How to Clean a Microwave with Vinegar, Lemon & Other Natural Cleaners

Want to learn how to clean a microwave with natural products that are good for you and the environment? Skip the harsh chemicals and use these natural cleaners.

Microwaves should be cleaned regularly to keep them bacteria-free. Ingredients often get splattered around the inside walls. Even if your microwave looks clean, you should regularly clean it (at least once a week).

To limit environmental impact, it’s a good idea to use natural products whenever possible when cleaning. Learning how to clean your microwave with natural solutions could not be easier. Not only does it limit chemical use, but also saves money. These pantry staple ingredients can easily be combined to get your microwave looking sparkly clean. 

How to Clean a Microwave: A Step-by-Step Guide Using Lemon

Lemons are a bit of a powerhouse when it comes to cleaning, which is why you should never throw out the rind. Learn how to clean a microwave with lemon using the instructions below:

What you need:

• Microwave safe bowl
• Half a cup of water
• A lemon
• Paper towels or reusable cloth or towel

How to clean the microwave:

1. Put the water in the bowl.
2. Slice the lemon in half, then squeeze the juice into the bowl of water.
3. Place the remaining halves into the bowl, as they are.
4. Put the bowl in the microwave and set it to high power for 3 minutes (this enables the liquid to boil).
5. Leave the door shut, with the bowl inside, for 5 minutes. This is so the steam can loosen off anything stubborn, and get into all the areas.
6. Place the bowl in the microwave. Microwave on high power for 3 minutes so the liquid comes to a boil.
7. Open the microwave door, being careful as it will still be hot.
8. Remove the bowl (but don’t throw the lemon water away)
9. If your microwave has a turntable, also remove this.
10. Clean the turntable first by wiping it down with towels or cloth.
11. Clean the inside of the microwave, starting with the ceiling and then moving to the side and the bottom.
12. If you find a stubborn area, dip the towel or cloth in the lemon water, and scrub a little more, until clean.
13. Replace the turntable if you have one.
14. Finally, clean the door, both inside and out, to get rid of bacteria from opening and closing with our hands.

How to Clean a Microwave Using Vinegar and Lemon

We’ve seen how you can clean a microwave using just lemon and water, but there is another great natural cleaner: vinegar. A combination of the two is also extremely effective so if you have both on hand, why not try this method for a clean and sweet-smelling microwave? Due to the addition of vinegar, you can replace the fresh lemon with bottled lemon juice, if that’s what you’ve got. 

What you need:

• Microwave safe bowl
• Half a cup of water
• Half a cup of vinegar
• A lemon (or 2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh or bottled)
• Paper towels or reusable cloth or towel

How to clean the microwave:

Using the same instructions as the method above, just remember to add the vinegar together with the water and lemon in the first steps. 

If you find that there are still difficult spots after trying these cleaning methods, you can use baking soda as a gentle scrub, wiping the area down again after cleaning. You can also wipe down the exterior of your microwave with a homemade all-purpose cleaner too. On stainless steel, vinegar and water will suffice, or maybe a small amount of coconut spray.

Read more:

• Microwave-Baked Sweet Potato in Only 5 Minutes
• Recycling: How to Dispose of Your Microwave the Right Way
• Use White Vinegar and Borax as an Alternative to Baking Soda

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