# How to clean a microwave in 5 minutes

Updated: 2026-10-24 · https://pros411.com/en/guides/house-cleaning/how-to-clean-a-microwave

## Short answer

Put a cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl with a few lemon slices or a tablespoon of white vinegar. Add a wooden spoon so it does not boil over suddenly. Heat it on high for 3 to 5 minutes, until the window steams up, then leave the door closed 2 more minutes. Open carefully, take out the hot bowl with oven mitts and wipe everything with a damp cloth.

> Safety first: The bowl and the steam get very hot. Use oven mitts, open the door slowly and keep your face back. Never run the microwave empty or with metal inside.

## How to clean a microwave with steam

![Cartoon microwave with its door open and splatters inside, a bowl of water and lemon ready to steam it clean](https://pros411.com/img/guias/how-to-clean-a-microwave.webp)

1. **Splatters dried onto the walls.** Every splatter dries harder with each use, and old food can smell when the microwave warms up.
2. **A bowl of water with lemon or vinegar.** One cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl, with lemon slices or a tablespoon of vinegar. Add a wooden spoon so it does not boil over suddenly.
3. **Heat it until the window steams up.** Three to 5 minutes on high. Then leave the door closed 2 more minutes: the steam softens the dried food.
4. **Open slowly and wipe it out.** Oven mitts for the hot bowl. Take out the turntable and wipe the walls, ceiling and door with a damp cloth.
5. **Wash the turntable and dry.** Wash the glass plate in warm soapy water, dry it and put it back. Wipe the outside and the buttons with a barely damp cloth.

## What not to do

- Do not run the microwave empty, or with metal, foil or a metal-trimmed bowl inside.
- Do not open the door and lean in right away: the steam can burn.
- Do not spray cleaner into the vents or the control panel; spray the cloth instead.
- Do not scrub the inside with steel wool: it scratches.

## Stuck-on spots and smells

For spots that stay, steam it one more time, or rub them with a paste of baking soda and water on a damp sponge, then wipe clean. For a smell that lingers, leave an open box of baking soda inside overnight with the door closed.

## When to call a house cleaner

- You want the whole kitchen deep cleaned, appliances inside and out.
- You see sparks or burn marks inside: stop using it and call an appliance technician.
- The door does not close tight, or its seal is damaged.

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## Frequently asked questions

### How do I clean a microwave with vinegar?

Heat a cup of water with a tablespoon of white vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl for 3 to 5 minutes. Leave the door closed 2 more minutes, then wipe the inside with a damp cloth.

### Is lemon or vinegar better for cleaning a microwave?

Both work the same way: the steam does the cleaning. Lemon leaves a fresher smell, and vinegar is what most people already have.

### Why put a wooden spoon in the bowl?

Water heated in a smooth bowl can get hotter than boiling and then erupt when you move it. A wooden spoon or a toothpick gives it a place to bubble gently.

### How often should I clean my microwave?

Wipe spills right away and steam clean it about once a week if you use it daily. Covering food while it heats keeps splatters down.

### How do I get the smell out of my microwave?

Steam it with lemon water, wipe it out, then leave an open box of baking soda inside overnight with the door closed.