How to clean a microwave?

A microwave oven is an indispensable attribute of the kitchen, which is present in almost every home. With the help of a microwave, you can easily reheat food, defrost food and even cook a variety of dishes. But due to frequent use, it quickly becomes dirty both inside and out. Fortunately, there are many ways to restore the former cleanliness and brilliance of your favorite household appliances.

Outside, washing the microwave is quite simple, using detergents for this. The internal part of the technique requires a more delicate approach and has its own characteristics. There are three types of microwave oven coating:

• stainless steel. This type of surface perfectly withstands high temperature conditions, but at the same time it quickly attracts dirt and odors, which are very difficult to clean in the future.
• Enamelled. This type of finish is the most popular and in demand. As a rule, the prices for stoves with enamel coating are affordable. The smooth surface is easy to clean. But you need to do this very carefully, as scratches instantly form on it. The basic rule for enamel is not to use abrasives and wipe the coating dry.
• ceramic. Such a surface is easy to clean, has antibacterial properties and looks spectacular.For cleaning ceramics, it is recommended to use mild detergent solutions.

Today, on the shelves with household chemicals, you can see a lot of products that help get rid of frozen fat and eliminate odor. Most often, the label indicates that greasy traces must be steamed out before applying the product. This is one of the features of cleaning the microwave oven - creating a steam bath for easy removal of contaminants.

Due to the frequent use of the microwave oven, various dirt and odors are formed in it. Consider the most common of them that hostesses face daily:

• Grease stains. You can clean a very dirty surface with acetic acid, its components perfectly break down fat. However, it is not recommended to use vinegar essence too often, so as not to damage the top layer of the coating. The most gentle means for removing fat and soot is the use of citrus fruit juice. Soda slaked with vinegar will help to forget about old greasy stains. Ethyl alcohol does a good job of removing carbon deposits from the walls of kitchen appliances. A heavily soiled surface is cleaned with citric acid or freshly squeezed lemon juice.

• The smell of burning. A specific smell appears after cooking some dishes. You can try leaving the microwave door open for a few hours. If this does not help, then you need to proceed with additional measures. The smell of a burnt product can be eliminated with table salt, activated charcoal and ground coffee.Coffee perfectly eliminates the smell that remains after cooking fish and meat dishes with the addition of a large amount of seasonings. Wipe the inner surface with coffee solution. After a couple of hours, the microwave should be rinsed with clean water. After that, a pleasant aroma will remain. Salt and activated charcoal tablets are excellent absorbents and absorb odors very well. They are best used in combination with other means.

• Yellowness. Plastic elements of microwave ovens begin to turn yellow due to ultraviolet radiation and temperature changes. It is easy to get rid of yellowness with laundry soap, as well as soda.

Depending on the type of contamination, it is possible to clean the microwave in two ways: folk remedies and household chemicals presented on store shelves.

Cleaning a microwave oven at home is absolutely easy and everyone can do it. You can effectively and easily clean contaminated equipment using the following improvised tools available in almost every home:

• soda;
• vinegar;
• laundry soap;
• table salt;
• alcohol;
• lemon or citric acid;
• ripe orange.

If you prefer to use household chemicals to clean kitchen appliances, then liquid solutions such as Fairy, Pril, Frosch, Cif, as well as special detergents for microwave ovens from domestic and foreign manufacturers, for example, Microwave Cleaner Sano, will help to cope with this task. , Korting, Magic Power. In the assortment of modern retail chains, you can find both budget and more expensive products.

We must not forget about the inner coating of the furnace, which is susceptible to abrasive elements, therefore cleaning agents must be selected carefully.

You need to wash the oven even if you use a special lid during cooking and heating food. After all, vapors from hot food somehow penetrate through the space between the lid and the container. There are many ways to quickly clean the microwave oven at home:

• Water. It is one of the most harmless cleaning methods. To do this, pour it into a wide plate and put it inside the device. Then turn it on for a quarter of an hour, setting the highest temperature. After turning off the equipment, it remains only to wipe it with a sponge. This option is suitable for fresh dirt, when the soot has not had time to harden on the coating.
• Soda. It's no secret that baking soda is effective at removing many kitchen stains. It will also help get rid of soot in the microwave. Pour 200 ml of water into a bowl or other deep bowl and add a few handfuls of soda. Mix thoroughly and put in the microwave. Turn on the equipment for at least half an hour. After turning off the timer, do not immediately remove the container from the oven. Evaporation from soda will settle on the walls and quickly dissolve the fat.

• Vinegar. If suddenly there was no soda at hand, then vinegar essence can help out. The procedure is exactly the same as with soda solution. Thanks to vinegar, you can not only wipe the oven, but also get rid of the unpleasant smell inside the microwave.
• Lemon. This citrus fruit is suitable as food, as well as an improvised cleaning tool. With it, it is possible to wash the microwave inside and out. Lemon juice is squeezed into a deep bowl partially filled with water. Put it in the oven and set the timer for 8-10 minutes. This time is enough to destroy greasy traces and remove the smell of burning. If necessary, lemon can be replaced with citric acid. This method of washing can be called safe, and there will be a pleasant aroma in the room after this procedure.

• Orange. Orange peels perfectly absorb odors, remove grease and bacteria. They are poured with two glasses of water and placed inside the device. Turn on the device at full power and after 10 minutes simply wipe the surface from the remnants of contaminants.
• Laundry soap. It is in no way inferior to the above substances in its properties. Soap disinfects well and cleans various contaminants. To clean the microwave, you need to grate a small bar on a medium grater. Mix a tablespoon of soap chips in warm water. Thoroughly foam the resulting solution and apply it with a sponge inside and outside the oven. Leave the soap composition on the surface for about an hour. You can vary the time, focusing on the degree of contamination. After a while, rinse the surface well with running water and wipe dry. After applying laundry soap, the microwave oven will not only be clean, but will also acquire its original shine.

• Melamine sponge. Using this inexpensive and popular tool, you can effectively clean the microwave. It is very easy to use: just soak it in water and begin the procedure for cleaning dirt and grease. Work with a melamine sponge only with rubber gloves. After the stains are removed, it is recommended to rinse the surface with clean water.
• Dishwashing liquid. To clean the kitchen assistant in 5 minutes, you can use dishwashing liquid. On a foam sponge moistened with water, apply a couple of drops of the product, then lather and put the sponge on the glass tray of the microwave. Turn it on for 30-45 seconds and set the minimum power (at high power the sponge will melt). After turning off, wipe the internal parts with the same sponge. Then be sure to treat with a clean, damp cloth.

In addition to cleaning the inside and outside of the microwave oven, you should also clean the glass on the door of the kitchen appliance from dirt. This is where a regular window and glass cleaner comes in handy. It is enough to spray a small amount and after a while wipe it with a dry microfiber cloth.

But you can use the folk method. To do this, add a teaspoon of vinegar and a teaspoon of alcohol to a glass of water. Wipe the glass with the resulting composition.

If the oven has not been washed for a long time, then it will be very difficult to clean it with all the above methods. This is especially true for microwave ovens that have a grill function. Meat products are baked in them until a crust appears. As a result of cooking, stubborn traces of fat and soot are formed. In the case when they are not removed immediately after cooking, they solidify on the coating.

In such situations, it is recommended to use fat removers. But not immediately, but gradually. Initially, with the help of lemon or orange peels, the device is cleaned. When the greasy layer on the surface becomes soft, then a special solution is applied. The time for which the composition must be left is always indicated on the label.

In order for the microwave to always be tidy and not accumulate bacteria in it, it needs regular and proper care. And following simple rules and tips will save you time and effort:

• When using kitchen appliances, it is recommended to always cover the plate with a special lid or cling film, then fat and crumbs will not spread over the surface. If you make this rule a habit, then the microwave oven will need to be cleaned less often.
• Treat doors regularly with mirror cleaner. It will remove smudges and fingerprints.
• Do not press on the rag and sponge when washing the device, it is better to create a steam effect. It will dissolve grease splashes, then all that remains is to walk the detergent over the oven coating, and then rinse with water.
• It is always necessary to disconnect the device from the mains. This simple rule will protect against electric shock.
• The plate that comes with the microwave oven also needs care. It can be washed by hand and in the dishwasher. You can put the plate in place after it has completely dried.

• During cleaning, do not allow water to enter the openings inside the device, wipe them only with dry rags. If water or detergent enters these openings, the appliance may be damaged and malfunction.
• Always wipe the grates dry from any dust that has appeared, as interruptions may occur due to the accumulation of dust particles in the operation of the microwave oven.
• Defrost food in deep containers.
• After each use, it is recommended to wipe the microwave, so greasy stains will not have time to dry on the surface.
• Leave the appliance door open periodically to dispel odors and accumulated moisture.
• You can turn on the device in the outlet only after it has completely dried.
• It is worth starting cleaning the oven by washing the glass tray and ring. After that, proceed to washing the grate, the upper part and the walls. Wash the door last.
• Wear rubber gloves and goggles when applying cleaning agents.

• When treating the inside of the appliance with steam, a protective stand should be installed. Otherwise, there is a risk that during the procedure the microwave door will open and drops of boiling water will fall on nearby objects.
• It is undesirable to allow children and pets into the room where the oven is washed.
• Benzene and solvents should not be used as cleaning solutions. Exposure to them will result in damage to the instrument and possible fire.
• The steam cleaner must also not be used for cleaning due to possible corrosion.
• If the microwave oven is used daily, cleaning should be carried out at least once a week. If its use is rare, then cleaning is enough to carry out a couple of times a month.

How to clean the microwave inside from fat, see the following video.