7 Simple Tips for Cleaning a Microwave in Minutes

Microwaves really are magic, but they can also get seriously messy, especially since many foods have a tendency to explode with the heat. Fortunately, cleaning your microwave isn’t difficult—in fact, with these seven tips, you may just find it as easy as microwaving itself.

1. Remove the Turntable

When you first go to clean your microwave, it might look complicated—the turntable can make it feel like there are a lot of nooks and crannies to deal with. But the turntable is almost always removable, along with the round support underneath it. Taking these out of your microwave entirely can make the microwave’s interior a lot easier to navigate with your cleanser and sponge.

2. The Turntable May Be Dishwasher Safe

Psst—while you’ve got it out of the microwave, you may be able to simply tuck your turntable into your dishwasher and have it come out shiny and clean on the next cycle. Be sure to double-check that it’s dishwasher safe, but these days, most turntables are. (If not, you can also wash it by hand like a normal dish.)

3. Try Natural Ingredients

While your favorite household spray cleaner is likely to work on microwave messes, some people report that they’ve messed with their microwave’s functioning. You might be surprised at how powerful natural cleansers can be. 

Plenty of microwave owners have good luck using a mixture of water and vinegar or a wet sponge dipped in a little bit of baking soda to clean both the inside and the outside of their microwave. This way, you won’t leave any harsh chemicals behind.

4. Let Your Microwave Clean Itself 

Your microwave may not come with a “self-clean” function the way your regular oven does, but you can still tackle interior messes in a hands-off way. In a microwave-safe dish, simply combine 1 cup of water with a few tablespoons of vinegar or the juice of a lemon or orange. 

Place the dish inside the microwave and heat it on high for a minute or two, until you see the inside of the microwave steam up. Once the cycle is done, allow it to cool for a few minutes. Then, remove the dish and wipe the inside of the microwave clean with a soft cloth or sponge. 

5. Use Dish Soap

For messes that are really stuck on, dish soap can work wonders. You can soap up a sponge and put in a little bit of elbow grease to see those old splotches of—is it pasta sauce?—disappear in no time. Just be sure to go back through with a clean sponge or paper towel to get rid of any residue before using the microwave to heat more food.

If you’ve got some serious odors and stains going on, a local cleaning pro can also help. They’ll know how to pull out all the stops and ensure your microwave is looking (and smelling) as close to brand new as possible.

6. Clean the Filter Regularly

If your microwave is situated over your stovetop range, it’s likely got a filter underneath it—which needs to be cleaned regularly. This filter works to, well, filter out the grease that can gather under the microwave as part of the stovetop cooking process. Fortunately, cleaning the filter is as easy as removing it, submersing it in a sinkful of sudsy water for about ten minutes, rinsing it clean, letting it dry, and putting it back.

7. Cover Food When Heating

Want to avoid big, sticky microwave messes in the first place? Covering your food while you heat it up can keep your mind at ease while your food is heating up, even when you hear those tell-tale pops in the background. 

While many people simply cover their plate with a paper towel, it is possible for paper to ignite in a microwave, so if this is your technique, wet your paper towels first (and only use this strategy for shorter microwave cook times). There are also commercially made, reusable microwave covers and lids specifically designed for this purpose that are available for less than $10.