How do I clean a microwave?

Baked-on microwave splatter is difficult to scrub and trivial to steam off. The appliance is designed to heat water, so it's very good at generating the steam that softens its own mess — which makes this one of the few cleaning jobs that genuinely requires no effort.

What you'll need

• Microwave-safe bowl
• Lemon or white vinegar
• Cloth
• Bicarbonate of soda (optional)

Step by step

1. Half-fill a microwave-safe bowl with water.About 250ml is plenty for a standard microwave.
2. Add lemon slices, or a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar.Lemon smells better and deodorises; vinegar is slightly more effective on grease. Either works.
3. Add a wooden cocktail stick or spoon to the bowl.It gives bubbles a nucleation point and prevents superheating, where water heats past boiling without bubbling and then erupts when moved.
4. Microwave on high for 4–5 minutes until it's boiling and steaming.You want the interior visibly steamed up.
5. Leave the door closed for a further 5 minutes.This is where the softening happens. Opening the door immediately wastes most of the effect.
6. Carefully remove the bowl — it will be very hot — and wipe the interior out.Use an oven glove. Everything should wipe off with light pressure.
7. Take the turntable and its ring out and wash them separately.The ring and the recess underneath collect debris that's invisible with the plate in.
8. Wipe the door seal and the inside of the door.Splatter collects around the seal and it's the part that shows when the door is open.

Tips

• For a lingering smell, leave an open bowl of bicarbonate of soda inside overnight with the door shut.
• Cover food while microwaving. It takes two seconds and prevents essentially all of the mess.
• Don't use abrasive cleaners or scourers inside — they damage the interior coating, which is there for a reason.
• If there are burnt-on spots after steaming, a paste of bicarbonate of soda left for ten minutes shifts them without scratching.

Common mistakes

• Opening the door immediately after heating — The steam is what softens the residue. It needs five minutes with the door shut.
• Heating water with nothing in the bowl — Water can superheat past boiling without bubbling and erupt violently when disturbed. A wooden stick prevents it.
• Using a scourer inside — It damages the interior surface, which affects how the microwave performs.
• Forgetting the turntable ring — Debris collects underneath and is a common source of smell.

Questions people ask