How to Clean a Microwave Without Vinegar or Lemon

There are multiple ways to clean a microwave. Vinegar or lemon use is also one of those numerous ways. People usually use vinegar or lemon because they are very readily available and cheap.

However, in this article, we will discuss the other methods of cleaning a microwave.

1) Dishwashing Soap With Water:

It’s very convenient to use dishwashing soap and water to clean the inside of a dirty or stained microwave. These cleaning materials are very readily available to every person in their kitchens.

All you need to do is, take a piece of cloth or sponge and wet it by dipping it in water. Then squeeze it properly so that the water is removed. Then slightly rub it on the dishwashing soap.

Now clean the inside of the microwave with it. Make sure to power off the oven to avoid any short circuit or some other mishap. In the end, take a dry sponge or piece of cloth and dry the inside of the microwave.

You would have noticed that we squeezed the cloth piece or sponge. Now you must be thinking, why?

It is essential to do so because a microwave is a machine, and if you clean it with a material that is soaking wet in water, there is a high probability of issues like circuit burnout.

2) Baking Soda and Water:

It is another way of cleaning a microwave. It is also very convenient as Baking soda is also an item available in almost all houses.

The cleaning method with Baking soda and water somewhat resembles the first method that we discussed above, but there are still some differences.

So, now let’s discuss the cleaning method. First of all, take a glass of cold water and fill it with water. Then put two tablespoons of baking soda in it and mix well. Now take a sponge or piece of cloth and soak it in this solution.

Then squeeze it well so that all the water can be removed and now clean the inside of your microwave with it. Remember to power off the oven to avoid any short circuit or some other mishap.

Earlier in this paragraph, we said that you should use cold water. Now some of you might be thinking, why cold water but not hot?

Well, there is a reason behind it. Baking soda undergoes an exothermic reaction with water in which heat is released, and hence the temperature of water rises slightly.

Therefore, we use cold water so that the mixture is formed smoothly, and the temperature of the water is also kept under a certain limit for safety purposes. 

Baking soda also works as a deodorant. It can suck the odor from any material. Hence, if your microwave is spreading a foul odor, it will remove it in no time.

3)  Degreasers:

A degreaser is also a perfect option to use for cleaning the microwave.

It is a material used to remove hard stains of grease, oil corrosion inhibitors, fingerprints, etc. A degreaser is a potent stain remover commonly used in refineries, motor manufacturing industries, motor repairing shops, etc.

People working in these places come across many hard stains like grease, oil, etc., on the metallic materials they usually work with. Their fingers also get stained all the time.

The concern is that these stains are so tough that they cannot be removed with just simple rinsing or applying soap. So here the degreasers provide convenience to the workers.

By now, you know how powerful stain removers are. So cleaning a microwave is very easy for a degreaser

There are some precautionary measures stated below that you should take while using degreasers:

  • Degreasers which are cheap are flammable, so you should try to keep them away from fire whether you are using or not using them.
  • It would be best to avoid using it on plastic materials because it can soften or craze it.
  • Make sure to keep the microwave powered off. Because degreasers can cause sparks and can cause damage to your machine.
  • There are some very concentrated degreasers which contain strong chemicals. Hence, use them at your own risk because they can cause health issues like headaches, dizziness, etc. They can also cause problems that can lead to cancer later on.

4) Water Steam:

The most cost-effective way of removing stains from the microwave is to use water steam. All you need to do is to heat the water and let the moisture spread inside the microwave.

Now you can heat the water in two ways, either pour it into a bowl and place it inside the microwave to warm up, or you can heat it on a stove and then put it inside the machine. Now, wait for some time and let the stains get softened by the steam.

As we know, steam has a higher heat capacity than boiling water, so softening stains is just a matter of time for it. Then, after some time, take a dry sponge or piece of cloth and clean the inside of the microwave.

Also, make sure that the microwave is powered off to avoid any short circuit or mishap. One more thing to remember here, some stains like oils, etc. are tough and cannot be removed by this method. Hence, you will have to resort to the above alternatives. 

These were the most frequently used methods to clean a microwave without lemon or vinegar in their kitchens. But you should know that just cleaning is not enough to increase the lifespan of your microwave.

It would be best to keep your machine safe from getting stained as much as possible, and that is done by using it with care. If necessary precautions are taken, using a dry piece of cloth will be enough to clean your microwave.

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