For many people, a microwave is an essential kitchen appliance. One report says that over 30 million microwaves are sold annually all over the world. The reasons for the microwave’s popularity aren’t surprising. Lifestyles are more fast-paced, and people are consuming more ready-to-eat, pre-cooked, and frozen food items. That’s why many homeowners need a quick-acting, cost-effective, and energy-efficient device.
Chances are that you have a microwave in your kitchen, and use it daily. Some questions microwave owners often ask are: should you clean it, how often, and how?
To answer that, it’s useful to know how microwaves work in the first place. In a nutshell, your device produces microwaves with an electron tube when you switch it on. These waves make the water molecules in food vibrate. This produces heat which cooks the food. With dense food, the outer part is heated and cooked by the microwave, and the inside is cooked by the conduction of heat from the outer layers.
Microwaves become dirty because of this process. Some types of food can splatter because of moisture and heat. Over time, this makes the insides of the microwave grimy and stained.
How Often Should You Clean a Microwave?
The answer to this depends on how often you use it. Ideally, you should wipe the insides after each use. If that’s not possible because of time constraints, you should aim to clean it once or even twice a week.
If a microwave stays uncleaned, foul odours and bacteria can result. Not only will this make food less appetising, it can also be a health hazard. That’s why cleaning your microwave is an important practice that should not be ignored.
A Lemon: Your Magic Microwave Cleaning Ingredient
Fortunately, it is simple to clean the inside of your microwave and leave it clean and fresh. You don’t need special ingredients – just items already available in your kitchen.
It all starts with a lemon. Here are the easy steps to take:
- Take any cup or bowl that is microwave-safe, and pour a cup of water into it.
- Then, slice a lemon in half and drop both sections into the cup.
- Place this cup with the lemons into the microwave. Set the controls to a few minutes – enough for steam to rise from the water.
- After this, do not open the door of the microwave. Let the cup remain inside for at least five minutes. During this time, the steam will coat the interiors of the microwave, and work on the food spills and splatters.
- Now, remove the bowl from the microwave. Check that the water temperature is not too hot to handle.
- Take a kitchen sponge or soft cloth, dip it in the water, and squeeze it out. Use this damp material to gently clean the base and the sides of the microwave.
- Finally, wipe the microwave thoroughly with a dry cloth.
If you don’t have a lemon handy, you can also use any other citric substance. Lemon juice will work, and even an orange peel or lime will do.
Some Additional Cleaning Tips
At times, you could find that food particles still remain on the sides of the microwave after cleaning. In such cases, try dipping the cloth into some baking soda before wiping. That should do the trick.
For an even more efficient cleaning procedure, you can take out the microwave turntable and wipe it down with the lemon-and-water solution. Before you place it back inside, make sure it is dry.
Your microwave door and handle will need proper cleaning, too. You can use the same lemon water to clean both the interior and the exterior of the door. If there is a lot of grease, you could try adding a little dishwashing liquid. The same liquid can be used to clean the control panel of the microwave. As always, remember to use a dry cloth at the end of the process so that no part stays damp.
That’s all it takes to leave you with a fresh, clean microwave, ready for the next use.
It is inevitable that any microwave will become stained with food after a while. That is why a proper cleaning schedule is essential. However, when using a microwave, there are certain steps that you can take to minimise how dirty it will get over time.
- After you have cooked food that is likely to cause odour, leave the microwave door open for air to circulate.
- Always cover food when you are cooking them in the microwave. This will prevent splatters on the sides.
- Of course, you should ensure that you never place things inside a microwave that could explode or catch fire. The list includes whole fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and paper as well as plastic bags. If you’re not sure about whether something can be microwaved or not, the best practice is not to do it until you find out for sure.
At HomeLane, we’re more than happy to advise homeowners on how to keep all parts of their interiors clean and fresh. That apart, HomeLane’s interior décor experts have the expertise needed to design and plan all types of homes. You can discover more useful tips and techniques here so that your home can always be at its best.
