Splattered leftovers and exploding beans, microwaves in your kitchen can accumulate grime buildup pretty quickly. Therefore, it is always important to clean your microwave regularly to ensure a better tasting food and efficient microwave working.
It is because all it takes one popcorn’s burnt bag and leftovers to turn your sparkling clean microwave into a smelly and grimy mess. While, the key to keep your sparkling clean microwave is its regular maintenance, or at least every few days.
However, have you noticed any grime buildup or stains on the interior and exterior of your microwave? Then, don’t worry about it. Just open this foolproof guide on cleaning a microwave with vinegar and getting your microwave’s sparkle back easily.
So, here we go:
How to clean a microwave with vinegar: Everything you need to know
Unlike other kitchen appliances, you can use your everyday cleaning products to clean your microwave. However, to keep the microwave in its best state and get healthy food from it, you must go with natural and chemical-free ingredients for its cleaning.
Make sure to stay away from bleach and chemical cleaners, and use vinegar instead to clean your microwave without damaging anything.
The use of bleach or chemical cleaners can weaken interior plastic and damage your microwave over time.
Do you want to know how to use vinegar to clean your microwave? Well, generally, there are different methods that you can use to clean your microwave. Here are some expert-tested ways that you must know in this regard:
Water and Vinegar
One of the best and most cost-effective ways to clean your microwave with vinegar is by using a mixture of water and vinegar. For this, you need to take one spoon of vinegar, either white or apple cider. Then, mix that with half a bowl of water.
Instructions:
Here are some guidelines regarding how you can use water and vinegar to clean your microwave properly:
- First and foremost, combine the vinegar and water and keep that in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Place the bowl inside your microwave and turn the microwave on for a few minutes at high. Let the water bowl mixture boil to steam up the windows of the microwave properly.
- Let the bowl stay inside for a few minutes with the microwave door shut. Within few minutes, the mixture will loosen and soften the grime buildup inside your microwave.
- After almost 5 minutes, remove the water bowl from the microwave. Then, use a soft microfiber piece or a sponge to clean the interior of your microwave.
- However, to clean the exterior of your microwave, use the same solution. Dip the sponge into the water and vinegar mixture.
- Then clean the exterior of your microwave by rubbing the sponge onto it.
- However, if your microwave windows are greasier then, you have to prepare a mixture of water and vinegar by adding an equal quantity of both.
- Once you have done it all, rinse the microfiber piece of cloth into clean water and use it to wipe the entire microwave.
That’s it. Now you can enjoy healthy cooking in a clean and more efficient microwave with ease.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
The next method of using vinegar to clean your microwave is by preparing the mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Both of these ingredients are inexpensive. Even more, most of the households contain these in their inventories.
However, to prepare the mixture of baking soda and vinegar to clean your microwave, you need:
- Quarter bowl of warm water
- Four tablespoons of baking soda
- And 2 tbsp of vinegar (either apple cider vinegar or white vinegar)
Mix all of these ingredients well. Make sure to stir and mash the mixture vigorously to dissolve the powder completely.
Instructions
- Take a sponge or soft piece of cloth to wipe it over inside your microwave.
- Remove microwave racks and keep these inside the mixture overnight to remove the food and grime buildup.
- Let the mixture stir on the inner and outer side of the microwave properly.
- After a few hours, clean both interior and exterior of your microwave.
- Also, rinse your microwave racks with clean water.
- Let everything dry properly and place the racks back into the microwave.
Make sure to rinse the microwave parts properly to ensure that no baking soda residues remain there. Once you have done it, it’s all set to start preparing your delicious food items on the go.
Why is vinegar one of the best ways to clean your microwave?
As there are so many different ways to clean your microwave, vinegar is one of the best solutions to consider. Even more, it is one of the easiest ways to clean your microwave without even getting greased.
The reason you should use vinegar to get a sparkling clean microwave is that it is so acidic. And the acidity of vinegar can let you tackle all types of greasy mess, including food buildups, greasy residues, hard water stains, soap scum, and whatever the inside and outside of your microwave. It works more effectively when combined with steam because it can help loosen and soften the gunk, which looks just like a permanent fixture.
Besides this, there are various other benefits as well to use vinegar as your microwave cleaning agent. Let’s get to know some of these below to know more about the things in this regard:
- Vinegar is inexpensive and easily available even in local shops and stores.
- Also, vinegar doesn’t contain any harsh fumes and chemicals.
- Even more, vinegar can remove odors effectively instead of masking that odor.
- Most importantly, Vinegar is also an environmentally friendly product that you can use to clean the microwave without damaging the environment.
Conclusion
The mixture of smells and splatters can make your microwave look rough. However, you can use vinegar to clean your microwave properly and get its sparkling clean look back without much effort. To ensure more effective results, you must clean your microwave after every use.