In many households, microwaves are an invaluable household appliance, and are often used on a regular basis. That said, while they’re so loved and used so often, they’re very often neglected in terms of cleanliness. All it takes is one food explosion to turn a microwave into a smelly, sticky, unsightly looking mess, and since cleaning them is no fun, they’re often left in that state until it becomes so much of a problem that it can no longer be safely used!
While hiring a cleaning service to visit your home on a regular basis, is one way to keep your microwave spotlessly clean and safe to use, if you prefer to tackle your own cleaning, here are some useful tips:
- NEVER use chemicals
While you might be tempted to blast a heavily stained microwave with a chemical cleaning solution, this is one of the worst things you can do. During the cooking process, some of the chemicals used might remain and taint or spoil whatever it is that you’re cooking inside, and not only might this make you gag when eating, it can also be harmful to your health.
Instead of using chemicals, opt for natural ingredients such as white vinegar and baking soda, or simple dish soap.
- Tackle the interior first
While you should clean your microwave’s exterior, too, it’s always best to begin with the interior, since this is the longer of the two cleaning tasks. Begin by removing the glass plate and washing it in a sink full of warm, soapy water. Then, with a melamine foam or cloth soaked in the soapy water, wipe out the inside. If you have stubborn food debris or stains, it can be helpful to place a bowl filled with water into the microwave, and cook it until it boils. This should help dislodge the food and make wiping it down, much easier and quicker.
Once you’ve got the interior spotlessly clean, you should take the time to dry it thoroughly before returning the glass plate.
- Follow up with the exterior
While it might be enough for some people that the inside of their microwave is squeaky clean, you really should clean the exterior, too. This is usually much simpler and quicker to do, and you can use a trusted glass cleaner to get the door gleamingly clean. Finish with a light buffing, and there you have it, a microwave clean enough to eat your food out of!
Cleaning your microwave might be a task that you put off for many days, if not weeks or months, but it really shouldn’t be neglected, if only for hygiene purposes. If your microwave has gotten particularly grubby, ask your cleaning service to tackle it on their next visit.
