Those who are into regular cooking know how important the microwave oven is for cooking. It is one of the most frequently used kitchen appliances that can help you cook delicious recipes easily and conveniently. Microwave oven is easy to use and fast enough and I think it’s the best friend of home makers. Obviously, like any other home and kitchen appliances, microwave oven also require frequent cleaning and that’s not as straightforward as cleaning of kitchen utensils. Cleaning microwave oven at home requires different approach and if you are wondering about how to clean microwave open at home, then here’s the post worth checking. Today, I am going to share everything worth knowing about how to clean microwave oven at home; from cleaning the outside parts to removing microwave stains from inside, I am going to talk about all you need to know on how to clean microwave oven easily at home.
Regular cooking makes the oven very dirty and it is often seen filled with stubborn food residues, grease, grime and smoke that are not easy to remove. But, you got to clean microwave over frequently as the stains will not just make it stinky but may also make it a hotbed of germs. Moreover, if you do not clean your microwave oven from time to time, it won’t work on its optimum level and that could make things harder for you.
Cleaning microwave oven at home is not all that difficult, especially when you know how to get it right. And if you are unsure about the right hacks and techniques to clean microwave oven, then worry not as I am going to share it all right here in this post
Cooking can be fun with a properly cleaned and maintained microwave oven. In fact, there are various types of ovens are available in the market that makes cooking fun and easier. But, when it comes to cleaning the dirt, food spilling, stinks and stains, it seems difficult. Most of you must be using the market products that promise easy cleaning but you must remember that most of them contain strong chemicals to erase the stubborn stains.
Now, think for a while calmly and question yourself that will you feel safe to cook your food in the oven after cleaning it with a chemical? I certainly hope not because after all, those chemical residues may somehow mix with food and harm you and your family members. In fact, some of these cleansers may be very harsh and result in severe allergies, skin rashes and food poisoning. So, the safest way to clean microwave oven at home is to use items that you use on a regular basis and which are safe for you.
Natural bleaches can come to your residue in such times and I will be drawing your attention to some of the methods that I personally use to clean microwave oven at my home. Trust me, it works perfectly.
Here’s how to clean microwave oven easily at home
There is no doubt about the usability of a microwave oven. It helps you you’re your favorite recipes easily without occupying your time. Naturally as you cook different types of recipes in the microwave oven, it requires proper cleaning. The dirt and stains inside the cavity of a microwave oven can damage the appliance and could badly affect your food and health. Microwave cleaning is essentially important and you can’t afford to ignore it.
If you are wondering about how to clean microwave oven easily at home then check these quick and simple cleaning hacks that’ll help you to clean all types of microwave oven easily.
Types of microwave oven
There are various types of microwave oven in the market, so you have to clean them as per the type of oven you are using. This is because the cleaning techniques and process might require some adjustment as per the type of the micro wave you want to clean.
In case of ovens which are self-cleaning, they generally got a feature where you can turn the heat of the oven to a high temperature that will enable the buildup grease and food residue to be turned to ashes.
Then there are continuous cleaning ovens or textured ovens which got a porcelain layer which is actually designed to burn the food particles that get spilled when you are cooking.
Lastly, there are the regular ovens that have no such specialized features and must be cleaned with your own hands.
How to clean self-cleaning microwave oven
Since the microwave oven is the most commonly used kitchen appliance, you should choose a convenient time to clean it. It may take a little time, so schedule the microwave cleaning at time when you are not planning to cook something.
I will recommend that you keep your kids along with the pets (if any) away from the kitchen while you are cleaning it. This is because you have to heat the oven to a very high temperature which may lead to a burning smell. Moreover, it is always safer to keep kids and pets sway from something that is hot.
While you are cleaning the microwave oven, open the windows as that will properly ventilate the space and you and your family members will also not have to inhale the fumes. Once you are ready, follow the steps below to clean microwave oven properly.
The first step is to remove the oven racks. Take them out carefully and put them in the sink that is filled with warm water. Add some drops of dishwashing liquid in the water.
Now, it is time to turn on the self-cleaning mode of the microwave oven. Lock the door of the oven before putting it to clean. If there is some problem with the lock, then do some markings like by using masking tapes so that it is a signal to other family members that it is not to be opened. Then heat the oven between 427 to 482-degreeCelsius.
The oven will take around 2-6 hours to get cleaned properly. During that time, all the grease and the food residues will be turned to ash. After the cleaning is complete, let it cool down for at least 2 hours.
After that, take the ashes out carefully using a dustpan and a small brush. Then wipe it clean with the help of a wet rag.
You should not miss out cleaning the oven door properly. Clean the inside of the door with a clean rag and a good cleaning product. Use vinegar and water solution to get best results.
And, as far as the microwave oven racks are concerned which are soaked in the soapy water, scrub and rinse them properly after that, and then place them again inside the oven.
How to clean textured microwave oven
In case you got a textured oven at home then here’s how to clean it easily.
While cleaning the textured microwave oven, you should remove the racks first and keep it in the sink full of warm water. Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid in the water.
Wipe the inside of your oven door using a wet sponge. This oven generally cleans it continuously and so there is no need of heating it first. Instead, make sure that the oven is cool when you are cleaning. Avoid the usage of any kind of chemicals or abrasive scrubbers on your oven as that may damage the porcelain layer in it. I prefer using a solution of vinegar and water to clean microwave oven at my home.
After that, scrub your oven racks that were so long soaked in soapy water. Rinse the racks properly and then dry them. After they have dried, place them again inside your oven.
Many of us may own the regular microwave ovens, so here are the quick and simple hacks to clean the regular non-self-cleaning microwave oven easily on your own.
First of all, take out the racks from the oven and dip in the sink which is filled with warm water with few drops of dishwashing liquid in it.
Now, make a cleaning solution with around 4 tablespoon of baking soda and put it in a 1-liter spray bottle. Then fill the rest of the bottle with water. After that, shake the bottle well for the baking soda to get dissolved in water.
To clean the oven, make sure that your oven is cold and then spray the solutions in the interior portions especially in the areas that are stained. Continue it until the carbon is saturated. If your oven is too dirty, then you can make more of the baking soda water solution.
Wait for an hour to see whether the stained portions have loosened. If they have, then it is Ok, but if they haven’t, then spray more baking soda and water solution and allow it to rest for about an hour or so.
Now, it is time to scrub off the stains from the cavity. You may use a scrubber that is used to chip snow and ice off your windshield. Before scrubbing, do not forget to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands. If you want, you may spray more of the baking soda and water solution to make the process of loosening easier. Then sweep off the debris that you chipped using a small brush and a dustpan.
In case your oven is too dirty and the stains didn’t go with the first attempt, then you may repeat the process again. Spray more of the solution, then wait for an hour and then scrub off the carbon.
Then make a solution of vinegar with water and wipe the oven once more to clean it. In majority cases, by now, your oven must be cleaned but if the carbon still remains, then you may use industrial strength oven cleaner. However, I do not recommend this much as it contains harmful chemicals which are not good to be inhaled but if you want to, please do it with full caution. Soak the solution into the stained portions and then scrub off after sometime.
You can use ammonia to get rid of the stains as well. All you need to do is to pour it on the caked portions and then let it sit for half an hour. Post that, scrub off using scrubber and then wipe with a damp sponge.
Scrub the oven racks, rinse them, dry them and then again place them inside the oven. Well, that finishes your oven cleaning work.
How to take care of microwave oven at home
Your microwave oven requires your attention and when you take proper care of this magical appliance, its longevity and performance will improve dramatically. Instead of cleaning the microwave oven only when it is very dirty, you should care for your oven a little more on a regular basis. When you clean and care for this appliance, it will function properly. Here’s how to take care of microwave oven at home.
When you are cooking something that is messy, you may place baking sheets on the rack which is below it so that the grease and the food spills get caught on the sheet instead of the body of the microwave.
Make it a habit of cleaning any spills right away. Whenever something spills, start cleaning it even while you are cooking. You may sprinkle some salt on the area and then close the door and finish your cooking. After the food is cooked, and your oven is turned off, let it cool for a while and then wipe the stains using a damp sponge. And, if the stain is too stubborn, use the vinegar- water solution to clean it.
Always switch off the power of the microwave oven when not in use.
Keep the door open for a while after coking; this’ll help eliminate the smell.
Over to you
Most of us use microwave oven at home for cooking and there is a common concern among all of us and that is how to clean microwave oven easily. As you know, keeping the microwave clean and maintained will improve its performance and longevity; we can’t afford to not clean it frequently.
We have discussed some quick and simple cleaning hacks above that can help you to maintain and clean your microwave oven easily at home. Irrespective of the types of microwave oven you have at your home, you can use the tricks discussed above to clean the microwave oven.
Usually, there are three common types of microwave oven namely the self-cleaning ovens, the textured ones and the non-self-cleaning ones. Since, their cleaning strategies vary a bit, I have explained them separately. Identify the types of microwave oven you have at your home and clean it with respective cleaning hacks.
Although, I have explained how to get rid of the stubborn stains off microwave oven, it is always preferable if you clean the spills immediately. That will ensure that your oven won’t get too dirty and also when the spill is fresh, you can easily remove it.
So, if you have an oven at home and it is super dirty, do not worry, simply follow the easy steps that we have discussed above on how to clean microwave oven easily and you are sorted.
How do you clean your microwave oven? Have you tried any of the cleaning hacks discussed above? Feel free to share any specific cleaning techniques that work magically. I will be happy to add it to the list.
And finally, if you find these posts as interesting and useful, then please do not forget to like, comment and share it with others.
