The problem of a dirty microwave concerns everyone who has one in their arsenal of kitchen appliances. There are so many ways to clean the microwave that it is very difficult to choose the right option for yourself. Many housewives resort to the old, tried and true "grandmother's" method, which claims that there is nothing better than cleaning the microwave with vinegar and baking soda.
Most modern families use the microwave to warm up cold soup or cook some unhe althy but very tasty convenience food. Result: the walls of the microwave from the inside in greasy streaks, which dry out at the moment, and it becomes impossible to clean them without the use of additional funds.
Dirty microwave
Of course, it is better to keep all kitchen "helpers" clean and not bring them to the point where drops of fat will have to be scraped off. But even the most idealhousewives do not always have time to make sure that there is shine and perfect cleanliness inside the microwave or gas oven. Therefore, methods for cleaning contaminated surfaces with improvised means were invented.
The easiest and cheapest way to clean your microwave is vinegar. We will consider how to use it correctly a little later.
Microwave Cleaning Safety Rules
It would seem that there is nothing complicated in this matter. But you should still know some of the nuances that will help protect yourself from an electric shock or fragments from an accidentally broken glass plate (which is now not cheap). So:
- Before you start cleaning the microwave, you must turn off the device from the network.
- When cleaning the inside of the microwave with vinegar, do not use knives or other sharp objects that can damage the surface of the microwave. From the inside, it is covered with special enamel, which acts as a wave reflector.
- Before you start cleaning the microwave, as indicated in the instructions for it, and by other means, you need to remove the glass plate and ring.
- Care must be taken to ensure that water does not penetrate into the electrical areas and into the ventilation inside the microwave. Otherwise, the device may be damaged.
Microwave cleaners at hand
To clean the microwave with vinegar, you can use other improvised means that can improve the final result. For example, fresh citrus fruits: lemon, orange or grapefruit.
One of them can be used to aromatize the surface of the microwave after it has been wiped with vinegar solution. It is known to leave a pungent odor. A solution can be prepared by mixing 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water. A soft sponge should be lowered into this mixture and wiped with grease-contaminated places. Vapors of table vinegar are good at corroding greasy stains (and many others are also within its power). After the microwave has been cleaned with vinegar, it can be rubbed with half a lemon or orange. This will help remove the pungent vinegar smell. While working with the vinegar solution, you need to allow fresh air into the room or turn on the hood.
Clean the microwave with vinegar and baking soda
Baking soda has proven itself to be no less effective in cleaning greasy and simply dirty surfaces. From it you need to prepare a solution by adding 15 g of powder to water with a volume of 0.5 liters. Add two tablespoons of vinegar to the resulting solution and mix thoroughly. How to clean the inside of a microwave with vinegar and baking soda? Just like with a regular mixture of vinegar and water. With a soft sponge dipped in water, gently wipe the enamel inside the microwave turned off from the mains. Then we leave it open so that the smell has disappeared.
Clean the microwave with laundry soap
This old handy tool has a lot of useful properties. Including removes greasy stains from clothes and other surfaces.
The main advantage of this method, as well as cleaning the microwave with vinegar andsoda is its safety for he alth, which cannot be said about poisonous chemicals sold in stores. Laundry soap before use must be ground on a fine grater and mixed with water until a slurry is obtained. The consistency of the product should resemble thick sour cream. Then you need to add a teaspoon of vinegar to the soap. This will increase the effectiveness of the soap in the fight against grease on the surface. The resulting slurry should be applied over the entire inner surface of the microwave and left for half an hour. Then rinse with a soft sponge with warm water.
Cleaning the microwave with steam and soda
Ingenious housewives came up with this method to clean the microwave oven. This method, unlike how to clean the microwave from fat with vinegar, does not provide for even the slightest physical effort of the hostess. You can clean the microwave in this way by dissolving baking soda in a heat-resistant glass of water. The liquid must be mixed and sent to the microwave oven, requiring immediate cleaning. Turn on the microwave timer for 10 minutes. During this time, the water with soda will boil and the steam that will spread inside will dissolve drops of grease and other contaminants.
How to clean the microwave with toothpaste?
Substances that make up toothpastes and powders can whiten not only tooth enamel, but also that which is inside the microwave.
This way you can clean mild dirt, but not dried greasy stains that have been on the walls of the microwave for more than a week. Toothpaste should be evenly distributed overcontaminated areas and leave for 5-10 minutes. Then rinse with a soft sponge.
Proper care of your microwave oven
How to clean the inside of the microwave from grease with vinegar is one question. Another question is how to properly care for it, and how often you can clean it.
You can avoid breakage and other troubles by removing all pollution in time. Another reason why a microwave oven can fail is crumbs and small food debris from the bottom surface of the chamber. Due to inaccurate use of the microwave, including due to untimely cleaning, the enamel on the bottom of the oven may become covered with microcracks and chips, because of this, the “assistant” may also break or its work will then deteriorate, which over time will lead to a complete rejection of perform basic functions.
Microwave care outside
Despite the fact that the main part of microwave care is cleaning it from fat, crumbs and other contaminants from the inside, it will also require careful care on the outside. Slots on the surface of the microwave oven - ventilation, which is extremely important for the full operation of the device. Therefore, in no case should they be covered with napkins, towels.
It is also not recommended to place microwave plates and any other objects on the surface. The smallest specks can eventually clog the ventilation holes, and the microwave will fail.
Microwave cleaning with household chemicals
Using household chemicals to clean a lot of dirt in the kitchen is commonplacecase. Many housewives use them because of their high efficiency and speed of action. Store shelves are simply overflowing with assortments of such products, you just need to choose the most suitable one. There are different forms of cleaning products - powders, gels, sprays and aerosols. Microwave cleaners are mainly made in the form of sprays. In order not to damage the delicate enamel with hard powder. To use each tool, you need to clearly follow its instructions. But most of them have the same application:
- Apply the product to the contaminated surface.
- Leave it for 5-10 (15) minutes (depending on how dirty it is).
- Then rinse with a damp, soft sponge.
- Wipe the microwave inside and out with a dry cloth and leave the door open so that the appliance is completely dry and the odor evaporates.
Please read the instructions carefully before use. Microwave cleaning spray must be used very carefully so that it does not get into the ventilation holes from the outside. And from the inside, they need to thoroughly clean all the enamel. Including areas under the glass plate and wire rack. But if you know how to clean the microwave with vinegar and other improvised means, then the need to purchase expensive products immediately disappears.
