Let’s face it – most of us aren’t as on top of cleaning our microwaves as we should be. And, for those of us who use them frequently, we know that they can get pretty gross on the inside especially, thanks to food splatters and grease.
We understand that cleaning a microwave can seem like a tedious addition to your already-busy cleaning schedule, but trust us when we say that it doesn’t need to be all that difficult. Just following the proper cleaning methods can leave you with a sparkling microwave in minutes, and the more often you do clean it, the less elbow grease you’ll need to use each time.
When is it Time to Give That Microwave a Good Cleaning?
Actually, a better question would be, how often should you clean a microwave? Well that really depends on how often you use it, and how you use it. If you’re covering your food when you microwave it, there is less risk of splatter and other types of messes. But, if you’re not, then you may find that it gets dirty after almost every use.
Steps to Cleaning Your Microwave the Right Way
Now, let’s go over the basic method for cleaning your microwave, since these steps below can be done in less than 10 minutes. Plus, we are sure you have enough time to put those minutes aside once or twice a week to end up with a perfectly clean microwave.
Step #1: Apply Grab Green Kitchen Power Degreaser to the outside of your microwave, including the door handle and buttons. Use a dry cloth to wipe everything down. For more stubborn areas, such as areas where there’s dried sauce or other types of food residue, use a toothbrush to break things up before wiping away.
Step #2: Next, it’s time to clean the inside. Remove the turntable tray at the bottom – we will wash that separately, along with the turntable ring.
Step #3: Use the same degreaser to thoroughly cover the entirety of the inside of your microwave.
Step #4: Allow it to sit for a couple of minutes.
Step #5: Then, use your cloth to wipe down every inch of the microwave. For most, this alone will leave it sparkling clean. Again, in the event of tougher spills and residue, use a toothbrush, scrubbing in circular motions along with the degreaser. This should break up just about any bits that are tough to clean with a cloth alone.
Step #6: Now it’s time to tackle the turntable. Carefully wash it in your sink with hot water and soap. If it’s particularly greasy, you may need to soak it in hot, soapy water for a while before you can easily scrub the grease away. The same goes for the ring that goes under the turntable, if that is removable.
Step #7: Place the turntable back onto the tray after drying it, as you should have a nice, clean microwave.
What to Do About Yellowing
A particularly old or frequently used dishwasher may develop a yellow tinge over time, due to the constant exposure to grease. You can remove the yellowing with something you probably already have lying around your home – nail polish remover. Just apply some nail polish remover to a cloth and wipe the inside of the microwave down. Follow this by wiping the inside down with a damp cloth, which will remove the smell of the nail polish remover.
