Microwaves are an essential part of your everyday cooking routine. Whether you want to heat leftovers quickly, bake a new batch of muffins, or make a quick snack, microwaves are a favorite kitchen accessory. But cleaning the microwave post-use, especially if you made a mess, is no one’s favorite part.
So to make your life easier, we have come up with an easy microwave cleaning hack with baking soda. Follow our step-by-step guide to learn how to clean microwave with baking soda.
Why Use Baking Soda to Clean Your Microwave?
Before we talk about how you can use baking soda to clean your microwave, let’s address the obvious question you might have — why baking soda?
Of all the other kitchen ingredients or commercial cleaners, baking soda is still our top choice. Here’s why:
- Baking soda is a basic agent. This means it can easily dissolve organic compounds like dirt and grime, which are primary problems when it comes to cleaning a messy microwave.
- The structure of baking soda particles is such that together they provide a mildly abrasive, scrubbing effect that removes greedy stains without leaving scratches.
- Unlike commercial air fresheners that simply mask the stinky smell, baking soda actually absorbs them. Think of it: most kitchen odors are acidic in nature, then be it the smell of sour milk or rancid meat. Baking soda, being alkaline in nature, reacts with these acidic smells and neutralizes them.
- Being a readily available kitchen ingredient, it’s accessible and cheap compared to all the other commercial cleaning options.
How to Clean Microwave With Baking Soda
Cleaning your microwave with baking soda is no rocket science. Yet, there are a few ways to go about it. So here are three examples of how you can clean your microwave with baking soda:
Mixed With Vinegar
Although baking soda alone is a great cleaning agent, many people like to mix it with vinegar for deep cleaning and stench reduction.
Process Guide
- Start by taking 4 tablespoons of baking soda and add water until it completely dissolves and forms a watery mixture .
- Next, add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the mixture and blend it well until there are no visible lumps.
- Pour the mixture into a spray bottle, shake it well, and spritz it on the stained areas of your microwave.
- Scrub the stains and grime well with a sponge or brush and wash it off with water.
Alternative
If you don’t want to mix the two ingredients, here is another alternative:
- Stick to the first step mentioned above and create a water mixture of baking soda and water
- Next, take a sponge or cloth, dip it into the mixture and scrub the microwave thoroughly. At this stage, you should be able to remove all the dirt and stains
- For scent removal, mix equal parts of distilled white vinegar and water. Pour it into a microwave-safe bowl, place it in and turn on the microwave at high power for at least 3 minutes or until the water begins to boil.
- Once the boiling temperature is reached, turn off the microwave and wait for another 10 minutes.
- Next, open the door, pull out the bowl and clean the interiors with a soap-water solution to remove any baking soda residue
The Wipe Down Method
If you want to keep it simple, the wipe-down method is a solid option. The first few steps are pretty simple. You take a few tablespoons of baking soda and add water until it forms a thick paste. Use a brush to spread the paste uniformly across the stained area, and use a sponge or cloth to scrub it clean.
This method requires a little more hard work, especially if the stains are too stubborn. To make it easier, you can leave the baking soda paste in the microwave for 10 to 15 minutes before you start scrubbing. This will give it enough time to break down the organic compounds and weaken them to simplify cleaning.
The Arm & Hammer Method
The Arm & Hammer method is by far the most efficient and easiest way of cleaning a dirty microwave. All you have to do is add a few tablespoons of baking soda and water to create a solution and pour it into a microwave-safe bowl. Then place it inside and turn on the microwave on high power for at least five minutes.
Next, remove the solution bowl and grab a damp cloth to wipe down the interiors. What happens in this process is the baking soda mixture vaporizes and reacts with all the grimy spots and dirt evenly. The high temperature and steam work with the baking soda to weaken the stubborn dirty spots, further simplifying the cleaning process.
If you feel a 5-minute session did not do enough, you can put the bowl back inside and repeat the process until the microwave is shiny and clean.
Other Kitchen Ingredients to Clean a Messy Microwave
Baking soda is hands down the best cleaning agent for dirty kitchen appliances. But in case you don’t have any at the moment, several other kitchen ingredients are equally competent in removing stubborn stains and dirt.
Lemon
The oil in the peels of lemons can easily cut through grease and grimy stains, weakening them to the extent that a quick wipe can easily remove them. Lemon is also rich in citric acid, which is antibacterial and antiseptic, and helps you get rid of bacteria, mildew, and molds. The best part is, since lemon has its very own citrusy fragrance, you won’t need any additional help to deal with unpleasant odors.
Process Guide:
- Mix a cup of water and lemon juice and pour it into a microwave-safe bowl.
- Place the bowl inside and turn on the microwave on high power for 5 minutes.
- Next, turn it off and let it cool down for another 5 minutes.
- After that, remove the bowl and wipe the interiors clean with a damp cloth.
You can also pour the mixture into a spray bottle just like the baking soda method, but it won’t be as efficient.
Dish Soap and Water
Dish soap and water are known to remove some of the greasiest stains from your kitchen utensils, so don’t you think they can handle a messy microwave too? The process is pretty simple: you can put the solution in spray bottles, spray the stained areas, and scrub with a sponge (or use the microwave-safe bowl method).
Since it’s just soap and water in this case, turn on the microwave at high power only for a minute. The steam from the water, along with soap’s compound disintegrating power, will soon loosen up cakey food residue, and you can wipe it clean with a cloth.
If the soap you are using has its own sweet smell, you might not have to worry about adding an external deodorizer. If it doesn’t, you can always add one tablespoon of baking soda to the bowl to deal with the stench.
Wet Paper Towels
The easiest way to clean your microwave without any hassle is with wet paper towels. And we are not just talking about a quick wipe on fresh stains. They are also a great cleaning agent for hard stains.
The process is just the same as lemon or baking soda. You have to cover the stains and grimy spots in the oven with some wet paper towels, shut the door and turn it on high power for 5 minutes. The steam from the towels will soften up the stains, making them much easier to remove.
The best and worst part about using paper towels is they won’t alter the odor. This means that, unlike baking soda or vinegar, which leave behind a distinct smell after the process, you will have to deal with no such issues with this paper towel method. But at the same time, if there was already a rancid stench in the microwave, paper towels won’t help with that.
Apple Cider Vinegar
If you want the benefits of vinegar without its strong and distinct smell, use apple cider vinegar.
The process remains the same as white vinegar. You can either mix it with baking soda, make a spray out of it by adding water, or use the bowl method to get the fastest results.
Apple cider vinegar is slightly milder than distilled white vinegar, making its smell slightly less harsh. And for the same reasons, while apple cider vinegar might get the job done, it’s not as efficient as white vinegar.
Conclusion
Getting a good microwave isn’t enough, you also need to maintain it well. A dirty microwave is not a blotch on your otherwise perfect kitchen, but it can be a significant health concern if you don’t cater to it on time. After all, you wouldn’t want the appliance that handles your food to be stained and grimy, right?
Thankfully, if you follow our quick and easy DIY hacks on how to clean microwave with baking soda, keeping your microwave clean will become a cakewalk.
Next up: How to set a clock on a Samsung microwave
