Cleaning the microwave, do you know the lemon trick?

There is no need to misuse your microwave with experiments like the ones you see on the internet where eggs, tomatoes or grapes explode. With normal use, this appliance inevitably accumulates dirt after a while.

You shouldn’t put up with spills and layers of grease for long, because dirt becomes more and more difficult to remove and favors the appearance of mold and bacteria.

How to deep clean the microwave

Fortunately, making a microwave shine again is not difficult; cleaning the oven requires a lot more work. We explain a method that has proven its effectiveness, and that is carried out with simple homemade ingredients.

Microwave deep cleaning consists of three steps:

Step 1 – Clean the turntable

The turntable is almost always made of durable glass, so it can be cleaned in the dishwasher with no problem. If the glass plate is very dirty, you can soak it in the sink with hot water and liquid detergent, then treat it with a brush or sponge.

If possible, also remove the rotating plastic ring that the plate sits on and clean it with a damp cloth. Both the plate and the frame can be easily reattached later.

Step 2 – Clean the Inside of the Microwave

The microwave does not have a self-clean function, so you have to do it yourself. If the walls of the device are dirty, you should treat it to make it easier to clean later.

As a pretreatment, it’s a good idea to fill a microwave-safe bowl with water, to which you can add a tablespoon of citric acid, a few lemon wedges, or a splash of homemade vinegar.

Place the container in the microwave, then run the unit on full power for a few minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Then let the hot steam, which has now settled inside the appliance, take effect. Be careful when opening to avoid getting hot clouds of vinegar or lemon in your face.

The grease stains and sauce splatters on the interior should have been removed, but you will still need to wipe with a damp cloth. Don’t forget the roof and the inside of the door.

Step 3 – Clean the Exterior of the Microwave

The exterior of the microwave oven can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth or microfiber cloth, hot water and a little washing up liquid. Instead of liquid detergent, a little vinegar water will also do, just like on the inside. It does not matter if the device has a plastic or stainless steel housing.

Microwave cleaning without steam

if you want too you can dispense with the water container and clean the inside of the appliance directly with a damp cloth and a little liquid detergent or household vinegar.

If you want to regularly clean the inside of the microwave without too much trouble, get an empty spray bottle and fill it with a homemade all-purpose cleaner; cleaning is easier with the help of the atomizer.

Microwave cleaning, more tips

Tip 1: act fast

Unlike in the oven, stuck-on food scraps in the microwave don’t char, but that doesn’t mean they won’t get harder to remove over time. Therefore, Splashes, spills, etc. are removed as soon as possible. best (preferably immediately after they have occurred).

Tip 2: clean even if it is not dirty

Even a microwave that is not visibly dirty should be cleaned from time to time with a cleaning agent such as household vinegar. After all, Bacteria and other germs build up over time inside your device, even if you can’t see them.

Tip 3: Cover dishes, but not tightly

If you don’t want to clean so often, you should make sure to always cover food when microwaving it. On the one hand, nothing can splash, on the other hand, it saves some energy.

To do this, you can use a plastic cover for the microwave, but it is also enough to simply put a plate on the bowl (or, conversely, a bowl on the plate). Remember that you cannot heat hermetically sealed containers in the microwave, because they can explode (and then you will have to clean thoroughly).