Back to Basics: Cleaning the Microwave

Awhile back, it was mentioned that we should feature some basic how-to's on the blog for beginner domestics. I don't know if that is still an interest for anyone but I purposely let my microwave get disgusting just so I could do this. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I did it for the blog!)

Dirty microwaves are a pet peeve of mine. I'm constantly harping on the family to cover their food when they're heating something up. But even with diligent microwave-monitoring, splatters and explosions and leaks happen. And, microwaves tend to hold on to odors for a ridiculously long time. So cleaning and deodorizing is necessary from time to time.


Start with one food-splattered microwave.



Gross, huh? Blech.

Take out the plate and the little spinner thingie. Those are easily hand-washed or tossed in the dishwasher if you have one.

Take a microwave-safe glass bowl or cup and fill it about halfway with water. Add in a couple of tablespoons of vinegar and/or lemon juice, or, if you have neither, a little squirt of dishsoap. Place it in the center of your microwave, like so:



Microwave on high for 2 or 3 minutes. Then I let it sit for another minute or two so it gets good and steamy in there.

Try not to get distracted by the various going-ons of the internet while you are waiting so that you forget you were cleaning the microwave and let all the hot, steamy vapors dry up so when you open the microwave to heat up the veggies for dinner, you're confronted with a dried-up, empty dish and the slightly unpleasant odor of cooked vinegar. Cuz then you have to start over.

Take out the dish and notice how all that splattered-on food is now wet and mushy and ready to just wipe right out.

Which is what you do next. Wipe it all out. It should all just wipe away, easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. If not, make another bowl and microwave it another couple of minutes. Then it'll look like this:



Oooh. Shiny. Clean and odor-free.

This concludes today's lesson of Microwave Cleaning 101.