How Your Microwave Can Help Make Cleaning Tough Messes A Breeze

If the sight of your microwave makes you want to avert your eyes in shame due to the caked-on, greasy mess, fear not. We've all been there before. But you should still do yourself a favor and clean your microwave, because more than 100 species of bacteria can grow in your microwave oven despite the high temperatures and irradiation. Luckily, there are 5 ways to easily clean your grimy microwave, and one of them involves using the microwave's own power to break down the grungy gunk inside.

For this, all you need is a bowl of water. We suggest adding lemon to it, since the acidic citrus oils released will not only make your microwave smell lemon-y fresh, but also help cut through grease. You want to microwave the bowl of water for a few minutes, and then let it sit in the microwave for another few minutes. When removing the bowl, be sure you handle it with caution because it might still be hot. Once the microwave has had a few moments to cool down, too, you can take a sponge to the inside. You should find the grease and grime much easier to wipe away now.

This clever lemon hack makes cleaning the microwave easy, but it isn't the only way to make its interior sparkle. If you don't have any lemons on hand, tossing some vinegar into the water has a similar grease-cutting effect. And if a cloth or sponge isn't cutting it with your microwave wipe-down, you can also swap for a mesh sponge or something with a little more structure and texture to help you out.

Before you get cracking on a clean microwave makeover, here are few things to keep in mind. First, if the steam doesn't work on the first try, you can always microwave the bowl of water again and then give it some additional passes. Second: Sometimes steam baths aren't quite enough to dislodge the really caked-on grease and grime, so you may need to hit it with a microwave-safe cleaner. And lastly, the best way to clean your microwave is to avoid the build-up in the first place. 

Wipe up any major spills as soon as they happen and before they have a chance to dry, and avoid reheating uncovered sauces, bread, and other things you should never put in a microwave. You should also consider cleaning your microwave (both inside and out) once a week if you use it often, or once a month if you don't. That'll keep it in top form, clean and ready to zap any meal or ingredient whenever you need it.