Put one cup of water into a two cup measuring cup. Add about 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Microwave on high until water starts to boil (about 2 - 3 minutes). Let stand for another few minutes before opening the door. Remove measuring cup. Wipe down sides and bottom of microwave removing food particles. The result is a clean and clean smelling microwave.
I do this once a week when I do my Friday cleaning. If I spill something earlier in the week, I clean that up immediately.
By HESTER from Chesterfield, MI
This page contains the following solutions.
For years I have kept a small opened box of Arm and Hammer baking soda in my microwave oven. I completely remove the top of the box before putting it in the microwave.
To get rid of the awful lingering smell of burnt microwave popcorn, fill a large microwave-safe bowl with one cup of water and sprinkle...
I cooked some corn dogs that were old and frost bitten. Boy, did I burn 'em. Anyway, I had a hard time getting the smell out of the microwave.
I first mix fresh lemon juice and water in a microwave safe cup or bowl and put it into the microwave. Run on high for 2 minutes, then wait 2 more minutes before removing the mixture.
To removing fishy and burnt smells from a microwave, use a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and rub. This cleans it right up and kills the smell.
Lots of food smells linger in the microwave for a long time. To combat those odors and leave your microwave smelling fresh, use lemon essential oil. Just put a cup of water into a microwave-safe glass container...
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I burned a piece of coffee cake. (10 minutes instead of 10 seconds) I have read all the great ideas about removing burn odors, however they seem to involve heating a liquid in the offending microwave. Because the fan was involved, it caused the whole microwave to shut down and resulted in a repair bill. While waiting for the replacement parts, I would like to remove the odor so I can use it when it is repaired. The microwave is built in, so taking it outside is not an option. Thank you for any help you can give this old lady.
By Arlene
Put an open dish of dry (fresh) coffee grounds inside. It will help immensely! (Just don't forget to remove them once it is fixed!
I use my if nothing else works paste; it is 1/2 toothpaste and 1/2 baking soda (I came upon it because I was out of cream of tartar) scrub it out good. Then put a bowl of baking soda in it. If any of the odor isn't cleaned from the microwave nothing you do will be permanent fix.
Another way to remove the burn odor from your microwave is to wipe down the interior with a half water-half vinegar solution.
Then pour a quarter to a half cup of straight vinegar into a shallow bowl, place it inside the microwave, close the door, and leave it at least overnight. You should wake up to a nice odor free microwave.
LOL, ask me how I know:)
My 82 year old mother recently was baking potatoes in our microwave and put the timer on for a ungodly amount and burnt them to a crisp. The whole house smelled of burnt food, the cabinets and microwave. My mother decided to use carpet deodorizer inside the microwave to get the odor out.
She swears she "rinsed it all out good", but my husband and I have our doubts that it's even safe to continue to use the microwave with the carpet freshener smell inside. I Googled everything I could think of but came up with no answers. So I ran across this site when Googling smoke odors. Does anyone know if the smell will be dangerous to the foods we microwave inside? And if so can we still use something to get rid of it to make it usable again? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.
By Gwen72 from PA
Earlier this year I copied tips from 2 different TF members for deodorizing a microwave.
1 - To combat those odors and leave your microwave smelling fresh, use lemon essential oil. Just put a cup of water into a microwave-safe glass container and add 4 drops of lemon oil. Microwave the bowl on high for 2 minutes; keep the microwave door closed until the water is cooled a little, about 10 minutes.
2 - To clean your microwave, take a bowl of water and add a half cup of lemon juice. Place in microwave for 3 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes or so to loosen the dirt inside and wipe clean.
(Sorry, I didn't record the names of those who sent in these tips.)
I would try either method. You might have to repeat a few times, but hopefully you can salvage your microwave oven. Good luck!
Try microwaving a cup of vinegar for one minute, let it sit overnight, without opening the door. Hope this helps.
If the lemon method does not work, try vinegar. I heat a cup of vinegar in the microwave for 3 minutes and let cool for a few minutes before opening the microwave. It will loosen everything up and it should get rid of most smells, too. Good luck!
Food was left in the microwave for two weeks. How do I get the nasty smell out of my microwave? I was gone for 2 weeks and I have no idea who left a plate of food in the microwave. What I do know is that it wasn't me, but of course no one is running up to admit it!
I cleaned it with a water and bleach mixed and Dawn dish soap. I have even let it stay open for a while, but it still stinks! Help me please.I had a similar problem with exploding egg in the microwave oven that stunk everything up
I took a cup of white vinegar and nuked it for 3 minutes
then I took a cup of water with orange peels in it, and nuked this for 3 minutes
I kept doing it until the smell finally went away
you can also try leaving baking soda in a dish in there for a bit, or getting activated charcoal and leaving it in there www.amazon.com/
Microwave a mug filled with 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 water, and half a lemon for 3-5 minutes. Leave 15 minutes. Sponge out the microwave. You may have to repeat this, but you will get rid of the smell.
I need to know how to get a smell out of my mircowave.
By Bea
I like to put a dish of water with some cloves, cinnamon, and an orange or lemon slice (or two) inside and microwave it for 3 minutes. Then, while it is still warm and steamy inside, I wipe it out, the steam will loosen the gook. (Repeat the process, if necessary, but make sure your water doesn't boil dry.) Leave the door open for a while. If the odor persists, and you know the microwave is clean, put a small dish of dry coffee (unused grounds) inside, close the door. Store the coffee in there for a few days, taking it out only when you need to use the microwave.
White vinegar will work, too. Place 1 cup each of vinegar and water in a 1 quart microwavable glass measuring cup and micro on high for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the container, it will be hot! Wipe down the walls with a dry cloth. The vinegar smell will be overwhelming, but will disappear when the surfaces have dried, leaving your micro odor free.
I was home alone and decided to make a microwave mac and cheese and it burnt and it smells bad. I tried microwaving lemon slices and vinger and it didn't work.
What should I do? I need something quick, please help me.Usually boiling a bowl of white vinegar helps, but have you tried simmering some vanilla extract? Be sure the microwave has been thoroughly cleaned and leave the door open over night.
I set my micowave for 2-1/2 minutes and then ran to the hardware store. Upon returning I thought the house was on fire. I apparently set it for a far longer time. The food was charcoal and the plate it was on splintered into hundreds of pieces. I spent weeks cleaning the kitchen, but the microwave smells burnt when it is used. The roof of the microwave is black and can not be cleaned. Any ideas?
By topato
From your description, it appears your microwave may be shot. Even if it works now, you do not know what happened in the rather drastic burning event (!) and the oven may have a problem not yet apparent now. If it were me, I would buy a new one now to be safe.
My microwave smells like old milk, but it's only 6 weeks old and I clean it every day.
By Kath
Try the following: Cut up a lemon put it in a cup add water to at least halfway up. Set the microwave to run for at least 3 or 4 minutes. Then let it sit unopened for a good 10 minutes. Carefully take the cup out (it will be really hot still) then wipe out all surfaces in the unit, including the ceiling, walls under the plate, the door etc...
If this doesn't work, take a box of baking soda and put in the micro and let it sit in there for several days. If you use the unit, take out the baking soda and then put it back in when done. Remember you can use the baking soda for other applications after... pour some down each drain followed by a 1/4 cup of vinegar. You can through a scoop of it in to smelly laundry.
How do I remove burnt popcorn smell from a microwave?
By Lidia F.
Cut up a lemon and put it in a bowl with some water. Should be half full. Cook until water boils. Let sit until cool. The lemon is a natural deodorizer. The steam helps the lemon smell circulate in the microwave. I used this method when I cooked salmon in my microwave. Worked like a charm. Hope this helps.
My microwave was not being used for almost a year and now I've started using it, but it smells badly. I tried cleaning it using soda and then I heat on high lemon juice and then cleaned with lemon juice, it but didn't work. Please help
By Grace from Lilongwe, Malawi
You can try microwaving a measuring cup amount (or two) of vinegar-put the vinegar into a microwave safe glass container and set the timer for five minutes, ten if you use two cups.
If that doesn't neutralise the odor you need to consider the possibility that something has died in the concealed parts of your microwave. If you are at all 'handy' you can try carefully unscrewing the housing surround and visually inspecting the area for bodies. Mice are smaller than you'd think and have been known to squeeze into tiny places and die.
It happens, especially to stored things in a sub-tropical climate like Malawi's. You may need to replace the microwave.
I burnt garlic in the microwave. I need help with the smell.
By Theresa B
Cut lemons into wedges and place into a bowl of water, turn on microwave and boil the water and lemons in microwave for 2 mins on high. The citric acid of the lemons soaks up the odors.
How do I get the burnt smell of bacon from my microwave?
By Sharon
Is it harmful to keep using a microwave when food has been burnt and you keep smelling the fumes?
By Marilyn W.
When food gets burnt in a microwave it can leave behind a strong burnt odor that can be challenging to remove. This page shares advice about removing burnt smell from a microwave.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
To get rid of smells in your microwave, cut half a lemon up into several small pieces and place in a cup of water. Add a couple of whole cloves.
Lots of food smells linger in the microwave for a long time. To combat those odors and leave your microwave smelling fresh, use lemon essential oil.
