How to clean a microwave with vinegar: effective methods, rules for washing internal surfaces

Author of the article

Svetlana Pavlikhina

Reading time: 5 minutes

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A microwave oven is a device that makes working in the kitchen easier. It gets dirty, grease and dirt settle on the walls, which are very difficult to wash off. If a special cleaning agent is not available, you can clean the device using ordinary vinegar. This is an effective, affordable and budget-friendly remedy.

However, it is important to know how to clean your device properly. For this, other ingredients and washing methods are used. The most popular methods are cleaning using a steam bath, lemon or soda.

General rules for cleaning a microwave oven

To wash the inside of the device, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. For safety reasons, before cleaning with a sponge, brush or other materials, the oven should be unplugged..
2. It is not allowed to use hard brushes or metal brushes to clean the microwave.
3. Before the procedure, it is recommended to put a glass of water in the device and bring it to a boil to soften grease and dirt.
4. To prevent water from penetrating into the microwave elements, it is advisable to use a minimal amount of water.
5. It is not allowed to place a container with a liquid product on the stove, so that drops do not get inside the device and cause a short circuit.
6. Before the procedure, remove the grill and turntable to wash them separately with regular detergent.
7. Before choosing a cleaning method, you need to assess the condition of the inner surface to determine the optimal cleaning agent.

It is not allowed to disassemble the appliance in order to wash away dirt between the oven parts.

Additional Methods

Lemon does an excellent job of removing plaque from oven walls:

• squeeze the juice of half a citrus and dilute it with 200 ml of water;
• pour the liquid into a container and place it in the microwave device;
• turn on the device at maximum power for 10 minutes;
• remove the dishes and all removable elements from the chamber and wipe the surfaces first with a damp cloth, then with a dry cloth.

As a quick cleaning method, you can use dish detergent:

• moisten the sponge with water and pour 1-2 teaspoons of a special preparation onto it, lather well;
• place the sponge on the glass tray in the chamber and turn on the stove for 60 seconds;
• open the door, take out the dishwasher, remove softened dirt with a rag;
• Wash the walls with clean water and wipe dry.

Types of internal coating of microwave ovens

Before you wash the stove at home, you need to determine what its coating is made of. The reflective surface can be made of the following materials:

• 
  ceramics (this coating is durable and smooth, so it can be easily washed with vinegar and a soft sponge);

• enamel (smooth and therefore weakly absorbs fat);
• steel (most often contaminated with grease);
• acrylic (used mainly in cheap devices).

The ceramic surface is the best to clean and gets the least amount of dirt.

Some surfaces can be cleaned using vinegar. However, there are restrictions on the use of detergent for some materials, since the coating is destroyed.

Recipe 6: Clean the microwave with orange peels

How to clean a microwave with orange peels?
This is a good way to clean a microwave at home using improvised means, as long as it is not too dirty.

Ingredients:

• Water.
• Orange (1 pc.).
• Soft sponge.
• Capacity.

How to clean your microwave with orange peels:

• We peel the citrus, putting the peel in a deep plate and fill it with water.
• Place the peel in the oven for 5 minutes. The water should boil and you will see condensation on the walls.
• We wait about 15 minutes.
• Take out the plate and wash the microwave with a sponge.

What surfaces should not be cleaned with vinegar?

It is allowed to clean ceramic and enamel coatings with water and vinegar. However, a soft cloth or sponge is used for this. Do not use abrasive materials.

It is strictly forbidden to use a product to clean stainless steel surfaces. The acid acts so that the steel begins to turn black. Therefore, the coating becomes dark over time, and this can no longer be corrected.

If you have a microwave with a steel coating, you need to look for other cleaning products.

How do vinegar and soda work?

Cleaning the inside of your microwave is essential. If drops of fat and food particles accumulate inside, bacteria will gradually begin to multiply there and an unpleasant odor will appear. No one likes to heat food in such an appliance. It is best to start cleaning immediately after heating the food, before the dirt has dried. But there is not always time for this.

To remove contaminants, table vinegar and baking soda are used - cheap and safe products for humans. Not everyone decides to use chemicals for cleaning microwaves because of dangerous components that can get into food or damage the quartz element.

Why you should try vinegar and baking soda for microwave cleaning:

1. Vinegar is a well-known cleaning, softening and disinfectant. It contains organic alcohols and acids that quickly dissolve fat. One of the exceptional properties of vinegar is that it adds a glossy shine to stainless steel surfaces.
2. Soda powder also has the necessary properties: it removes fat, absorbs unpleasant odors, and disinfects.

Both individually and together, these products are used for cleaning appliances, various surfaces, for washing and removing old stains. They work instantly against grease and dirt in the microwave. Popular methods of washing are steaming with a solution, applying a slurry of soda, and in mild cases, simply wiping the walls with detergent.

The result is noticeable after the first use; the procedure itself lasts 5-15 minutes. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat cleaning 2-3 times, but only in case of advanced contamination.

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Cleaning methods

There are several ways to clean the device using vinegar. Other components can be used for this purpose:

• water;
• lemon;
• soda.

These methods must be used in accordance with the recommendations for using the product.

Vinegar and water

This recipe is the simplest and most effective. Wash equipment as follows:

1. Vinegar is diluted in warm water in a 1:1 ratio.
2. Stir the solution well.
3. Soak a sponge or cloth in the liquid.
4. Wipe the walls and surface of the device.
5. Wet the sponge again in the product and continue to wash the inside of the device.
6. If the contamination is severe, the procedure is repeated several times.
7. After removing the contaminants, wash off the solution with plain water.
8. Wipe dry with a towel.

This method can be used up to twice a month.

With lemon

The product removes not only greasy deposits, but also various odors, and the surface smells fresh.

The procedure is performed as follows:

1. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out the juice.
2. Add 2 tbsp to the resulting liquid. vinegar and mix.

3. 
   Wet a soft sponge in the product and apply to stained areas.

4. Leave for 2-3 minutes and rub well.
5. If necessary, repeat the procedure.
6. Wash the surface with a damp, clean sponge.
7. Wipe gently with a dry cloth.

If lemon is not available, it can be replaced with citric acid.

Vinegar and soda

You can easily clean grease from your microwave by adding baking soda.

To make this product, you need to take the following ingredients:

• water – 0.5 l;
• soda – 2 tbsp;
• vinegar - 3 tbsp.

To wash, perform the following steps:

1. Remove the grate and plate. Soak them in warm water, wash them with a sponge and dishwashing detergent.
2. Mix vinegar and soda in a jar of water. Wait until the solution reacts and stops foaming.
3. Place in the microwave at a temperature of +100 °C, turn on the device for 5 minutes.
4. Moisten a sponge or soft cloth and gently wipe the inner surface, removing dirt.
5. Wipe again with a dry cloth.

You can simply wash the device, because this method combines two methods - a steam bath and cleaning with a sponge. However, if the surface is not very dirty, then you can not bring the vinegar to a boil.

Steam bath

In 5 minutes, you can return the microwave oven coating to its previous appearance using a steam bath. This method is best used if the surface has been contaminated with grease for a long time.

To perform cleaning, you need to prepare the following components to prepare the product:

• vinegar 9% – 2 tbsp;
• water – 2 glasses.

The process includes the following steps:

1. Pour water and vinegar into a glass container.
2. Mix the ingredients well.
3. Place the container with the product in the microwave.
4. Turn on at maximum power.
5. Leave to “steam” for 10-15 minutes.
6. After turning off the oven, leave the product to continue to evaporate for another 20 minutes.
7. After this time, remove the dishes with the vinegar solution.
8. Wipe the surface using a damp cloth. You can also use a sponge soaked in detergent.

Experts recommend not immediately wiping off the remaining product from the oven coating, but waiting more than an hour, then the stains will be removed quickly.

How to clean quickly at home?

To get rid of grease deposits in an electrical appliance, use 9% table vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

Classic way

• Make the solution immediately before you start washing: pour 200 ml of water into a small container and add 30 ml of vinegar to it;
• prepare the oven for cleaning (unplug it from the power supply, remove the plate), moisten a rag in the acidified liquid and wipe the walls and door of the electrical appliance chamber, paying attention to contaminated areas;
• after 15 minutes, wash the treated areas of the stove with a sponge moistened with clean water;
• Wipe the microwave with a dry cloth and leave it for a while with the door open.

ATTENTION!

When working with vinegar, there is a risk of burning the mucous membranes or skin. Therefore, before starting the cleaning procedure, wear rubber gloves and do not allow any liquid to get into your eyes.

Steam bath

• Add 15 ml of vinegar (a tablespoon) to 200 ml of water, mix the ingredients.
• Pour the solution into a plate or other dish that can be used in a microwave oven. It is desirable that the container be wide - the larger the area of ​​​​moisture evaporation, the more effective the softening of fat deposits will be.
• Place the container with liquid on the tray in the appliance chamber and turn on the electrical device in heating mode for 15 minutes.
• After the time has passed, do not open the door or remove the plate from the chamber, but leave it in the oven for another half hour. During this time, the vapors deposited on the walls of the device during the evaporation of the liquid will dissolve most of the contaminants.
• Remove the container with vinegar, remove all removable parts and wipe the inside of the microwave with a damp cloth.
• Wipe the stove dry and leave the door open for a while.

For your information!

If the method does not help get rid of old traces of grease, steam the device several more times.

2 in 1 mixture of baking soda and vinegar

There are two options for using these tools simultaneously:

• Pour 3 tablespoons of soda into a deep plate and pour 30 ml of vinegar over them. Apply the resulting foam mass to the internal surfaces of the microwave. After 10 minutes, remove the product with a damp sponge and wipe with a dry cloth or napkin.
• Pour 15 g of soda (2 teaspoons) into 100 ml of water and mix the ingredients. Pour the liquid into a wide bowl and add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to it. Place the plate with the solution in the oven, turn on the heating mode for 15 minutes. After turning off the device, wait another half hour, remove the dishes and rinse all internal surfaces with water, then wipe dry. After the procedure, leave the stove with the door open to ventilate.

IMPORTANT!

During the method, the windows in the room must be open.

Precautionary measures

When using vinegar to clean your microwave oven, you must take the following precautions:

1. 
   Do not clean the microwave while it is on.

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2. If you use vinegar for cleaning, you must ventilate the room well or use a hood.
3. Wear rubber gloves and a gauze bandage on your face.
4. After washing, wipe the surface with hot water to remove any remaining vinegar and wipe dry.
5. Do not place jars or plates with liquid product on the oven lid to prevent liquid from getting inside the device.

Failure to comply with the precautions may cause harm to health or damage the device.

Recipe 1: Cleaning the microwave with vinegar

How to clean a microwave with vinegar?
Vinegar will help clean the microwave even if you see a lot of dirt in front of you, but you will have to endure its specific smell. We also recommend paying attention to the coating. We do not recommend cleaning enameled stoves frequently with vinegar, otherwise it will destroy the coating.

Ingredients:

• Water (half a liter).
• Vinegar 9% (2 tbsp.) or essence 70% (1 tsp.).
• Capacity.

How to clean a microwave:

• Before you start cleaning the inside of the microwave, we recommend opening the window so that the smell goes away immediately.
• Mix vinegar or essence with plain water.
• Place the container in the microwave for 1-5 minutes. If it is very dirty, then set the time longer - 5 minutes.
• We leave the container to stand for a few more minutes so that the dirt can be removed better, and we begin to wash the microwave. This can be done with a sponge or a rough brush.
• At the end of cleaning, wipe the inside with a cloth moistened with water.

Recipe 7: Bleach or hydrogen peroxide

How to clean a microwave with bleach?
If the stove or its individual parts are plastic, then yellowing will appear over time. But don’t worry, we’ll tell you how to quickly clean a microwave at home in this case too.

Ingredients:

• Any chlorine bleach.
• Rags.
• Food film.

How to clean a microwave oven with bleach:

• Soak a cloth in water and bleach, wring it out, and cover the oven.
• Leave it in the microwave for a couple of hours or overnight.
• In this case, you can additionally wrap the microwave with film.
• Afterwards, remove the cloths and wipe the surface dry.