How To Clean Microwave With Lemon Juice

Here's how to clean your microwave using lemon juice, whole lemons, or vinegar. I personally prefer lemon juice because it smells better and brighter.


The concept is quite simple really.

Use the power of steam and the acidity of the lemon to loosen the dirt and grime inside your microwave to make it easier for you to wipe it all out.

To do this, get a microwave safe bowl and fill it with a solution of water and lemon juice.

Use about a cup of water and the juice of one lemon (approximately 3 tablespoons of lemon juice). You don't have to be precise though, just eye ball it.

Next, microwave the solution, on high, for 3-5 minutes.

This allows the water to come to a boil and lets the lemony steam seep throughout the interior, loosening all the grime and food splatters.

Keep the door closed and let the steam just sit in there for several minutes to keep working.

Next, CAREFULLY (sorry to "scream" - but I don't want you to burn yourself!) take out the lemon juice solution and place to one side.

You can then take a clean sponge or rag and wipe away all the newly loosened junk to get everything clean.

A bonus is that this method also helps deodorize your microwave at the same time that it helps clean it.

You can see a similar tip below, but instead of using lemon juice the reader suggests just using the whole fruit. There other variations of this tip as well, so read on for more ideas and natural remedies.


Top photo by SmartGoat

Microwave Cleaning With Vinegar

by Ruth
(Wyoming)

Ruth has shared a similar recipe for cleaning this appliance, but substitutes vinegar for lemon juice.

Ruth's Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vinegar


• 1 cup hot water

Directions:

Heat in the microwave for 10 minutes equals 1 steamed cleaned oven!

Taylor says:

Thanks for sharing this recipe with us Ruth.

As everyone can see, the combination of the steam and the slightly acidic substance, be it lemon juice or vinegar, is what makes this cleaning method work.

You can definitely just use a bowl or cup to heat the water and lemon juice or vinegar, or you could use something a bit more fun, like this Angry Mama microwave cleaner as shown on the right, and available on Amazon at the link. The "Angry Mama" lets steam out of her head, as the water and acidic cleaner mixture heats in the microwave, making it a cute way of accomplishing the same task.

I would love to hear from people explaining whether they like to use citrus or acetic (vinegar) acid when they clean their own, and why!

In addition, there are lots of uses for vinegar around your home, and I've collected a page of them. You can click the link to find out more ways to use this versatile substance in your home, or share your own.

Use Fresh Lemon To Clean Microwave

by Ruth
(Peterborough England)

Ruth had the same suggestion as the video above, except she suggests instead of just the juice of the lemon to add the whole fruit to the bowl. This is just a variation of the above method, but some people prefer it, so I'm adding it here.

Ruth says:

Cut a fresh lemon in half and place in a small bowl of water.

Heat the water until steam rises.

Then, turn off the microwave but leave the door shut for a few minutes.

Then wipe clean with a wet cloth.

The steam will loosen dirt and the lemon will leave your microwave fresh with no stale food smells.

Taylor says:

Thanks Ruth for sharing this tip.

I would love to hear from others to share how you clean this common appliance in our kitchens. You can share your own tips here.

Further, click here for more ideas of using lemons to clean your home.

Photo courtesy of AMagill

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