Microwaves have made our lives in the kitchen much easier. From letting us reheat leftovers in just a couple of minutes, to giving us a quick way to defrost meat and even faster methods of cooking rice, millions of us rely on our microwaves every day.
But one drawback of the microwave is that it’s another appliance we have to keep clean. On top of scrubbing your oven, wiping the shelves in your fridge, and ensuring your washing machine is squeaky clean, keeping tabs on your microwave is just one extra kitchen chore many of us don’t want.
Thankfully, however, there is an easy way to clean your microwave in just a couple of minutes. All you need is a bowl of water and one common kitchen item to add to the water, creating a powerful cleaning solution.
The trick was shared on Instagram by a woman named Alice, who claimed she hadn’t cleaned her microwave since moving into her new house five months ago. While the microwave didn’t look too dirty, it definitely needed cleaning.
She filmed herself cleaning the microwave to demonstrate just how easy it was, starting by filling a bowl with water and adding her secret ingredient – a lemon.
Alice sliced the lemon in half and squeezed the juice of one half into the water, before also dumping the same half of the lemon into the bowl. She then placed the bowl into the microwave and cooked it, which allowed the water and lemon mixture to create steam that helped to loosen the grime on the microwave walls.
She said: “Pop it in the microwave for about 3-5 minutes. Let it sit for a couple of minutes afterwards because all the steam loosens the dirt. Then you can just wipe everything away so easily.”
The woman removed the lemon from the water and added a small drop of washing up liquid to create a soapy mixture. She then dipped a scrubbing sponge into the water and used it to wipe down the inside of her microwave.
She then used a clean cloth to wipe away any excess water, leaving the inside of her microwave sparkling clean.
Alice used the same methods to also wipe down the wheels and the glass tray, which she removed from the microwave first to make them easier to clean.
How to clean a microwave
1. Prepare a cleaning solution
- Fill a microwave-safe bowl or cup with about one cup of water
- Optional: Add 1-2 tablespoons of white vinegar OR a few slices of lemon for extra cleaning power
2. Heat the solution
- Place the bowl in the microwave
- Heat on high for 3-5 minutes, or until the water is boiling and the window steams up
- Leave the door closed for a few minutes to let the steam loosen any food splatters
3. Wipe down the interior
- Remove the bowl, taking care as it will be hot
- Use a damp sponge or cloth to wipe down the walls, ceiling, floor, and turntable
- For stubborn spots, dip your sponge in the hot water and vinegar/lemon solution
4. Clean the turntable
- Remove the turntable and wash it in the sink with warm, soapy water