What's the Best Cleaning Product to Use in the Microwave?

I just put a mug of plain water in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Then wipe down immediately. The steam will clean even the nastiest splatter stain.

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Vinegar and water - seriously! I mix 1c water with 1/4c vinegar in a glass bowl and then put it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Let it sit to cool down and then just wipe out the microwave - you'll be amazed!

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vinegar! Food comes off so quick! I spray it (mixed with water) on, let it sit for a few minutes and off it comes pretty easy. Amanda's advice helps too, put a little cup of water with lemon juice (or no juice) and heat it up for about 30 secs or so, it helps loosen the food and gets it a little moist. Then do the vinegar spray.

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Take a dishcloth, wet it with water, a splash of vinegar and nuke for about a minute. Let it cool until you can touch it comfortably and wipe.

WORKS EVERY TIME!

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The easiest way I know is to fill a bowl of water and put it in there and nuke it till it boils. Remove (carefully!) and wipe or apply food-safe cleaner (I use plain ole' white vinegar). The steam loosens up the crud, and makes it way easier to clean with a minimum of elbow grease.

And did you know that you can sterilize your kitchen sponges? Get the sponge well damp (but not wringing with water), and nuke for 2 minutes. The steam sterilizes it. Remove immediately (or your microwave will smell like damp cooked sponge, LOL).

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R.:

I use Clorox Clean Up. Inside and outside. If you have a revolving glass plate - make sure you take that out and clean the carousel out and clean that.

My kids like to put stuff in there for too long and forget to clean the top of it. YUCK!!!

Are you coming up for dinner?

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I've actually heard about cutting up a lemon and nuking it. It loosens everything up. I can't remember if it requires vinegar or not.

I'll look it up online to see what I can find and then report back.

Update: Mix 2T baking soda or lemon juice and 1 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for five minutes or until the liquid boils and condensation builds up inside the microwave. Wipe down.

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I dont like to spray chemicals all over it. They get in all the vents and holes and then when I put food in there, I assume into my food. I nuke a bowl of water and vingar or water and lemon. It steams all the gunk loose so you can just wipe clean. No chemical residue left behind.

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Cut a lemon in half. Place it in a microwave bowl. Cook for 2-3 minutes. And wipe clean. Yes, it's that easy :)

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Since the smell of vinegar makes me sick, I just use the regular spray that I have - normally the Clorox green stuff. It works pretty well. I take the plate out and wash that in the sink.

I think the hot cup of water like steam is a great idea too!! Or I can make Jeff do it and use the vinegar :).

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I boil lemon water for 10 - 15 minutes in the microwave, and then just wipe with a wet cloth. I've heard boiling vinegar and water is good too, but I'm a little scared to let vinegar (acidic) steam get into the inner workings of the microwave. But probably someone below suggested it.

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The last time my microwave got really nasty, I just got out an SOS pad and that made pretty easy work of it. Otherwise, I just wipe it down with soapy water.

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I put a bowl of hot water in the nuker and heat it to boil and let it run for about a minute. Then leave the door closed for about 5 minutes to soften up all the mess and gunk. Then I use a dishcloth with hot soapy water, regular dish soap... wipe it all down and then dry it out. Of course the plate goes in the sink to be washed.

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I just scrub it using the soap I use while cleaning dishes. Dawn of course.

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Any liquid cleanser will work. spray turn on micro for a min or less, it will soften the nuked food mess, lol, and wipe. if ur afraid to turn on micro without anything inside, put a cup of water.

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Place a bowl of water with lemon juice squeezed into it (or white vinegar if you odn't have a lemon - but lemon smells better) and run the microwave for 2 m intues. It will loosen everything. Then use either windex or a white vinegar/water mixture with papers towesl (1/3 vinegar, 2/3 water). it should clean up beautifully.

My DH and kids are also pigs - Microwave & toaster oven are disgusting. It's like talking to a wall when I tell them to use wax paper over things in the microwave, or foil under things in the toaster oven. then they use the dishtowels as napkins or sponges. They're just gross! But I still love them. ;o)

Love Tracy K's idea! I will have to try it.

I have a spray bottle that I keep in my kitchen that's 1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar. I use it to clean EVERYTHING, including the microwave. It does take a bit of elbow grease, so I think the steam idea might be a great solution (no pun intended.)

I use warm soapy water (Dawn dish soap) and a sponge.
(The less harsh chemicals the better--since theoretically, it could be touching food.)
It's OK to use the scrubby side of a sponge on the inside.
Take the glass dish/tray out and soak then wash in the water as well.

I know you got plenty of answers - but I put baking soda in a bowl of water while heating it up to build steam in the microwave. Let it sit a few minutes. Then wipe clean. The baking soda helps with smell. I also use one of those splatter covers while warming up food to minimize splatters. I got mine at IKEA. This is my second one. The first one I got at Staples actually :)

I take a wet rag and throw it on the glass and nuke for 2 minutes. Be very carefully of touching the rag after this, but everything else wipes of easy peasy.

I do the lemon/water when needed. I save my sqeezed and zested lemons in a baggy in the freezer so when I have to clean the mircowave I have lemon halfs handy.

I do what Grandma T does except I use about 4 cups of water and let it run for about 8 mins to a full rolling boil, carefully take out bowl and use the hot water to dip the kitchen towel in and wipe it clean then dry with a clean dry towel.

I put a tuperware of water in there on high for a minute or so, then clean it with reg multi surface kitchen cleanser, the steam loosens everything up and it just wipes off.

Our microwave has a glass turntable that's removable.
I take that out and put it through the dishwasher.
I take a bowl of water and heat it in the microwave and the steam loosens the crud.
Then I wipe.scrub it out to get the dirt off and degrease the walls/top and crumbs out and wipe out again to shine it all up.
If you do this every few weeks instead of waiting for it to get really cruddy, it's so easy because stuff doesn't get a chance to accumulate.

I've used a dripping wet soapy towel and heated it in there to soften stuff up.

Mine is bad right now too!

I just put a wet washcloth in the microwave and heat it up for a couple of minutes. Then, once it is cooled enough to touch (give it a couple of minutes with the door still shut), I wipe the microwave clean. The steam from the water on the cloth loosens all the junk, and it comes right off. I love the idea of lemon water mentioned below. Great idea!