How To Clean A Microwave With Lemon

If your microwave is looking and smelling a bit grubby, then here’s how to clean it easily and effectively using the natural and non-toxic cleaning power of lemon.

Microwaves (Or meecro-wavay, depending on if you a feeling a bit Nigella) can get grubby pretty quickly. All it takes is one uncovered bowl of soup or one tomato-based sauce to splatter and you can end up with a pretty big mess.

Thankfully, you don’t have to use harsh chemicals to make your microwave shiny and clean and smelling fresh. Instead, you can clean your microwave naturally and effectively, using common household ingredients, such as lemon. Let me show you how.

How To Naturally Clean A Microwave With Lemon

Let me show you how to clean every part of your microwave without harsh chemicals:

Cleaning The Interior of Your Microwave With Lemon

Using lemon is one of my favourite ways to clean the interior of my microwave. It’s really easy and takes very little effort – whilst the lemon water is steaming away and doing its thing you can put your feet up and have a cup of tea! The bonus is that it makes your microwave and kitchen smell amazing!

Here’s how it’s done:

• Pour 300ml of just boiled water into a microwave-safe bowl.
• Half a lemon, and squeeze the juice from each half into the bowl of water.
• Taking great care, place the bowl in your microwave and put it on full power for around 3 to 4 minutes. Regularly check that the water isn’t boiling over.
• When the time is up, don’t open the door. Instead, leave the door closed for around 30 minutes to allow the steam from the lemon water to loosen any burnt-on debris inside your microwave.
• After 30 minutes, carefully remove the bowl from the microwave, and wipe the inside down with a clean, damp cloth. Any debris should wipe off easily.

To Remove Stuck On Food

For tackling any stubborn stuck-on food that the lemon hasn’t removed from your microwave, try making a paste of bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda) to clean it off.

To do so take a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda and add a teaspoon of water to it, before mixing to form a thick paste. If you feel like you need a little more water, then add it a little bit at a time until you have the desired consistency. Once you’ve made the paste, pop some on a damp cloth and give the food stain a good rub.

If the stuck-on food is on the turntable, then remove this and pop it in your dishwasher. Alternatively, soak it in hot soapy water in the sink for at least 15 minutes before handwashing.

How To Clean The Outside Effectively

Like any surface in your kitchen, your microwave can get greasy on the outside easily and attract dust.

I tend to tackle kitchen grease with either my vinegar spray or citric acid cleaning spray. Simply give the outside a spray and wipe and you’re good to go.

Banishing Bad Odours

If you’ve been making popcorn, and some of the kernels burned in the process, or re-heaty particularly pungent meals, then your microwave might not smell particularly fresh. To help remove these lingering odours there are two different options you can try.

First, try leaving the microwave door open overnight. This should help air to circulate, and help any bad odours to dissipate.

If that doesn’t work, try placing a bowl of bicarbonate of soda in your microwave. Close the door – but don’t switch the microwave on – and leave it overnight. Bicarbonate of soda is a great odour absorber, so this should do the trick if simply airing your microwave fails.

Other Top Natural Cleaning Tips

Looking for more sustainable cleaning tips? I’ve got lots right this way:

• Here’s how to clean your washing machine with vinegar
• How to clean your dishwasher the non-toxic way
• How to descaling your kettle naturally
• How to clean brass naturally