Microwaves can be among the dirtiest, greasiest kitchen equipment. Even with a good amount of elbow grease, that fatty buildup of 1,000 leftovers tends to grow over time and is hard to remove. Fortunately, there are simple methods to clean that muck. Read our tutorial on how to clean a microwave with baking soda for simple solutions that work wonders.

There are several uses for baking soda. You can use it to clean appliances, lift baked items, and eliminate smells. It’s easily accessible, reasonably priced, and environmentally friendly, making it a great alternative to harmful cleansers you might currently be using around the house. Here are some tips on how to clean a microwave with baking soda.

The Arm & Hammer Technique

Water, baking soda, and a towel that you don’t mind getting dirty are all you need for this technique. The process is pretty straightforward.

• Step 1: Combine water and a good amount of baking soda in a bowl that you can use in a microwave.
• Step 2: Place the bowl inside and set the timer for five minutes.
• Step 3: Remove the bowl and wipe clean the inside of the microwave with a towel. The caked-on, solidified muck should be easy to remove.
• Step 4: Repeat the technique for another five minutes if it doesn’t.

The Baking Soda and Vinegar Technique

Baking soda and distilled vinegar are everyday household products that can help clean your microwave. If you don’t already have these ingredients at home, you can find them for cheap at your local supermarket.

• Step 1: Mix 4 cups of warm water with 4 teaspoons of baking soda. You must stir to dissolve the powder thoroughly.
• Step 2: Use a sponge or towel to clean the inside of your microwave with the mixture.
• Step 3: Put equal quantities of water and distilled white vinegar a microwave-safe bowl.
• Step 4: Microwave on high for three minutes. If needed, microwave for a few more minutes until the water boils.
• Step 5: Once it reaches a boil, keeps the microwave closed for 10 minutes.
• Step 6: Remove the bowl, turntable, and carousel from the microwave and soak them in hot, soapy water before reinserting.
• Step 7: Use the vinegar and water mixture to thoroughly clean the interior of the microwave, removing any traces of baking soda.

How Can You Use Lemons to Clean a Microwave?

Absolutely. Lemons have been a goto option for household cleaning for decades.

• Step 1: Fill a microwaveable bowl halfway with water.
• Step 2: Grab a lemon from the fridge and cut it in half.
• Step 3: Squeeze the lemon into the bowl. The acidity inside the lemon will aid in the internal breakdown of grease and grime.
• Step 4: Insert the bowl into the microwave.
• Step 5: Run the microwave for five minutes. The lemon juice and water will create steam as they heat up, adhering to the surrounding area and cleaning your microwave.
• Step 6: Remove the bowl from the microwave. Be careful, as it will still be hot.
• Step 7: Clean the surface with any type of cloth or paper towel. When you wipe a heated surface, food and debris should quickly come off.

You should be able to simply wipe the inside of your microwave clean now that the water and lemon juice have had time to evaporate and loosen up the baked-on food and debris.

Remember to check the microwave’s outside and door as well. Even better, use a cloth dipped in a solution of lemon juice and water to clean the exterior. But, again, use caution since it may still be hot.

The Wiping Technique

This wash-down method essentially mirrors the first stage of the prior one. It entails creating a paste of baking soda and water, rubbing it across the microwave’s whole surface, and then wiping it clean with a towel dipped in hot water.

If your stains are tough to remove, you might need to perform this approach multiple times. Of all the methods, this requires the most significant physical labor. However, working smarter rather than harder is essential to cleaning a persistent problem when all else fails. The first two techniques are significantly more effective at doing the task.

How to Clean a Microwave with Vinegar and Water?

If you are short on baking soda and lemons, you can clean the microwave by using water and vinegar alone.

• Step 1: Add as much vinegar to the water as you want. To lower the strength of your vinegar, just dampen it down.
• Step 2: You can clean minor stains using one cup of water and one tablespoon of vinegar. If it does not do the trick, try adding additional vinegar.
• Step 3: If the stains do not come out, you can keep increasing the vinegar to water ratio to a 2:1 ratio as most (1 cup water to 2 cups vinegar). But the most common use is removing tough oil and mold. It is far more typical to clean your microwave with one-to-one or more severely diluted solutions.

What Is the Best Way to Clean a Microwave’s Interior?

Lemon is still one of the best solutions for cleaning a microwave’s inside. A lemon, a heat-resistant dish, some water, and a towel are the only things you need. After that, you only need to wipe. Then your microwave will look brand new and smell fresh and clean.

As long as you follow the directions, you can use any of the stain-removing techniques we’ve discussed in this article. Lemon, baking soda, vinegar, or even dish soap can help you get a super-shiny appliance.

Cleaning Sticky Microwave Doors

You can also use these tricks and techniques to clean the microwave’s exterior, so it’s not only the inside that counts.

• Step 1: Use a sponge moistened with water mixed with a bit of baking soda, and clean the whole door, including the edges, both sides, and the area where it seals the oven. Wipe and rinse with a wet sponge or towel.
• Step 2: For greasy windows, use a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. Dry off after rinsing.
• Step 3: Clean your microwave door using an all-purpose grease-cutting cleaner or a foamy mixture of dish soap and water for severe grease accumulation and stuck-on splatters.
• Step 4: To avoid the cleaner dripping into the vent ports, apply it with a cloth or sponge. To prevent damage, never squirt the cleaning solution over electrical controls. 

How to Remove Smells from the Microwave

The stench can return when you open the microwave after cooking anything with a strong odor. Therefore, you need to take control of smells as soon as possible.

• Open the oven door to allow fresh air in, or seal the door and place a basin of baking soda inside to absorb mild scents from things like spicy food with a strong aroma.
• If there are any lingering scents — like burnt popcorn — wipe them up and put an odor-absorbing gel like Fresh Wave inside until you operate the machine again.

How to Clean a Microwave Properly?

• Step 1: To completely clean a microwave, mix vinegar and water, lemon juice and water, or baking soda and water in a heat-resistant bowl.
• Step 2: Heat the mixture for three to five minutes. Give it time to sit after the timer goes off to do its work.
• Step 3: Do this frequently. This will prevent stains and odors from setting in, saving you time on deep cleaning in the future.

How Frequently Should You Clean Your Microwave?

We suggest that you clean your microwave once every three to four weeks. This can help to avoid the growth of bacteria and unpleasant odors in your kitchen. If you prepare many messy meals in your microwave, such as sauces or gravy, you might need to clean it more regularly.

If you seldom use it, you may even go for more than a month without cleaning your microwave. Even if you clean it less than recommended, it is still better than just leaving it to build up mold and gunk. 

Conclusion

There are many options for how to clean your microwave with baking soda. Cleaning a dirty microwave with any of these mentioned techniques are excellent ways to eliminate all the bacteria and grime. It is easy, and most people have baking soda and these other ingredients lying around the house.Now that you know how to clean your microwave, read our comprehensive guide on cleaning your kitchen!