It can be unsettling to use a microwave oven after finding out that it is one of the dirtiest things in your kitchen. However, if you keep it clean, a busy kitchen with children may prevent becoming sick from these gadgets as long as you keep it clean.

Today, we will talk about how to clean your microwave oven with natural products, and the best way to do this is with vinegar. And if you want to know how to clean your microwave oven with vinegar, read on!

Cleaning with vinegar

  • Remove the old grease buildup that has been collected over time, and
  • Scrub it off well and clean it so you can use it again.

Items that need to be removed before cleaning a microwave oven are 

  • grease, 
  • food debris, 
  • paper towels,
  • Oil stains from old popcorn bags

However, these should not be removed because most of them will get peeled off by vinegar as it works through the oven for cleaning purposes.

Method #1:

  1. Put a couple of drops of vinegar into every compartment in your microwave oven. 
  2. Wait for about 10 minutes until the vinegar takes effect. 
  3. Use a damp cloth to scrub the walls, and close the compartments with vinegar. Do this until the majority of the grease is gone, and then you can use a rinse agent to get rid of any remnants that may remain behind. 
  4. Then wipe down all the walls until they are clean, and then finish them off with a soft, damp cloth or paper towel, which will allow you to remove all traces of grease from your microwave oven altogether.

Method #2:

  1. Use a glass bowl and pour vinegar over it to clean the walls of your microwave oven.
  2. Most of the grease will peel off because most microwaves are made with non-stick materials, and they are surrounded by metal, which is another reason why it doesn’t stick to the walls, but you can scrub it if there is a need to do so. 
  3. After all the grease has been removed, use a damp cloth to finish up to eliminate all traces of oil on your microwave oven’s walls.

Clean the inside and outside of your microwave oven.

Baking soda is the best way to clean the inside and outside of your microwave oven.

  1. Using a bowl, mix up some baking soda, water, and a few food coloring drops.
  2. Then, rub the paste on the inside and outside of your microwave oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes. 
  3. Remove any leftover residue by wiping the surface with a wet towel.

If vinegar isn’t your preferred method of sanitizing your microwave, try salt instead. However, if there are stains on the inside or outside of it, this will not work well because salt will dissolve into the moisture present in those areas.

Cleaning microwave oven from the outside.

To clean your microwave oven from the outside, you can use sponges made from soft, clean cotton or a sponge made of natural materials that are unbleached and natural. Just apply the sponge to your microwave oven, and then let it sit for about 30 minutes to allow the moisture to reach these parts. After this time has passed, use an old cloth to wipe it down until you remove all traces of grease and stains.

For more stubborn stains, try putting some vinegar in a spray bottle with warm water and then spraying it on the stain. Then, wipe it clean using a clean cloth or paper towel after letting it sit for a minute.

Items placed in the microwave should be removed and wiped off with a moist cloth. You can either leave them as-is or use water to ensure that nothing sticks to the inside of your microwave oven after that.

Even though vinegar is very effective in removing grease, stains, and odors, you should not drink this solution. If the smell gets into your mouth, you can be exposed to harmful bacteria, giving you an infection. The best option to utilize is one that you can apply to the outside of the microwave oven.

If the vinegar has dried up and there are still some stains left, use a damp cloth to help remove the remaining stains left behind.

Items sensitive to cold can be placed in a cardboard box and frozen for about 20 minutes (or about an hour). Then, take out any things you have put in the freezer and let them sit for 10 minutes to dry up before using them again.

If the microwave is over ten years old, you might consider replacing it. However, these microwaves are often not built to last and have some safety concerns. Before purchasing a new microwave, check whether it will fit in your cabinet by visiting your local appliance store.

Before you clean inside your microwave oven using vinegar, please:

  • Remove all lids from containers used for storing food and anything else in the refrigerator so that no food can be accidentally cooked in there again once it is opened up again.
  • Before you clean your microwave oven with vinegar, make sure that nothing is placed in the microwave oven before you start cleaning. If something has been put in there and needs to be cleaned out before going into the microwave oven again, you should make sure that it goes back into its original place once it is finished.

Before cleaning the microwave oven using vinegar:

To clean the inside of your microwave oven using vinegar, open up all the doors so that all spaces are opened up, and then follow these steps:

  1. Take everything out of the refrigerator and freezer inside your microwave oven.
  2. Discard the remainder of the contents of your microwave oven to free up extra space for cleanup.
  3. Put the items that were removed into a bowl and add some vinegar. 
  4. Wait until the items in the bowl have absorbed all the moisture, then pull them out and put them on a clean cloth or paper towel. 
  5. Wipe down everything inside your microwave oven, including shelves and windows, to get rid of all traces of grease, stains, or anything else you need to clean up. 
  6. After you are done wiping everything inside your microwave oven, you can use a damp cloth to wipe it down so that nothing sticks behind it, or your cleaning efforts may leave that behind.

If vinegar has dried up and there is still some residue left in your microwave oven, you can use a sponge that has been soaked in warm water to wipe down all the surfaces inside it. If there are stains inside or outside of your microwave oven, you can use a damp cloth to remove them before using a vinegar mixture again.

If the microwave door latch is stuck, you can fix this by removing it and removing any excess grease from it so that your door will not get stuck when you try to open it. For the door that does not close very well, try putting some grease or oil on the edges of it to be able to close it better.

To avoid any stickiness on your microwave oven door, use a damp cloth instead of a wet sponge, so you will not electrocute yourself. 

When parts of the microwave oven do not work.

Check with your appliance shop to see if they can help you address any issues with your microwave oven as a preventative measure.

  1. The lights inside your microwave: It’s okay if one of them lights up when you push it; if none of them do, they need to be replaced.
  2. The timer: if this does not work, consult your local appliance store and see what parts you need to get it working again. 
  3. The timer knob: if this knob is loose, can be twisted easily, or turns in the wrong direction, you should call the manufacturer and see what parts you need to fix it. 
  4. The safety switch: To make sure that it stays in place, remove it and clean it before reinstalling it if this doesn’t work.
  5. The turntable: If it does not move, it needs to be removed and cleaned up.
  6. The selector switch: if this does not work or is loose, then you may have to remove it first and clean it up before putting it back in place.
  7. The exhaust fan: if this does not work, then you need to remove and clean up any grease or dirt that may be blocking the fan from being able to move to get rid of the smell that was coming from your microwave oven.

The microwave oven is not working; you should try to find out what is wrong with it before calling a maintenance specialist to come and repair it so that you do not have to pay him too much. 

If you cannot figure out the problem with your microwave oven, you need to go over the list below and ensure that no part is missing or broken. If any of these are missing or broken, then it will be necessary for you to contact a technician as soon as possible for them to be able to fix it for you:

  • The light bulb is not working; you need to replace it.
  • Replace the fuse, or call the manufacturer or your local appliance store to find out what size you need before placing it in place if the fuse is gone.
  • The turntable does not move, and the motor is still spinning; the wires inside your microwave oven often get loose, so they cannot connect properly.
  • The microwave door will not open, which means that either a safety switch has been tripped or something strong was kept inside with the door shut.
  • The microwave oven’s door will not close completely; then, you need to remove it and check for any dirt or other things that may be making it stick. 
  • If the floors inside your microwave look filthy, you will need to clean them up as soon as possible because this can lead to fire hazards and safety issues.
  • If there is a fan located inside your microwave, you need to clean out any dust that may be stuck around it to continue moving correctly.
  • If the light in your microwave oven is working, but now cooking is being done, you will have to check to see if the light bulb has gone bad. If it has not gone bad and there are no other lights inside, you will have to replace it.
  • If your microwave oven does not heat up, you might need to replace some parts inside it to work again.
  • To cook without endangering the safety of the youngsters in the vicinity, make sure any filth or grime on the door of your microwave oven has been removed.

Check all the different locations where you plugged in the microwave to see if it is not receiving any electricity. Ensure that the fuse hasn’t gone out and that there are no poor connections in any of these locations.

How do I get the rotten egg smell out of my microwave?

To get rid of the stench coming from your microwave, you could prepare anything with spices inside. If your microwave is infested with bugs, you’ll need to eliminate them before using it again. Clean the microwave door with a warm water-soaked scrub pad or cloth if something is caught on it; this will remove any oil or grime and keep it from spreading throughout your microwave.

If you find something stuck inside your microwave, open the door and check to see if any of the dirt has made its way into other parts of the oven, such as under the cooking dish, within the fan chamber, or around the turntable of your microwave oven.

You may use lemon peels to get rid of a weird scent from your oven.

  • Rub them across the inside of your microwave to remove this smell quickly and easily; however, you can also clean out your microwave oven with some warm water and soap to get rid of the smell. 
  • If this doesn’t work, then try some vinegar or other sanitizing solutions, and if none of these methods work for you, then take it apart to clean out any grime hidden inside of it.

How do you get something unstuck from a microwave?

If there is something stuck inside your microwave oven, you will have to spray some soapy water on it to get rid of the dirt or grease that may be stuck on it. Alternatively, you may use a CLR cleaner or bleach to eliminate any bacteria or germs that may be lurking in this location.

The microwave oven looks old and dirty.

To avoid harm, you must thoroughly clean the interior of your microwave oven, making sure that no debris enters this section of the appliance. You can use some CLR cleaner or bleach to clean this area and get rid of the dirt and grime that may be inside it. You can also use some lemon juice or vinegar to clean it up.

If the knobs on your microwave are dirty, you will need to take them apart and clean them off to continue to move correctly. You can also spray your oven with some soap and water and then wipe it out with a paper towel to ensure that this area is clean.

The bottom of your microwave is dirty.

If the bottom of your microwave is dirty, you will need to clean it up. The easiest way to do this is by spraying some warm water onto it with a sponge or cloth. Once it has dried up, wipe it down with a paper towel to make it look nice and shiny once again.

Why does my microwave plate not spin?

If your microwave is not rotating inside your oven, then there are a couple of reasons this could be happening:

  1. It won’t turn because the controls aren’t appropriately set.
  2. The belt on the turntable has malfunctioned or gone bad.
  3. There may be something hindering its rotation.
  4. The motor inside has malfunctioned, broken, or may be in some trouble.

Why is my microwave so weak?

If your microwave does not have enough power to do its job, you will need to find out where the power cord goes and ensure it is plugged in properly. Also, if your microwave is not heating up properly, you will need to check the settings on your microwave so that they are set correctly and will heat up when they are supposed to.

If your microwave does not work, then many things could have gone wrong with it. You will have to either take it apart or take it to a maintenance specialist to find out what is wrong and fix the problem as quickly as possible to use your microwave oven again.

The microwave oven is not heating up properly.

Suppose your microwave oven is not heating up properly even after fixing the control settings. One of these parts within the microwave may be defective or broken in that case:

  • The clutch
  • The motor
  • The thermal fuse
  • The magnetron
  • The fan in the back of the oven
  • The turntable.

Having trouble getting your microwave oven to heat up, a few things could be causing this problem, and you will have to check out any of them to fix the issue as quickly as possible: 

  • Your microwave may be upside down. 
  • You may not have knobs on your turntable, and you may need new ones. 
  • You may not have enough power going into the oven from your power cord because it has gone wrong.
  • There is something wrong with the cord itself.
  • The door on your microwave oven may be warped or popping open because of its age and not being properly closed.
  • Your microwave may be overloaded with food.
  • A fuse may have blown out and need to be replaced.
  • The magnetron inside of your microwave oven may need to be replaced or cleaned up.
  • Your thermal fuse could be blown out, and you will need to replace it.
  • You may have forgotten to press the start button or the timer button, or your microwave may not have a timer on it at all.

Trouble getting your microwave oven door open.

A few factors might be preventing you from opening the door of your microwave, and you’ll need to investigate each of them to get to the bottom of it:

  1. The door may not be properly closed.
  2. The door may be warped from its age or from being dropped or abused.
  3. You may have put the hinges wrong, and you will have to put them back on as soon as possible before they bend the door.
  4. There is a reason why the microwave is not turning, and the motor has malfunctioned or gone lousy inside of it; you will need to look at this area in the future to see if it can be replaced or fixed.
  5. Because of this, opening your microwave may be difficult; nonetheless, you may take it apart to gain access to the interior and resolve the problem.

What causes a microwave to stop rotating?

Why is the microwave not rotating? Have a hard time getting your microwave to turn? Then there are a couple of things that could be causing this problem, and you will need to check out any of these issues to fix the issue as quickly as possible: 

  1. The engine in your microwave oven may have malfunctioned, and you may need to replace it.
  2. The belt on the turntable has malfunctioned or gone bad.
  3. There may be something hindering its rotation.
  4. The turntable may not be turning because it is not appropriately set.
  5. The turntable may be overloaded with food.
  6. The turntable may be warped from its age, and you will need to replace it or buy a new one for your microwave oven.
  7. The door on your microwave may not be adequately closed for the turntable inside of it to move freely, so you will need to make sure that the door is locked every time you use your microwave oven.
  8. The knob on your microwave may be faulty or malfunctioning, and you will need to check it out if it is not turning or making contact with the turn table inside the microwave.