How to Clean a Microwave With Lemon (No Chemicals Needed)
Inside your microwave can be quite a nasty place, especially if you're not regularly cleaning it. Whether you're using it to heat up your soup or defrost any meat, it's one of the most used appliances in the kitchen. So, it's important you look after it.
The last thing you want is bacteria crawling all over a place where you put your food. You wouldn't spend months not cleaning your cooking dishes, so don't avoid your microwave.
The good news is you don't need a single harsh chemical to get it properly clean. All it takes is a lemon and a few minutes. Here's exactly how to clean the microwave with a lemon, done properly, with the timing and troubleshooting most guides leave out.
What You'll Need
- 1 to 2 lemons (more for larger or heavily soiled microwaves)
- A microwave-safe bowl, large enough to hold the lemon halves
- Water
- A clean cloth, plus a second one for drying
Step-by-Step: Cleaning Your Microwave with Lemon
- Fill the bowl. Add roughly a mug's worth of warm water to your microwave-safe bowl.
- Add the lemon. Cut a lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the water, then drop both halves in too.
- Heat until steaming. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Lower-wattage microwaves may need longer, so watch for the water visibly boiling rather than sticking to a fixed time.
- Leave the door shut. Once it's boiling, switch the microwave off but don't open the door. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the steam can loosen the grease and dried food on the walls.
- Wipe it down. Open the door carefully, as the bowl and the air inside will still be hot, and wipe the interior clean with your cloth.
- Tackle stubborn spots. For anything that won't budge, use the warm lemon half itself to scrub gently, then wipe away the residue and dry with your second cloth.
Don't forget the door and turntable. Both collect just as much residue as the walls. Where possible, take the turntable out and wash it separately with warm, soapy water, exactly as you would any other dish.
Why Lemon Works (and How It Compares to Vinegar)
Believe it or not, there is no reason to use any harsh chemicals to clean your microwave – no matter how encrusted those pieces of food are. Forget the spray bottles the next time you're shopping and grab a bag of lemons instead. You'll be amazed at how many appliances you can clean with lemons.
Lemon juice is naturally acidic thanks to its citric acid content, which helps break down grease and food residue on contact. When that acidic water is heated, the steam carries the same grease-cutting properties onto every surface inside the microwave, including the ceiling and corners a cloth alone struggles to reach. Citric acid is also widely credited with mild antibacterial properties, which is part of why lemon works so well on a food-contact surface like this one.
Lemon vs Vinegar for Microwave Cleaning
| Lemon | White Vinegar | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Grease, baked-on food, everyday buildup | Limescale and mineral deposits |
| Smell | Fresh, citrus scent left behind | Sharp smell during cleaning, fades once dry |
| Cost | A lemon or two per week | A small amount of vinegar per week |
| Gentleness on surfaces | Gentle, safe for regular use | Gentle, but avoid on some rubber seals with prolonged contact |
| Good for | Weekly or after-spill cleans | Occasional deeper mineral clean |
Vinegar works on a similar principle and is often slightly more effective on mineral deposits and hard water marks. Lemon has the edge on grease and lingering odours, and it leaves a noticeably fresher scent behind, which is why it's the better everyday choice for a microwave.
It's a food preparation area, so the more natural the clean, the better, and a lemon or two does the job without the cost of a bottled spray.
Troubleshooting: Stubborn Stains and Lingering Smells
Sometimes one round of steam isn't quite enough, particularly if food has been baked on for a while.
Baked-on stains that won't lift: Repeat the lemon steam step for a further 2 to 3 minutes, then use the warm lemon half as a light scrub on the affected area rather than a dry cloth.
A smell that lingers after cleaning: Run the method again, this time dropping in a few strips of lemon peel alongside the halves, and leave the door shut for a full 15 minutes rather than 5. The extra standing time gives the citrus oils longer to neutralise odours rather than just mask them.
How Often Should You Clean Your Microwave?
A quick wipe-down after any obvious spill keeps mess from building up in the first place. Beyond that, a full lemon steam clean once a month, or straight after a particularly messy reheat, is usually enough to keep a well-used microwave properly fresh.
Other Ways to Use Lemon Around the Kitchen
As we mentioned, lemons have impressive cleaning properties, so don't just use them for your microwave. Why not use them to clean your oven? You can use the exact same method to clean your oven as you did with your microwave. Just grab a bigger bowl, more water and perhaps another lemon.
You can also use lemons to clean your kettle. Fill it with some water and then squeeze the lemon juice in. Leave the lemon halves out of your kettle though, otherwise, it may cause some issues. Once it has boiled, lift off the lid ever so slightly so that the steam comes out of the spout and the hole at the top. Once it's cooled down you can pour out the water and wipe the appliance with a cloth.
As lemons are a food item, they can go out of date. To reduce your food waste, make sure you only buy one or two lemons at once. The last thing you want to do is buy a bag full of lemons and then not have enough items to clean. Although, it's not just kitchen appliances that you can use them on. They're great for cleaning your bathtub, kitchen sink and even some flooring types too.
More about Purdy & Figg
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FAQs
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of a fresh lemon?
Yes, though fresh lemon works better. You get the steam-cleaning benefit either way, but only a fresh lemon half gives you something to scrub stubborn spots with afterwards.
Is it safe to put a lemon in the microwave?
Yes, as long as it's in water. A whole or cut lemon in water heats safely and won't spark or dry out the way it can if microwaved alone.
How do I get rid of a burnt smell fast?
Run the steam method again with a few strips of lemon peel added, and leave the door shut for a full 15 minutes rather than 5. The extra time gives the citrus oils longer to work on the smell rather than just cover it up.
Can I clean a microwave with lemon peel alone?
Peel alone won't produce enough juice or steam to do much on its own. It's best used alongside the juice and halves, not as a replacement for them.
