How to Get Rid of Microwave Smells

Given the wide range of foods that get passed through it, your microwave oven can get a little smelly from time to time. Usually you can eliminate odors by giving the oven a good cleaning.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sponge
• Vacuum With Plastic Crevice Attachment
• White Vinegar
• White Vinegar
• Small Bowl
• Screwdriver

1. Unplug the oven and unfasten the cabinet body, using a screwdriver. The body should be attached along the back as well as along the sides or bottom.

2. Slide the cabinet body back slightly to clear any internal brackets, then lift it off.

3. Clean the oven, using a vacuum with plastic crevice attachment. Vacuum the fan and other internal parts, then vacuum the vents underneath the oven, on the back and inside the chamber.

4. Reassemble the oven and plug it in.

5. Fill a small bowl with a 50-50 mixture of water and white vinegar, then set it in the oven and turn the oven on high for 5 minutes. When the mixture boils, it will remove stubborn smells inside the vents and loosen food particles on the oven walls.

6. Wipe down the oven walls with a clean sponge.

Tips & Warnings

• Occasionally, electrical parts will burn and produce a foul smell. If so, unplug your oven and call a professional.
• Never put your hands or any metal object inside the cabinet. You could get shocked.

[grannysmith]

on 6/8/2009 Well, taking apart the microwave sounds like a grand idea for a once in awhile clean, but not every time something with an odor is cooked. (Cooking fish in the microwave is the worst, why do we do it???) For most things like fish I've found that almost anything you boil in it, lemons in water or cinnamon smells nice too -- no matter what it is, if you do it promptly it's getting the air to move through and the odor generally moves with it. Then I move the cinnamon water to the stovetop and freshen the whole house with a nice homey scent. Soon everything is roses again...er, cinnamon, I mean. (Either that or we've just become used to it.)

[dukethepcdr]

on 9/30/2008 I'm not about to take my microwave apart, but "cooking" a vinegar and water mix in it is brilliant. I hadn't thought of that before.

Thanks.

[CCrock]

on 9/23/2008 Great ideas! I didn't know you could do all those things to improve the smell of the microwave.

[Rammar]

on 9/23/2008 I like to use a little baking soda and water, it absorbs any bad odors and doesn't scratch or harm the microwave in any way. You're all right though, who has the time to actually take their microwave apart anytime it smells bad?

[serena710]

on 9/23/2008 This may work but it isn't very practical. I can't imagine doing all of this every time my microwave gets a bad odor. Lemon juice or vinegar and an old toothbrush for the cracks and crevices generally work for me. I just heat a cup of water for a couple of minutes to get the inside steamy, then I clean it out. It works every time. Its okay to use any other cleaner you want after this because the nasty part will be gone. I will never resort to taking one apart.