Crafty Little Gnome

  • Shop
  • About
    • Press
    • Work With Me- Sponsor my craft website
    • About
  • DIY
    • Jewelry
    • Decor DIY
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Plant and Flower Crafts
    • Outdoor
    • Sewing and Fiber Art
    • Pets
  • Health and Beauty
    • Make Up
    • Beauty Recipes
    • Hair
    • Health
  • Food & Drink
    • main dishes
    • sweets
    • appetizers
    • drinks
  • Household
    • My House
    • Home Tips
    • Repairs & How To
    • Cleaning
  • Privacy Policy
You are here: Home / Household / The easiest way to clean your microwave

The easiest way to clean your microwave

May 18, 2011

How to clean your microwave graphic

How to clean your microwave with vinegar or lemon

The microwave is one of those appliances that is easy to forget to clean. Since the door is almost always closed the nastiness that lurks inside can go unnoticed for quite some time.

Luckily the microwave can be cleaned in about 5 minutes with only plain water and very minimal effort. Even if your microwave is like mine with gross caked on food seemingly baked into the walls, I promise you this will only take 5 minutes.

Microwaving cleaning hack

An easy way to prevent a big mess in the microwave is to get a microwave plate cover. You place it over your food before you turn the microwave on and it will catch any splatter so that it doesn’t get on the walls or ceiling of the microwave.

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for being part of Crafty Little Gnome

Check out a microwave plate cover I like on Amazon by clicking here.

Cleaning instructions

  1. Take a microwave safe bowl and fill it with water. Add a dash of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice. Set it in inside and turn the microwave on for 2 minutes. The water will turn to steam and the steam will soften up all the gunk. The vinegar helps to absorb the smells.
  2. While it’s cooking give  the outside a quick wipe down and then go do something else for  4 more minutes until it’s done. You can let the microwave sit for a few more minutes to let the steam penetrate even more if you like.
  3. Be really careful when opening the microwave and taking the bowl out. The water will be extremely hot. Wipe down the walls with a damp cloth  and remove the plate from the inside. Rinse it in the sink with hot soapy water. Put the plate back in and voila, a nice squeaky clean microwave ready for the next person to cook something and forget to cover it!
inside of dirty microwave

You may also like: How to Dry Herbs in the Microwave

inside of clean microwave

How to Clean Your Microwave

dried herbs in jars sitting next to the microwave

How to clean your microwave with two ingredients in two minutes

Prep Time 1 minute
Active Time 2 minutes
Additional Time 2 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Difficulty easy

Materials

  • Microwave
  • Bowl
  • Water
  • Vinegar- 1 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Fill a bowl with water and vinegar.
  2. Place in microwave uncovered.
  3. Turn on microwave on high power for 2 minutes.
  4. Let hot steam form in microwave for 2 minutes before you open the door.
  5. Remove bowl carefully.
  6. Wipe down interior of microwave with wash cloth.
© adrienne
Category: Cleaning

· Cleaning, Household

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    December 28, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    Works great… I usually use lemon though. It works just as well, but smells sooooo much better!

  2. Voiceofwarning says

    December 28, 2011 at 2:52 pm

    Doesn't seem smart to pump excessive steam into an electrical device

  3. Anonymous says

    January 15, 2012 at 2:36 pm

    It worked very well except for the stuck on circle that nothing seems to take off. But I liked this much better than the store bought cleaners. The cook top was sparkling clean other than the stuck on ring.

  4. Anonymous says

    January 16, 2012 at 7:52 pm

    i do this also but i use a large coffee cup that way i have a handle to get a hold of,, i let it set in there about 5 minutes to losen it all up////

  5. Anonymous says

    January 22, 2012 at 4:24 am

    I do this with baking soda (maybe 1/4c.)and water in a coffee cup. I heat it for about 3to 4 minutes. I wipe it out with a damp cloth and if needed I do it again but usually once is all it takes.

  6. EYN says

    January 23, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    I have done something similar to this for years….a coffee mug half full of water with just a drop or two of Dawn. Microwave for 5 minutes to boil and steam, and then I just let it sit until it's cool. Works like a dream! I am finding that vinegar is my new best friend though, check out “Blue Magic” on Pinterest.

  7. Anonymous says

    January 23, 2012 at 8:49 pm

    Your super heating this and it's dangerous, people have been blinded by this bad burns ect. If it hasn't happened to you yet count yourself lucky.

  8. Anonymous says

    January 24, 2012 at 3:04 am

    To prevent super heating and explosions, put a wooden spoon in the water while in there to allow it to vent (or something)

  9. Lorrie says

    January 23, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    I just did this for the first time and it worked wonders. My microwave looks brand new!

  10. ThreadArtist says

    January 24, 2012 at 9:01 pm

    Usually I just put in a wet dish cloth and use that to wipe out everything after it cools enough to touch it. No spilling hot water inside (or on your foot!). Could also use a very wet sponge and that would also disinfect it.

  11. Anonymous says

    January 27, 2012 at 8:09 pm

    tired it worked vinegar dint remove smells an now the kitchen smells terrible! bad move lemon next time we grow as we learn ^_^

  12. Tracy H says

    January 29, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    I have used this method for years. First I ran some vinegar water through my coffee maker to clean it. While the water is still hot I transfer it to a glass bowl then set it in the microwave, shut the door and let the steam do it's work while I turn my coffee maker off and rinse the carafe. After a few minutes go back to the microwave and heat the vinegar water for another minute or two then carefully remove using oven mitt(just as you would with anything hot). Everything wipes out easily.

  13. Anonymous says

    January 30, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    This worked wonders in my microwave!!!! it was such an easy clean up. Thanks for the advice! I love cleaning with vinegar versus other chemicals and so you just added to my list of jobs vinegars conquers!

  14. Anonymous says

    January 30, 2012 at 10:30 pm

    I always use lemons and wipe it out every time I use it

  15. Anonymous says

    February 1, 2012 at 3:16 am

    Be careful using only water. It can become extremely hot and super heat. This can cause the water to pop and spray water that can cause 3rd degree burns.

  16. Michelle Gonzalez says

    February 1, 2012 at 2:29 pm

    This also works with your HE washer. Add 1 capful of vinegar to your detergent compartment and start wash just like a normal load (empty washer of course)! I do this at least once a month and it is better and cheaper than the actual cleaners for the HE washers they sell.

  17. Anonymous says

    February 3, 2012 at 3:45 pm

    I have always done the same thing, but used lemon juice instead of vinegar.

  18. Anonymous says

    February 6, 2012 at 12:21 am

    Thanks, Michelle…gonna run some vinegar thru my HE washer now.

  19. Sonia says

    February 7, 2012 at 6:39 pm

    Definitely, better with lemmon: smells better and you can recycle the old pieces of it! 😉

  20. Anonymous says

    February 17, 2012 at 2:56 am

    I never tried vinegar but i also use a coffee cup filled with water till it boils.

  21. Anonymous says

    February 21, 2012 at 8:45 pm

    I use baking soda instead of vinegar. It works wonderfully.

  22. Anonymous says

    March 5, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    – Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a dish and slowly add water to it until it becomes a thin paste. You don't want it to be too thick because you want the mixture to be easy to spread.
    – Spread the baking soda mixture all over the oven glass. I ran out of baking soda so I didn't have enough to do the entire glass surface so I just spread it over the dirtiest areas.
    – Set the timer for 15 minutes. If your oven is REALLY dirty you can set it for 20 minutes to give the baking soda a little extra time to work.
    – When 15 minutes has expired use a clean rag (I used a damp wash cloth) and wipe up the baking soda mixture. You will be amazed at how easily the grime just wipes right off!

  23. Anonymous says

    March 5, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    – Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a dish and slowly add water to it until it becomes a thin paste. You don't want it to be too thick because you want the mixture to be easy to spread.
    – Spread the baking soda mixture all over the oven glass. I ran out of baking soda so I didn't have enough to do the entire glass surface so I just spread it over the dirtiest areas.
    – Set the timer for 15 minutes. If your oven is REALLY dirty you can set it for 20 minutes to give the baking soda a little extra time to work.
    – When 15 minutes has expired use a clean rag (I used a damp wash cloth) and wipe up the baking soda mixture. You will be amazed at how easily the grime just wipes right off!

  24. Anonymous says

    March 5, 2012 at 5:07 pm

    Put wet tea bags on the burn. Will feel better right away.

  25. Liza Reyes says

    March 10, 2012 at 3:55 am

    Thanks for sharing….

  26. Anonymous says

    March 16, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    Also the essential oil of lavender works. Put one drop of the oil into two cups distilled water and apply.

  27. Anonymous says

    March 25, 2012 at 3:15 am

    Doing this right now with Lemon Juice & Water (instead of the vinegar!) Thankyou so much for this idea, found it on Pinterest! 🙂

  28. Mattie @ Comfy and Confident says

    March 25, 2012 at 4:40 pm

    This is brillant. Thanks for sharing!!!

  29. c.w.frosting says

    March 31, 2012 at 9:44 pm

    Going to clean my microwave tonight! Thanks for the tip!!

    -caroline @ c.w.frosting

  30. slpmomofthree says

    April 6, 2012 at 6:13 pm

    Worked great on a very dirty microwave. No scrubbing needed. Thanks for the tip!

  31. Anonymous says

    April 7, 2012 at 6:24 pm

    Vinegar is an excellent degreaser as well, so it helps melt the crud.

  32. Barefeet On Black Tie Street says

    April 9, 2012 at 1:20 pm

    A wet rag soaked with lemon nuked works also. I love this!

  33. Anonymous says

    April 26, 2012 at 9:17 am

    I use vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser with every wash, instead of FS. Vinegar cuts any soap residue and helps keep the washer clean. I've never noticed a vinegar smell, either. Clothes are soft, but if you still feel the need for FS, use the dryer sheets.

  34. cheapcraftymama says

    May 15, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    I'm featuring this today on my post about “Top 10 Spring Cleaning Help” @ http://www.cheapcraftymama.com. Please feel free to stop by and grab a “featured” button and enter my linky party which just opened— you can win free ad space on my blog!

  35. Anonymous says

    June 1, 2012 at 4:26 pm

    I love this! I just tried it on my microwave which was gross! Pasta sauce that had 'popped' and exploded everywhere and hubby didn't tell me until AFTER it had dried! It all wiped right off without any scrubbing and no harsh chemicals! Woohoo!

  36. Madeleine @ NZ Ecochick says

    June 16, 2012 at 7:44 am

    Great post. Thanks for the tip I did this in my microwave and did a pos ton it. I mentioned your blog in my post. Thanks so much.
    http://www.nzecochick.com/2012/06/clean-your-microwave-naturally-in-5.html

  37. Anonymous says

    June 26, 2012 at 7:30 pm

    I just did it – works great !!! thank you sooo much 🙂

  38. Kristen Reinhardt says

    July 3, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    Idk what I did wrong, but it didn't work for me:(

  39. Anonymous says

    July 11, 2012 at 3:42 am

    love using lemon juice or vinegar…..will be trying this in the microwave in the morning…..thanks for sharing!!

  40. Anonymous says

    July 28, 2012 at 2:04 pm

    I cut up lemons into small wedges, place them in a microwave safe bowl with water and let it go for about two minutes. The results are impressive. I've never tried vinegar but have no doubt the results are the same. Lemon just smells better. 🙂

  41. Mrs. W says

    September 15, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    Perhaps there was too much vinegar? You only want to put in a splash. Maybe different models deal with steam differently. Sorry to hear, this has always worked well for us.

  42. Anonymous says

    September 19, 2012 at 5:16 pm

    USE A FLAT RAZOR BLADE. wORKS LIKE A CHARM

  43. Anonymous says

    September 20, 2012 at 6:05 pm

    You dont need to use anything but water it causes the steam, and then just wipe it out..you dont need the vinegar or the smell. And i use dawnon asponge to wipe it out…the steam just loosens it for you.

  44. Anonymous says

    October 6, 2012 at 1:14 am

    Amazing tried it tonight with lemon. My microwave was pretty nasty and it literally wiped right off no scrubbing. Try this. Trying the oven cleaning right now with the baking soda we will see how that works. Thank you for posting this you saved me a lot of time.

  45. inHisname says

    November 28, 2012 at 10:11 pm

    Yellow mustard!! Poured boiling spiced cider on me just a couple days ago, and I've never had that instant of a relief from pain that bad.

  46. Chemicals says

    December 6, 2012 at 12:19 pm

    Oh, great idea, Adrienne Audrey! Let us know how it works…
    Hand Care

  47. Lasertek says

    December 24, 2012 at 5:11 am

    I read this tip somewhere and I agree that it works! Instead of vinegar, I use lemon or orange to take care of the smell.

    cleaning tips

  48. Anonymous says

    December 30, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    Ruth

    I just got rid of A thrd degree burn from steam! Not A fun thing to do. I was making chicken soup in an electic kettle and it realy
    gets hot!

  49. Michelle Anderson says

    January 19, 2013 at 11:42 pm

    I tried this a long time ago and when I opened the door to the microwave, the water exploded in my face. Just be careful when doing this. I also heard you can use a wet sponge and it will work also. Again just be careful not to burn yourself.

  50. Yolanda Russo says

    January 20, 2013 at 4:08 pm

    that is correct.great pointers

  51. Yolanda Russo says

    January 20, 2013 at 4:11 pm

    what a great idea. it makes a lot of sense

  52. Chemicals says

    January 29, 2013 at 11:03 am

    This is awesome, thanks for sharing with us…
    Hand Care

  53. krissy says

    February 21, 2013 at 9:08 pm

    you must have been using an narrow mouth container. Use a WIDE mouth container because otherwise you will get superheated water that is beyond boiling and doesn't boil because of the container used. Quite dangerous. I believe myth busters did an episode about this. Or at least about heating water in a microwave.

    I've done this before using a VERY GENEROUS amount of vinegar. About a half cup to 1 cup vinegar to 1-2 cups of water in a bowl that is wider at the top than at the bottom. Usually a plastic glad (disposable/reusable) type bowl. I've also sprayed straight vinegar on entire surface of the microwave on the inside before starting it. I heat the water for 10-15 minutes though myself to create more steam and make it easier to wipe down. Works like a charm until one of the kiddo's uses the microwave and gets it dirty again…. *grumbles* but that's life as a mum with growing kids……

  54. Anonymous says

    March 22, 2013 at 8:17 am

    It's an awesome article in support of all the internet users; they will get advantage from it I am sure.

    my weblog: onurbridals.com

  55. growgardengrow says

    May 26, 2013 at 8:13 pm

    I agree with the wet sponge or wash cloth idea…. you get to do more than one thing at once and it's safer than having to move the boiling water. In only 1-3 minutes the sponge/cloth gets sanitized and the microwave gets steamed. Plus they are nice and hot to use them for wiping the softened gunk off the inside of the microwave. Let them cool a bit or use gloves. This is also a great way to clean your counters, etc. with or without vinegar or lemon juice (both acids, BTW). Scrub with a little baking soda (an alkaline), if necessary. Definitely don't use 409 or other toxic household cleaners inside your microwave (or fridge).

  56. Christina says

    June 1, 2013 at 5:12 pm

    I was having an off day and microwaved a tablespoon of honey by itself – forgetting to put the other ingredients into the cup. My microwave is now brown inside and I have tried the cleaning methods with baking soda, vinegar, lemon, plain water, and dish soap. Nothing makes it look even the slightest bit better.
    Does anyone have any ideas?

  57. Anonymous says

    June 9, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    Thanks, this was super helpful and so much easier than spending an hour scrubbing it like i usually do!!

  58. Anonymous says

    June 24, 2013 at 8:12 pm

    I used apple cider vinegar to make for a better smell. Microwave is clean and the kitchen smells good as well. ~~v Dee

  59. Rosal says

    July 12, 2013 at 11:08 pm

    In my humble opinion Manda – if you weren't aware that someone else had invented it , I say claim it (to yourself at least) as your own personal invention and take pride in it. After all – who's to say that someone else didn't come up with it BEFORE the first one that we know of. They just may have thought to keep their handy tip to themselves.

  60. Rosal says

    July 12, 2013 at 11:11 pm

    Perhaps wipe it down with Baking soda sprinkled on a damp cloth.

  61. Rosal says

    July 12, 2013 at 11:13 pm

    I have and it worked quite well. Also no smell like the commercial cleaners you buy.

  62. RikkiW says

    December 31, 2013 at 8:53 pm

    I just tried this and it didn't work. The door was the only thing that got steamed up and wiped off easily. But the inside didn't come clean at all. I will stick to spraying the inside with vinegar and water (like I have been doing for years) from now on.

  63. Anonymous says

    January 8, 2014 at 8:57 pm

    Doing something like that, for years. 1 lemon + 1 orange (each cut in 4), in a bowl of water. Works great and smells, even better!!!

  64. Michelle Raines says

    January 8, 2014 at 1:51 pm

    Or you could just never clean it like us. Haha
    😛

  65. Anonymous says

    February 9, 2014 at 4:51 pm

    I use lemon instead of vinegar, smells much better, and works great!

  66. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    I have a winter cold and flu cleaning one, when everyone is sniffling and got the flu in the house i put a 1litre micro safe container half full of water and 1 table spoon of vicks in for 8mins , the vicks clears their noses, smells fresh and also makes regular cleaning a breeze. When not in use can be stored in cupboard or left in microwave for later cleaning , i often think when i go into make a cuppa i flick it on for 3mins to freshen the kitchen and air 🙂

  67. Anonymous says

    February 23, 2014 at 2:48 am

    I used this method once a month for about a year. The last time I did it, my microwave literally exploded. The vinegar stripped the covering off the wires and boom. Use at your own risk.

  68. Oven Cleaner Sheffield says

    April 13, 2014 at 6:02 pm

    Ammonia will work better for this cleaning task. Use in the same way as described. Also, it can be used in the same way for oven cleaning too.

    Try it guys.

  69. Mary Chapman says

    June 15, 2014 at 5:06 pm

    You can also try just using a spray bottle to spray water onto the walls of the microwave and then nuke. No burning or exploding bowl of water and works just fine!

  70. Aucis Sousa says

    June 15, 2014 at 10:37 pm

    It looks a bit expensive, dont you think?

  71. Deena Ellabban says

    June 16, 2014 at 8:45 am

    if only i saw this yesterday i just cleaned my microwave last night with soupy water and i had to scrub the dam thing ..but i might do this now coz it still smells

  72. RS says

    June 18, 2014 at 11:36 pm

    This is pretty cool, def have to try it out!

  73. Anonymous says

    September 29, 2014 at 1:42 pm

    I tried this and after a few minutes I heard a loud bang. The vinegar bottle exploded. I guess I should have removed the cap?

  74. Driss Alison says

    October 22, 2014 at 1:29 am

    I Put Soap liquid and a brash inside the microwave, I turn it ON for 0.3 min and its clean ! Try it

  75. Cleaners Belsize Park Ltd. says

    September 3, 2015 at 5:31 am

    Fantastic tip! I use vanilla extract and water instead of vinegar to clean the inside of my microwave.Vanilla makes the kitchen smells like I was cooking. It is fabulous.Best regards!

  76. Felicia Daniels says

    September 9, 2015 at 7:51 am

    Is it expensive ?

Welcome to Crafty Little Gnome

woman sitting at desk

Hi, I'm Adrienne. My mission is to help women to tap into their creativity and gain the confidence they need to tackle DIY projects around the home. I want women to realize they don't have to "wait for hubby" to do renovation projects around the home. They can teach themselves how to use power tools and create a home of their dreams on a budget. Click on my photo to learn more about me!

Visit my new travel blog

Backyard Camping

Reader Favorites

st patricks day ideas

10 St. Patrick's Day DIY Ideas

slow cooker garlic mashed potatoes on wooden countertop with soft squeeze spread

Garlic Mashed Potatoes Made in a Slow Cooker

diy mushroom craft pin image

Toilet Paper Roll Mushroom Craft

fun items to paint and decorate for football

Game Day Face Paint Station

DIY pine cone bird feeder graphic.

How to Make a Pine Cone Bird Feeder

15 recycled K cup crafts for kids.

15 Recycled K-Cup Crafts for Kids

painted heart friendship rocks

Friendship Rocks: Valentine’s Day Kindness Stones

COPYRIGHT © 2019 · CRAFTY LITTLE GNOME