A Cleaning Pro Reveals the Easiest Way to Clean a Microwave

Out of all the household cleaning tasks you have to handle, tackling the microwave is likely at the bottom of your to-do list. But if you neglect it for too long, you’ll spend an excessive amount of time trying to remove stubborn grease, splatters, and stuck-on food from your appliance.

To make the process less daunting, we tapped Noah Pinsonnault of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Care & Cleaning Lab to find out exactly how to clean a microwave. This detailed guide breaks down the best way to keep inside and outside a microwave in good shape, whether you have a countertop, over-the-range, or built-in model.

You’ll also spot the best cleaning products, including the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and simple dish soap, to get the job done with ease. Keep in mind that you should aim to wipe your microwave down every week and make time for a deeper clean at least once a month.

Plus, we'll break down our cleaning pro's go-to natural cleaning methods using vinegar, baking soda, and lemon (it's great for eliminating unpleasant smells). "Vinegar can be useful for tackling light grease and residue, but dish soap generally provides better grease-cutting power for tougher messes," Pinsonnault says. "Heating water with lemon creates steam that softens dried-on food, reducing the amount of scrubbing needed afterward. As an added benefit, lemon can help freshen the interior of the microwave."

Believe it or not, keeping your microwave clean doesn’t have to be nerve-wracking. See the expert tips below to get your appliance’s interior (yes, even the turntable!) sparkly clean.

1. Combine 1 cup water and lemon, lime, or orange slices (squeeze juice from the fruit slices into the water) in a microwave-safe bowl. Or, if you have white or apple cider vinegar on hand, combine a few tablespoons and 1 cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Place the bowl in the microwave and turn it on high power for two or three minutes until the mixture boils and the window steams up.
3. Let it cool for five minutes before opening the door, then remove the bowl and wipe the inside clean with a sponge.
   

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While it’s important to keep your microwave’s interior clean, the exterior matters, too. Follow these tips to keep stubborn grease and smudges at bay.

1. Clean the entire door—edges, both sides and where it seals the oven—with a sponge dampened with water and dipped in a little baking soda. Wipe with a damp cloth or sponge to rinse.
2. Clean a greasy window with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Rinse and wipe dry.
3. For heavy grease build-up and stuck-on splatters, wipe the microwave door down with an all-purpose grease-cutting cleaner (like Mr. Clean Deep Cleaning Mist) or a sudsy mix of dish soap and water. Apply the cleaner with a cloth or sponge to prevent the cleaner from getting into the vent holes. Scrub with a non-scratch pad (such as Scotch-Brite), if needed. Similarly, to avoid damage, never spray electronic controls directly with the cleaner. Always apply the cleaner to a cloth first, then wipe the controls.
   
   Pinsonnault also suggests paying attention to key spots. "When cleaning the exterior, focus on the areas you touch most often, like the handle, keypad and door edges," he says. "They tend to accumulate fingerprints, food residue, and grease more quickly than the rest of the appliance."

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If you have an over-the-range microwave, clean the filter at least once a month. The filter is meant to catch grease, so leaving it uncleaned will result in a sticky mess on the filter and the walls. "These filters are similar to the ones in kitchen range hoods and can be removed and washed in the sink in warm, sudsy water," says Pinsonnault. One note: Just be sure to always follow your microwave manufacturer's cleaning recommendations.

1. Fill your kitchen sink with warm, soapy water.
2. Place the filter in and keep it submerged for at least 10 minutes.
3. If the residue is still there or is resistant to scrubbing, add 1/4 cup of baking soda to the water and soak it again.

When cooking something smelly in the microwave, the odor comes back as soon as you turn the oven back on. That means it's best to get rid of the stench right away.

• For light odors (spicy food with a strong aroma, for example), air out the oven by leaving the door open, or place a bowl of baking soda inside with the door closed to absorb smells.
• For strong odors (think: burnt popcorn), clean any leftover residue and place an odor-absorbing gel, like Fresh Wave, inside until you run it again.

To get rid of dried-on food, follow these instructions:

1. Wash the turntable by hand with sudsy water and a non-scratch scrub sponge. Pinsonnault also has another tip if it's not an easy cleaning job: "If your turntable is particularly dirty, consider washing it in the dishwasher," he says, since most microwave turntables are made of glass and are dishwasher-safe.
2. Wipe down the interior walls with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, a Good Housekeeping Seal star.

In order to prevent food from building up in the future, it's best to buy a splatter cover for heating food. "It will reduce the amount of food that gets stuck to the inside of the microwave and allow you to clean less often," Pinsonnault says.

Amanda Garrity

Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion. She also has a soft spot for feel-good TV, so you can catch her writing about popular shows like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and more. 

Monique Valeris

Home Design Director

Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."