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The short answer: to clean a microwave, put a bowl of one cup water plus a few tablespoons of vinegar or several lemon slices inside, microwave on high for about five minutes until it steams, then leave the door shut two to three minutes so the steam softens everything. Remove the hot bowl carefully and wipe the interior — the grime lifts off with almost no scrubbing, and the steam deodorizes as it goes. Pull the turntable out and wash it in the sink. That is the whole job for a normal weekly clean.
The steam method works because it does the scrubbing for you: hot vapor condenses on the walls and loosens dried food and grease chemically, so you wipe rather than scrape. Below is the method, the fixes for baked-on food and stubborn odors, and how to keep it clean with less effort. We do not test the cleaning products we mention; picks come from aggregated owner reviews and expert consensus, explained in how we rank.
The steam-and-wipe method
This is the core technique and it handles the vast majority of microwave cleaning.
- Fill a microwave-safe bowl with about one cup of water and either two tablespoons of white vinegar or several lemon slices (squeeze the lemon into the water and drop the slices in). A wooden toothpick or skewer in the bowl helps prevent the water from superheating.
- Microwave on high for about five minutes, until the liquid boils and the interior fogs with steam.
- Leave the door closed two to three minutes. Do not skip this — the standing steam is what softens the grime.
- Remove the bowl carefully — it and the water are very hot. Use oven mitts.
- Wipe the interior — walls, ceiling, floor, and inside of the door — with a damp cloth or sponge. Softened food and splatter wipe right off.
- Remove and wash the turntable and its roller ring in warm soapy water, dry, and replace.
Vinegar and lemon both deodorize as they clean; lemon leaves a fresher scent, vinegar is cheaper. Neither needs rinsing, though a final plain-water wipe removes any vinegar smell. A good cloth avoids leaving lint behind — see best microfiber cloths.
Removing baked-on and burnt food
For crusted, baked-on splatter that survives one steam cycle, add baking soda rather than more elbow grease.
- Run the steam cycle first to soften everything.
- Make a baking soda paste — a few tablespoons of baking soda with just enough water to form a spreadable paste.
- Apply it to the stubborn spots and let it sit three to five minutes.
- Rub gently with a damp cloth or non-scratch sponge, then wipe clean.
- Repeat the steam for anything still clinging on, instead of scrubbing hard.
Never use metal scrapers, steel wool, or abrasive pads, which scratch the interior. If a general-purpose cleaner is easier for you, keep it food-safe and rinse well afterward — our best all-purpose cleaner roundup covers options, and you can make your own with the recipe in how to make your own all-purpose cleaner.
Getting rid of odors
Microwave odors, especially burnt popcorn or fish, cling to the interior. Handle them in layers:
| Odor level | Fix |
|---|---|
| Everyday | The vinegar or lemon steam cycle neutralizes it as you clean |
| Lingering | Leave an open bowl of baking soda inside overnight, door closed |
| Strong / burnt | Repeat the steam, then the overnight baking soda soak |
| Fresh scent wanted | Use lemon rather than vinegar for the steam |
Airing the microwave with the door open for a while after cleaning also helps clear residual smell.
The door, handle, and control panel
The high-touch exterior parts — the handle, the buttons, and the door edge — collect grease and germs and are easy to forget. Wipe them with a cloth dampened in a mild soap or vinegar solution. For the control panel, spray the cloth, not the panel, to avoid liquid getting into the electronics. If your microwave has a stainless steel front, clean it with the grain and buff dry to avoid streaks — see how to clean stainless steel.
Do not forget the vent filters (over-the-range models)
Over-the-range microwaves double as range hoods and have a grease filter underneath that clogs with cooking grease over time. Slide the metal mesh filter out and soak it in hot water with dish soap and a splash of vinegar or baking soda, scrub gently, rinse, and dry before refitting. A clogged filter cuts ventilation and is a fire risk. The dedicated method is in how to clean a range hood filter. Some models also have a charcoal filter that is replaced, not washed — check your manual.
Cleaning the turntable and inside the vents
Two spots get missed even by people who clean the walls. The glass turntable and its roller ring collect drips underneath, so lift the plate out and wash it in warm soapy water like a dish, or run it through the dishwasher if the manufacturer allows; wipe the recessed track it spins in, where crumbs and spills collect out of sight. The interior vents — small grilles usually on the side or top wall — can accumulate greasy film; wipe the grille with a damp cloth, but never spray liquid into it or force anything through, since the electronics sit behind. If the light or fan area behind a grille looks grimy, that is a job for a technician, not a scrub brush.
What is safe inside a microwave
Because a microwave heats what you put in it, the cleaning tools and containers matter more than in other appliances.
| Item | Safe? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl | Yes | Use for the steam method |
| Microfiber or cotton cloth | Yes | For wiping the cooled interior |
| Non-scratch sponge | Yes | Gentle on the interior coating |
| Metal scraper or steel wool | No | Scratches and can damage the interior surface |
| Anything metal during the steam cycle | No | Metal sparks and can start a fire |
| Harsh oven cleaners | No | Residue can contaminate food; keep it food-safe |
Keep every cleaner food-safe, since anything left on the interior ends up in your next meal. This is why the vinegar, lemon, and baking soda methods are the standard: they clean effectively and leave nothing harmful behind.
Keep it clean with less effort
- Cover food while heating with a microwave-safe lid or a paper towel. This alone eliminates most splatter.
- Wipe spills immediately, before they bake on during the next use.
- Do a weekly steam clean for daily-use microwaves; every two weeks for lighter use.
- Wipe the high-touch exterior more often than the inside.
Fold the weekly clean into your weekly cleaning schedule, pair it with how to clean an oven for a full kitchen reset, and browse everything at the cleaning and laundry hub.