Last Updated on May 11, 2023 by Mosabbir
Microwaves are essential kitchen equipment for heating your food.
However, the machine gets dirty even quicker with usage. You might forget your food item in the equipment or long, resulting in a fuming mess. Moreover, accidentally utilizing non-microwavable vessels can also cause smoky results.
Microwave fires can leave a thick and oily soot residue in your food-heating machine. Such scenarios can make cleaning the oven time-consuming and tiresome.
The best thing is that you have multiple ways to go about that. You can utilize various chemicals to clean the equipment.
However, beware of the dangers related to using chemical cleaners.
Are you sensitive to chemicals and want to clean your microwave while at home? You can utilize your dish soap. For more on how to clean smoke soot from microwave, read this content.
Safety Measures to Clean a Smoke-Filled Microwave
You need to evaluate the condition of your machine before you start cleaning. Firstly, if it is smoking, make sure to unplug it and switch it off.
There is no way you would want to clean an oven with smoking items inside. Also, ensure proper ventilation in your room. Keep in mind that inhaling smoke can lead to health issues.
After your machine stops producing smoke, leave it for some time to cool before you attempt any cleaning.
Also read: How Many Watts Does a Microwave Oven Use?
Microwaves can be very hot after heating food substances. You probably do not want to sustain any burns. Kitchen appliance experts advise leaving the machine to cool for around one hour before you attempt to clean.
Remove Soot inside Your Microwave
The first step to getting rid of burn spots in your microwave is removing the soot. Since the residue could be somewhat oily, you can use your dish detergent for easier cleaning.
With that, you will have fewer hurdles dealing with the soot. To prevent plastic material damages inside your microwave, ensure that you utilize a non-abrasive scrubber.
After this initial cleaning, you can steam clean to remove any traces of soot. Fill a container (microwave-safe) with white vinegar and operate the machine to heat the content for about 10 minutes.
Leave the heated vinegar inside your microwave to cool for 15 minutes.
Use a damp cloth or a clean rag to wipe your machine’s interior. The vinegar steam will dissolve and clean any remaining soot in the appliance.
Some homeowners have tried replacing vinegar with dish soap, and it worked perfectly. In that case, you will heat the soap using something like a sizeable glass jar. Repeat the above procedure.
If you tried using vinegar and failed to remove extra soot in your appliance, you may have to try harsh cleaning chemicals.
You can utilize diluted ammonia to deal with burn spots inside your microwave.
However, you have to be careful when using chemical cleaners. Inhaling the fumes can result in health complications. Also, clean the machine thoroughly after using harsh chemicals to avoid contaminating your food.
Removing Burnt Smell in Your Microwave
You might notice that your microwave still has some burned order even after removing the sooty residue. You may encounter such odors each time you utilize the machine.
The burnt smell can be irritating and unpleasant. To get rid of smoky odors in your microwave, fill a microwave-compatible bowl with water.
Add citrus fruits peels in the water. Microwave the bowl for about ten minutes and let it steam for more than 15 minutes.
If still, you cannot solve the issue with that method, you can try more. Expert cleaners advise deodorizing the appliance with baking soda.
In this case, fill a container with baking soda and leave it for few days inside your microwave. The mixture will absorb the irritating smell.
Also read: Can I Paint The Inside of My Microwave Oven?
Procedure to Clean Your Microwave
Use these steps to clean your microwave in no time.
- Remove Removable Parts
Take out removable parts in your machine, including the rack and glass plate, and clean the pieces by hand. For impressive results, you can use your dish soap for cleaning.
- Get rid of crumbs
Remove any loose crumbs or big food chunks in your microwave using a paper towel or damp cloth.
- Lather Up
Put some dish soap in a container of warm water. Dip the sponge in and squeeze it to form suds. The soap will absorb greasy residue in your heating appliance.
- Wash the Machine In and Out
A clean microwave will upgrade your kitchen. Starting with inside, wipe the machine in a circular motion. Next, clean the sides and the bottom. Be careful not to interfere with vents. Clean the exterior, but avoid damaging the buttons. Keep in mind that you might reset the clock with rough cleaning.
- Wipe Down Your Microwave
With a somewhat damp rag, wipe down your microwave exterior and interior in a circular manner to remove the entire suds.
- Dry Surfaces
Dry all machine surfaces with an unused paper towel. With this, you will relieve streaking cases.
- Reinstall Removable Parts
Reinstall removable parts that you removed to clean.
Also read: How to Clean a Stainless Steel Microwave?
Observe These Precautions When Using Your Microwave.
It is undeniable that you want your appliance in good condition for proper functionality. For that reason, you will have to observe given precautions to avoid cases like unexpected fire. They are:
Microwaves usually have user manuals that you can use to understand operating procedures and maintenance practices before launching your new equipment.
Note the food types that you can use without internal burns.
Make sure to remove any plastic packages before you deforest food in your microwave. Keep in mind that heated plastic materials can poison your food, making it inedible.
