Cleaning Microwave With Baking Soda and Lemon – Easy DIYs

Microwaves completely overshadow other kitchen appliances and you know I’m not even exaggerating there. From its inception, standard microwaves have evolved in to different configurations catering varied requirements. And we really mean varied requirements! Frequent reheating needs? Get a standard microwave with a compact footprint on your countertop! Or, you like your appliances multifaceted ? Get a convection microwave and have your tasks of reheating, baking and grilling centered to one appliance! Even better, a convection microwave that also accounts for kitchen fumes and odors while illuminating the counter, enter over-the-range microwaves!

But, with all that variety with these many types of microwaves, one concern stays common. Spilled curry stains or stained cavity after a heavy grilling session. Yes, How do you clean this thing? Have you ever been left with a dirty  microwave cavity that just won’t leave the grease off with wet wipes? We know the struggle. Therefore, we bring you easy ways to clean your microwave using baking soda, lemon and other ingredients. Despite these being classified as DIY methods, are guaranteed to work!

How To Clean Microwave With Lemon and Baking Soda

1. Cleaning Microwave Using Lemons

Lemons and citrus fruits are known to be natural cleansing agents. Which is why you might often see manufacturers boasting the cleaning power of lemons in dish soaps and detergents. Lemons make for an excellent DIY microwave cleaning agent. Follow the steps listed below and discover yourself how to clean microwave using lemons.

1. Put a microwave-proof bowl in the Microwave Oven with one cup of water and some drops of lemon/lime/orange juice. You can also add the peels in this solution.
2. Switch the microwave on full power for a few of minutes, until the solution evaporates and the window is steamy.
3. Before opening the door, allow it to rest inside for around 10 to 15 minutes.
4. After you’re done with this waiting period, take out the bowl and wipe the inside easily with a sponge or a paper towel.
5. You will see that there’s no need to put much efforts in scrubbing, gently wipe it and the grease will easily come out effectively.
6. You can also cut the lemon in half and put the halves in upside down direction on a microwave-proof plate with a few drops of water.
7. Then heat it for a couple of minutes until the lemon is hot and the window is steamy.
8. Both the results will be rewarding, thus leaving a fresh fragrance and of course eliminating any bad odor inside. Lemons do more than just clean your microwave, they deodorize it as well.

Depending on the type of your Microwave, it might even have this function inbuilt. For instance, all the selections in our wall oven microwave combo reviews have a steam clean function. To amplify the effectiveness, you can add the a bowl filled with water while the oven steam cleans.

2. Clean Microwave With Baking Soda and Vinegar

If you do not want to use lemon juice and extracts for some reason, you can alternatively use baking powder and vinegar solution to clean your microwave. Follow the steps below to clean your microwave using baking powder and vinegar.

1. Add a few tablespoons of vinegar to water in a container.
2. Place a microwavable bowl in the microwave cavity with the solution of a cup of water and several drops of vinegar mixture.
3. Turn the Microwave oven on and heat it for quite a few minutes until the solution is heated enough to make the inside of the appliance steamy.
4. Ensure to keep the microwave running on full power. When the heating time is over, take the bowl out.
5. Sprinkle some baking soda inside the cavity and clean the inside gently by wiping with a kitchen tissue or a paper towel.

Can you clean microwave with Apple Cider Vinegar instead?

Yes, apple cider vinegar can be interchangeably used with white vinegar when cleaning a microwave. Use equal amounts of apple cider vinegar as regular white vinegar and you’d more or less see the same cleaning effects.

3. Clean the Microwave Turntable With Baking Soda

If you are planning to thorough clean the glass/ spin tray in your microwave, then here’s a method for you –

1. At first, remove the glass tray or turntable from the appliance and give it an intense wash under the tap or in the dishwasher.  
2. You can give it a thorough scrub with your armor—the sponge and detergent of course, and wash it under clean tap water. After washing, spray a little baking powder and scrub the powder using half a lemon.
3. Wipe it dry with a rag or paper towel and carefully place it again back to its normal place.

4. Use Baking Soda and Dish Soap to Clean Your Microwave

1. Place a microwave safe bowl in the microwave with some water and several drops of liquid dishwasher (according to your need).
2. Heat the solution for a couple of minutes or until the solution begins to steam. Then remove the bowl from the oven and wipe the inside with a damp sponge or rag, resulting in all of the grease to come out.
3. The steam also contributes in loosening the gunk, as a result, just a gentle rub would be sufficient enough.
4. However, you can also add some baking soda to the solution. This will help eliminating any odor left inside. Cleaning the microwave using baking soda alone is a common DIY practice.

5. Try Window Cleaners + Lemons to Clean Microwave

1. Unplug and switch off the appliance as you start to clean.
2. Begin with mixing your diluted solution. In a bowl, pour some amount of window cleaner with some warm water in the ratio as 2:1. Add juice of half a lemon this mixture. This mixture should be enough to give your appliance a thorough clean up both from the inside and outside.
3. Start with wiping the inside of the microwave. Dunk a sponge in this diluted solution and scrub the inside smoothly.
4. Scrub the base of the appliance first by taking out the glass tray from the inside. Scrub until all the stains and spots are gone. You can also let the solution rest for a few minutes into the tough stains before scrubbing them.
5. Then wipe the vents of your appliance from the inside to ensure no gunk remains.
6. As food tends to splatter more often on the surface area of the upper shelf and ceiling, make sure to wipe it neat and clean.
7. After you’re done with scrubbing, drench a neat rag in clean water and wipe all over in the inside and the window completely. Make sure no residue is left in any corner of the inside or by the window side.
8. Then pat dry all over the inside with a dry, neat rag or kitchen towel. Follow the same approach for larger convection and conventional wall ovens.
9. After completion, if any spots still remain, rub it with a cloth soaked in olive oil. If oiliness persists after rubbing with oil, clean that area with dish soap and warm water, and then wipe again with a dry, clean rag.
10. Now that you are done with the inside, proceed with the outside. Clean the door, the handle, the exterior glass of window, the buttons, and the sides of the appliance by directly spraying window cleaner onto them and then wiping with a neat and dry rag or kitchen towel.
11. Or, if you want to avoid direct spraying, you can also spray some amount onto a kitchen towel and then wipe all over the exterior with it. Your microwave is now completely neat and clean. Window cleaners are exceptionally effective at cleaning the large glass panels in single and double wall ovens.

Important Note: While it may be a general trend to use window cleaners on glass cooktops for some, it isn’t really recommended so. The ammonia in window cleaners is rather harsh for a galss cooktop and could potentially ruin its glossy finish. So, If you’re cautious of avoiding scratches on your new glass cooktop, keep that glass cleaner restricted to oven and microwave cleaning.

Tips

1. After completion of cleaning your microwave oven, leave the door open for a while to let it dry and to air pass inside.
2. Always cover food while heating in the microwave to keep your appliance clean.
3. Rather delaying, try to clean up the gunk in your microwave as soon as possible.
4. Clean your appliance every once or twice a month at least.

Having tried all the above, if your cavity still won’t leave the dirt, you may have put it through some severe harshness. Be it the case, you’ll probably need a new microwave. If you’re setting out to find one, we’ve reviewed some hand-picked reliable options here.