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Microwave ovens can be easily cleaned by simply dinging and wiping. You can easily clean oil stains and odors with baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and other household items. For stubborn stains, use dishwashing detergent. We also introduce recommended things that make microwave oven cleaning easier.
Many people have the same question but don’t know where to start. Luckily, this article will show you how to easily clean oil stains from your microwave with just a few simple steps.
Three Causes of Microwave Oven Stains
Microwave ovens, which heat food, are subject to three main types of contamination.
Three types of stains on microwave ovens
- Food scraps
- Water stains from water vapor that has hardened
- Scorching caused by food scraps left in the microwave
These stains are caused by steam emitted from food using the microwave, and juice spilled when moving dishes, and food scraps scattered by explosions caused by overheating.
If a microwave oven is left unattended and used continuously, these stains will stick to the inside of the oven and cannot be easily removed.
Leaving microwave ovens dirty is dangerous.
Continued use of a dirty microwave oven can lead to the following dangers. Remove microwave oven stains as soon as possible.
Leaving a microwave oven dirty can cause the following dangers.
- Overheated dirt may ignite and cause a fire.
- Bacteria may get on food, causing food poisoning and other health hazards.
- Heating efficiency will decrease due to accumulated dirt = and higher electricity bills.
- Overheated dirt may ignite and cause a fire.
- Bacteria may get on food, causing food poisoning and other health hazards.
- Heating efficiency will decrease due to accumulated dirt = and higher electricity bills.
Microwave ovens should be cleaned at least once a week.
To use microwave ovens safely and reliably, clean them frequently. Ideally, wipe the inside of the microwave oven dry with kitchen paper after each use, but if this is difficult, clean it at least once a week. Microwave ovens should be cleaned at least once a week.
Five Ways to Clean a Microwave Oven
As mentioned above, there are three main types of stains on microwave ovens: food scraps, water stains, and burn marks.
Using a detergent with properties opposite the stains will neutralize them and make them easier to remove.
For this reason, we will introduce five cleaning methods for each problem.
| Dirt/Trouble | Nature of Dirt | Detergent to use |
|---|---|---|
| Food residue/oil | Acidic | Baking soda/sodium sesquicarbonate |
| Scorched | Acidic | Tooth paste |
| Water scale | Alkalinity | Citric acid/vinegar |
| Odour | – | Baking soda, lemon |
| Stubborn dirt | – | Dish detergent |
Food Debris Stains in the Microwave Oven: Baking Soda and Sesqui-carbonate Soda
This section explains the “baking soda (sesqui) lentil” cleaning method for removing food debris stains in the microwave oven cabinet.
To remove food debris stains, use baking soda or sesqui-carbonate soda, which is effective against acidic grease stains.
Sesquicarbonate of soda is more alkaline, has more substantial cleaning power than baking soda, and is easily soluble in water.
What to prepare
- Baking soda or sodium sesquicarbonate (1 tablespoon)
- Water (1 cup)
- Kitchen paper or used cloth (T-shirt, etc.)
- Heat-resistant container
Cleaning Procedure
(1) Make a baking soda and sesqui-carbonate soda water
Place 1 cup of water and one tablespoon of baking soda or sesquicarbonate soda in a heatproof container.
(2) Place heatproof container in a microwave oven
Once the heat-resistant container containing the baking soda water (or sesqui-carbonate soda water) is placed in the microwave oven, heat it at 600W for 5 minutes.
(3) After heating, leave the container for 15 minutes without opening the door
By leaving it for 15 minutes, steam containing baking soda and sesquicarbonate of soda will be spread inside the microwave oven, lifting hardened stains.
(4) Wipe off stains
Soak a cloth or kitchen paper in the soda bicarbonate water in a heat-resistant container and wring it out lightly (be careful not to burn yourself), and wipe off the stains inside the cabinet and on the turntable.
(5) Wipe with water & dry
Once the stains are removed, wipe the inside of the cabinet with water so that no baking soda or sodium sesquicarbonate remains, and then wipe dry to remove any moisture.
Microwave ovens that have not been cleaned for years or that are heavily burnt may not be able to remove the stain in a single pass. If the stain is not removed in one pass, try the burnt-on: toothpaste method.
Water stains on microwave ovens: citric acid and vinegar
Water stains are alkaline stains, so use acidic citric acid or vinegar. Especially microwave ovens with a steam function are prone to water stains, so clean them frequently.
What to prepare
- Citric acid or vinegar (1 tablespoon)
- Heat-resistant container
- Water (1 cup)
- Kitchen paper or used cloth (T-shirt, etc.)
(1) Make citric acid water (vinegar solution)
Mix 1 cup water and one tablespoon citric acid (or vinegar) in a heatproof container.
(2) Put the heatproof container in a microwave oven and heat.
Once the heatproof container containing citric acid water (vinegar solution) is placed in the microwave oven, heat it at 600W for 5 minutes.
(3) After heating, leave the container for 15 minutes without opening the door.
By allowing time to stand, dirt that has hardened inside the container will be lifted.
(4) Wipe off the dirt
Wipe off water stains with kitchen paper or an unused cloth.
Water stains are difficult to remove because they harden as they accumulate.
Removing the stain in a single cleaning altogether may not be possible, but it can be cleaned by repeating the process several times.
If you are interested in learning more about the power of citric acid, please read the article describing how to remove stains with citric acid. The article describes the types of stains on which citric acid is effective and how to use it.
Microwave oven burnt
Microwave ovens with burnt food debris may not be removed with baking soda alone.
If the stain is stuck to the microwave, use highly abrasive toothpaste and an old toothbrush.
The fine particles in toothpaste have an abrasive effect and will remove the stains stuck to the microwave. The toothpaste is also safe to put in the mouth, so it is safer than detergent.
What to prepare
- Toothpaste
- Unused toothbrushes
- Kitchen paper or a used cloth (T-shirt, etc.)
(1) Put toothpaste on the toothbrush.
(2) Scrub the stained area gently.
Scrub gently, as hard scrubbing may scratch the inside of the cabinet.
(3) Wipe off the stain
Wipe off the dirt with kitchen paper or an unused cloth.
(4 )Wipe with water & dry
Once the stain is removed, wipe the inside of the chamber with water so that no toothpaste remains, and then wipe dry to remove any moisture.
If you are concerned about the odor inside the microwave oven, use lemons, which have an odor-eliminating ingredient called “limonene.
The lemons used can be damaged or expired ones. Limonene is also found in citrus fruits, so orange or tangerine peels can be substituted.
What to prepare
- Half a lemon
- Heat-resistant container
- 1 cup of water
- Kitchen paper or a used cloth (T-shirt, etc.)
(1) Make lemon water
Place slightly less than 1 cup of water and the juice of half a lemon in a heatproof container.
(2) Put the heatproof container in the microwave oven and heat
Put the heatproof container with lemon water in the microwave oven, and heat it at 600W for 5 minutes.
(3) After heating, leave the container in the microwave for 15 minutes without opening the door.
(4) Take out the lemon in the chamber.
When heavily soiled: dishwashing detergent
Use dishwashing detergent to clean stubborn stains inside the microwave oven. Unplug the power plug to avoid the risk of electric shock.
What to prepare
- Dishwashing detergent
- Kitchen paper or a used cloth (T-shirt, etc.)
- Soak the kitchen paper or cloth with dishwashing detergent.
- Wipe dry
Use the Care Function for Steam Ranges
For Panasonic, Hitachi, TOSHIBA, and other steam range with a care function check the instruction manual for use and care of the range.
The water tray, water supply route, water tank, etc., often overlooked, should be cleaned regularly, about once a month, to keep them clean.
In addition, the following article provides detailed information on how to clean other microwave ovens. If you use a microwave oven, please also refer to the following article.
Two Recommended Items for Cleaning Microwave Ovens
Although the procedures described so far can be used to clean the inside of a microwave oven, we will introduce recommended commercially available cleaning items for those who want to clean more efficiently. If you do not have baking soda or citric acid at home, we recommend using the help of convenient items.
- Shite wipe microwave oven cleaning sheet
- Microwave steam cleaner
What not to do when cleaning microwave ovens
Because microwave ovens are hot, it is essential to clean them carefully to avoid injury. The following three things should not be done when cleaning microwave ovens.
What not to do when cleaning a microwave oven
- Clean the microwave oven before it cools down.
- Doing so may cause burns.
- Use synthetic detergent, thinner, benzene, or spray detergent for home and furniture use.
- It may cause scratches or color peeling.
- The use of a melamine sponge can cause scratches.
