Microwave steam cleaning

What It Means

Microwave steam cleaning is heating a bowl of water inside the microwave until the steam softens dried-on splatters, so they wipe off without scrubbing. Whirlpool, KitchenAid and Maytag describe adding a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of water, since the acid helps break down hardened soil and odors. After 2 to 5 minutes of heating, you wipe, rinse and dry the inside.

How It Sounds at Home

• "Put a bowl of water and vinegar in for a few minutes first."
• "The microwave's a mess, it needs a steam."
• "Wipe it while it's still steamy."

The Breakdown

How often (Buhata's suggestions; the makers give the method, not a schedule)

How to steam clean (Whirlpool, KitchenAid and Maytag)

1. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with 1 cup of water.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, or several tablespoons of baking soda.
3. Heat it for 2 to 5 minutes so the steam can loosen the grime.
4. Wipe the whole inside with a soft cloth.
5. Rinse with clean water and dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Make it last. Covering food while it heats keeps splatters off the walls, which is Buhata's suggestion.

Good to Know

The makers' method uses water with one of these three add-ins, so pick one per cleaning. Keep bleachChlorine bleachHousehold bleach made with sodium hypochlorite that whitens, removes stains and disinfects, but can fade colors and damage some fibers. See more and other cleaners out of the bowl, and never let bleach meet an acid such as vinegar, as Buhata's chlorine bleach page explains. Microwaves differ, so check your owner's manual for anything your model shouldn't be cleaned with.

Related Terms and Categories

• Vinegar cleaning

  Using white vinegar, a mild acetic acid, to dissolve mineral buildup and lift grime. It doesn't replace a registered disinfectant.

• Baking soda cleaning

  Using baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) as a mild, alkaline scrub and deodorizer on sinks, tubs, grout, trash cans and carpets.

• Degreasing

  Removing built-up cooking grease from cabinets, stovetops and range hoods, usually with dish soap and warm water or a cleaner labeled as a degreaser.

• Oven cleaning

  Removing baked-on grease and food from inside an oven, by hand or with the oven's own cleaning cycle, which KitchenAid suggests once or twice a year for most homes.

• Stovetop cleaning

  Keeping a cooktop free of spills and burned-on food, with a quick clean after each use and a deeper clean with a cooktop cleaner every few weeks.

Chores, cleaning and home care