleaning Devices for Your Microwave
You should never use very abrasive sponges and cleaning devices in your microwave. Brillo pads, metal scrunchie scrubbers, and other abrasive cleaning sponges can scratch your microwave’s protective coating.
Only use semi-abrasive cleaning tools inside and outside of your machine. Rust can lead to your microwave’s internal mechanical workings getting wet or contaminated with food and breakdown.