Many people are faced with the unappealing smell of burning food from their microwave ovens. In most cases, the smell often lingers for a few days. In worst cases, there are even burn marks on the interior of your microwave oven.
These burn marks can be a challenge to remove since certain cleaning products can damage the microwave oven further or even taint your food.
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How do you get tough stains out of a microwave?
Most times you can remove burnt stains from the microwave by first using some warm water and dish soap. Afterward, you need some baking soda. Another solution is heating vinegar or lemon juice with water for 2-5 mins in the microwave.
Steps on how to remove burnt stains from microwave
If you discover burnt stains on your microwave oven, you should deal with them right away. Let’s take a look at the steps on how to remove burnt stains from microwave.
- Prepare a solution by mixing warm water and dish soap in a bowl until suds form. Saturate a sponge or rag into the mixture and rub on burned-on food or food stains. You can use a coarser pad if needed.
- Moisten a rag or cloth with warm water and sprinkle baking soda onto the rag. Scrub on stubborn burnt stains.
- Prepare a paste by mixing 3 parts baking soda to 1-part water. Apply the paste over burnt stains and let it sit for 3-4 minutes. Wipe clean with a moist rag or sponge to get rid of stubborn burnt stains.
How to get rid of burn marks on your microwave oven
When dealing with burn marks on your microwave oven, simply follow these steps.
- Moisten a soft rag or cotton ball with acetone nail polish remover.
- Scrub on the burn marks until they are removed.
- Clean the interior of your microwave oven with warm water and dish soap to prevent any lingering cleaner from tainting your food.
How do I clean the microwave after burning foil?
There are instances when foil ends up burned in your microwave oven. Simply follow these steps to clean your microwave oven properly.
- Sprinkle baking soda in the interior of your microwave oven and rub using a moist cloth. Wipe clean with a damp cloth or towel.
- Prepare a solution with a 1:8 ratio of vinegar and water and microwave until it boils. Let it sit in the microwave for 15 minutes and wipe down with a moist cloth.
- When removing scorch marks, soak a clean cloth with nail polish remover. Wipe the site clean with a moist cloth after.
- In a bowl that contains some water, add some instant coffee powder. Microwave until the odor of the nail polish remover is gone.
What gets rid of burnt smoke smell?
If your microwave oven emits a burnt smoke odor, it can be a challenging ordeal for most. Luckily, you can get rid of the burnt smoke smell with the following tips.
- Fill a small bowl or basin with ½ cup water and add a tablespoon of white vinegar. Microwave it for 4-5 minutes and let it sit with the door closed for 10-15 minutes. The steam will loosen the residue responsible for the burnt smoke odor. Vinegar will absorb the burnt odor. After a while, remove the bowl or basin and wipe the interior of the microwave with paper towels.
- Saturate a sponge with vinegar and sprinkle some baking soda on top of it. Microwave the sponge up to 25 seconds. Wipe the interior of the microwave with the sponge including the tray and microwave door.
- Use an acetone-free nail polish remover to wipe down the interior of the microwave oven. Wipe the interior with soap followed by vinegar water to remove the polish remover.
- Peel two oranges or a slice a lemon in half. Add the orange peels or lemon slices in a bowl of water. Microwave for 4 minutes. Leave the bowl inside the microwave oven for 12 hours.
- Place a box of baking soda inside your microwave oven overnight. This works by neutralizing the odor. Another option is to place coffee grounds in a bowl in the microwave throughout the day.
How do you remove burnt stains from microwave without vinegar?
If you are faced with burnt stains on your microwave and do not have any vinegar available, there are other methods that you can use.
Before trying out any of these cleaning methods, you must first unplug the power cord. This is also the right time to check the cord for any damage or dirt. Inspect the interior of your microwave to determine the dirtiest areas. Let’s take a look at some of the cleaning methods that you can use.
- Moist paper towels. A quick method to clean your microwave oven is to position several moist paper towels within and set the oven on high power up to 5 minutes. The steam from the towels will relax and loosen any caked-on burnt stains. When the towels cool down, you can wipe them on the interior.
- Baking soda. Any burnt stains or spills on the floor or turntable of your microwave oven can be removed by preparing a paste by mixing 2 parts baking soda to one part water. Apply on the solidified areas and let it sit for up to 5 minutes. Wipe with a damp sponge or cloth and remove any leftover residue with a paper towel.
- Lemon juice. Slice a lemon in half and place both halves cut-side down on the microwave plate. Add a tablespoon of water. Microwave for up to a minute or until the lemon is hot and the interior of the oven is steamy. Wipe down the interior using clean paper towels.
- Dish soap. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with warm water. Pour a sufficient amount of dishwashing soap. Place the bowl in the microwave for up to a minute or until it starts to steam and remove it. Moisten a sponge and wipe the interior of the microwave. The steam loosens all the burnt up residue. You can also include baking soda into the mixture since it works as a deodorizer.
- A diluted solution of window cleaner. In a bowl, combine 2 parts window cleaner with one part water. Saturate a sponge into the solution and wipe the interior. For stubborn burnt residue, let it sit for 5 minutes before scrubbing. Use a clean rag that is dipped in clean water to rinse away the solution.
- Commercial cleaners. Various types of commercial cleaners can clean just about any stains in your microwave, but some leave behind unpleasant fumes. If you are going to use a commercial cleaner, go for a scent-free variant.
Final thoughts
When you discover burnt stains on your microwave oven, it is important to remove them properly. With the methods described on how to remove burnt stains from microwave, you can keep your microwave oven clean and free from any odor.
