Clean Your Microwave Naturally With Just A Lemon

From heating up soup for lunch to melting chocolate for baking, exploding veggies and sticky spills can leave a real mess in one of the most heavily used appliances in your home. Looking for a way of cleaning your microwave using a simple method without chemicals? It might be time to confront your mess with lemon and water to create a zap-induced steam bath.

All you need to do is cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a microwave-safe glass bowl. Add an equal amount of water, and then drop the squeezed lemon halves into the container. Microwave the mixture on high for several minutes, letting it come to a boil. Leave the bowl inside with the door closed for about 5 minutes so the steam can work its magic.

When the microwave is nice and steamy, open the door with the expectation that some steam will escape. Take the bowl with the lemons out using care since it will still be hot. Wipe the turntable off and then remove it so you can clean the floor of the microwave. Wipe down all the remaining surfaces inside, including the ceiling and door, with a clean rag, sponge, or paper towels. When you put the turntable back in place, you'll have a sparkling clean microwave with a nice citrusy scent.

Don't have a lemon handy? Limes work for this cleaning method, too, along with bottled lemon or lime juice. Simply add equal amounts of premade juice and water together in your microwave-safe container. You can also use half of a cup of vinegar mixed with half a cup of water in lieu of citrus juice. You won't get the same fresh scent, but vinegar can do the job in the same steamy way.

While most of the muck in a microwave will come clean by merely steaming it with citrus water or vinegar water, you may have spots that take a bit more effort to remove. The first thing to try is dipping a rag into your warm solution and scrubbing more fervently. That might be all it takes to finish up. If you need something a bit more abrasive, you can try sprinkling a little baking soda on any persistent spots and scrubbing again. A damp melamine sponge is also a good alternative to try for stubborn grime lingering in a mostly clean microwave.

If you like the idea of using lemon for cleaning your microwave, you'll probably enjoy experimenting with other ways to use this type of fresh citrus fruit around your home. One thing you can try is rubbing a lemon half on chrome plumbing fixtures to help remove stains and build-up that naturally form when using soap and/or hard water. Polishing pans and other objects made of unvarnished copper or brass can also be accomplished with a lemon half. To add some extra cleaning power and a bit of abrasion, dip the lemon half in salt before you scrub these types of metals. Just remember that lemons leave a sticky residue, so you'll need to do a final rinse with clean water before you're done with these tasks. 

After you've finished with your lemon-related chores throughout the house, you can cut the used fruit into smaller pieces and toss it in the garbage disposal. Running the disposal while streaming cold water will clean and freshen it as one final lemony clean touch for your kitchen.