I’ve found a fantastic and straightforward way to eliminate burnt smells from my microwave.
Here’s how I do it:
- I mix a solution of water and vinegar in a bowl.
- I microwave the mixture until it boils and steam forms.
- I let the steam settle for a few minutes to loosen debris.
- I carefully wipe the inside of my microwave with a cloth.
- I repeat the process, if necessary, until the smell is gone.
I start by filling a microwave-safe bowl halfway with water, adding a few tablespoons of white vinegar, and stirring gently. I heat the solution in my microwave until it boils, which usually takes about 90 seconds. When the door becomes steamy, I wait for at least three minutes before I open it to let the steam do its magic, loosening any burnt particles and absorbing odors.
After the time is up, wearing oven mitts, I remove the bowl carefully to avoid any burns. Using a damp cloth or paper towel, I wipe down every inch inside my microwave, including the walls, ceiling, turntable, and door. If the burnt smell lingers, I make a fresh batch of the vinegar solution and repeat the process. It’s an effective, quick, and budget-friendly way to keep my microwave smelling fresh.
Nobody wants a funky smell in their microwave oven, so your best bet is to learn how to remove odor from the microwave before it happens. Stinky microwaves increase the risk of the smell permeating any food you heat up next. If you have ever burnt anything inside your microwave, you already know what we are talking about.
If this is your first time burning food inside of the microwave we have some bad news for you. If you don’t immediately deodorize microwaves, that burnt smell will not only get into the food you eat; it will last for weeks on end.
The best advice we can give on how to get burnt smell out of microwave is to deal with it right away. The longer you ignore the smells, the harder it is to deodorize microwave, and the worse the problem becomes. Learn how to get burnt smell out of microwave using one of these easy but effective methods.
- Here’s how I do it:
- Inspecting the Appliance
- Vinegar Steam Treatment
- Lemon Steaming Method
- Vanilla Extract and Water
- Baking Soda Odor Remover
- Non-Heated Microwave Odor Eliminator
- Can Berries Remove Foul Odors?
- Remove Odors With Coffee
- Odor Absorber
- Vinegar Odor Absorber
- Eliminate Odors With a Sponge
- Nail Polish Remover for Stains and Odors
- Citrus Odor Remover
Getting Rid of Smells in the Microwave Fast
While these recipes are ideal for cleaning your microwave, they are also great solutions to clean a smelly dishwasher, washing machine or other household appliances, too. Your method of treatment may be a little different but you can use the same ingredients to get all of your appliances smelling fresh.
Inspecting the Appliance
If you notice a foul odor coming from inside of the microwave, the first thing to do is to open your microwave and check it. Look inside to see if any sauces or food has splattered or spilled on the walls, plate, or underneath the rotating tray.
Clean spills with a wet sponge or dishcloth. Leave the microwave door open until dry to help air out unwanted odors.
As microwave smells range from burnt microwave popcorn to fish, find a DIY air freshener that will successfully get smell out of the vents. The first step in learning how to remove odor from microwaves is cleaning the microwave with hot, soapy water.
The second step to follow when learning how to get burnt smell out of microwaves is to use microwave-safe containers. Finally, if one method doesn’t work, use another one.
Not all odor remover solutions will work to remove the same smells. Coffee works well on burnt food odors, while lemon juice works to eliminate chemical smells.
Vinegar Steam Treatment
For lingering odors, vinegar is a great way to remove them. Always adjust the amount of vinegar used in this steaming method based on the severity of the odors left behind.
Fill the measuring cup halfway with water. Add vinegar to the water and stir gently. Place inside the microwave and heat the solution until it begins to boil (about 90 seconds). Steam should form on inside of the microwave door.
Leave the door closed for at least three minutes, and allow the steam to coat the inside of the microwave. The steam from the vinegar/water solution will loosen debris.
Carefully take the measuring cup from the microwave. Use a damp cloth or a paper towel to wipe down the entire microwave. Once cooled, use the vinegar water to clean your coffee machine, wipe down the refrigerator, or clean your glass and mirrors.
Lemon Steaming Method
Learn how to get rid of smell in microwaves using water, lemon juice, and lemon slices. Plus, the water can be used to deodorize the rest of your kitchen or as a disinfectant once cooled. Lemon essential oil can be used instead of lemons; use four drops of oil in place of the lemon juice.
Add water to the dish. Cut the lemon and squeeze the juice directly into the bowl of water. Stir and place lemon halves inside the container. Heat the cleaner inside the microwave for 90 to 120 seconds. Only heat the solution long enough to create steam.
Leave the glass bowl inside the microwave for at least five minutes to allow the steam to loosen debris. Remove everything from the microwave and wipe inside with a damp cloth. Once the water has cooled, use it to clean the outside of the microwave.
Vanilla Extract and Water
Add about a ½ cup of water to a safe microwave bowl. Stir in 4 teaspoons of vanilla extract and microwave on high until boiling. Let the bowl and steam sit inside the microwave for at least 30 minutes. Open microwave and wipe clean.
Baking Soda Odor Remover
To get rid of that burnt food smell, mix five teaspoons of baking soda and about a ½ cup of water inside a small, microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for six minutes. Leave inside the microwave for up to one hour.
Using soap and water wipe down the inside of the microwave. Use a cloth dipped in the baking soda and water cleaning solution to further remove any unwanted smells and stains. This solution is also appropriate for cleaning your oven of unwanted odors, too.
Non-Heated Microwave Odor Eliminator
Clean the inside of your microwave with hot, soapy water. Make sure to get all of the nooks and crannies. Remove the tray and run it through the dishwasher or wash it in warm, soapy water.
Pour ¼ cup whole cloves into a microwave-safe dish. To eliminate the burned smell leave whole cloves inside the microwave until the next time you use it.
Can Berries Remove Foul Odors?
One way to rid bad smells from your microwave, as well as the rest of the kitchen, is by microwaving a bowl of mixed berries. Place the mixed berries in a bowl and cover with cling wrap.
Microwave them on high for two minutes. They will melt, but this will replace the foul odor with a sweet and pleasant one.
Remove Odors With Coffee
Everybody knows coffee is excellent for drinking; what they don’t realize is how useful it can be in other areas of their lives. Coffee grounds are one of the best-kept secrets when it comes to cleaning your house.
Add water and coffee grounds to a small dish. Microwave on high for 10 minutes, checking the container every two minutes to top off the water as needed.
The coffee aroma neutralizes bad odors emitted from your microwave. Repeat with fresh coffee grounds as required until the smells are gone.
Odor Absorber
One way to get the burnt odor out of the microwave oven is to place a new box of baking soda inside the microwave overnight. Used coffee grounds in a bowl and left to sit inside the microwave throughout the day will also absorb unpleasant odors.
Vinegar Odor Absorber
We mentioned a method earlier that uses water and vinegar to remove odors, but this method is strong enough to get rid of burnt popcorn and smoke smells, too. Use ½ cup water and one tablespoon vinegar inside a coffee cup or safe microwave bowl.
Microwave the solution on high for 5 minutes. Leave the door shut for up to 15 minutes. Remove the cup or bowl, and wipe the microwave clean with a paper towel. Use the vinegar to clean the rest of your kitchen appliances; it works great as a homemade stove cleaner.
Eliminate Odors With a Sponge
Another way to eliminate the burnt popcorn smell is to soak a kitchen sponge in vinegar. Place the sponge inside the microwave, sprinkle baking soda on top of the sponge and microwave on high for 25 seconds.
Wipe the microwave using the warm sponge, making sure to get the glass door and tray.
Nail Polish Remover for Stains and Odors
Burnt popcorn not only leaves behind a nasty smell, but it also leaves behind some of the worst stains. To remove both, you need to soak a few cotton balls in acetone-free nail polish remover.
Wipe the inside of the microwave with the cotton balls. Remove the nail polish remover with water and dish soap, followed by a vinegar and water solution.
Citrus Odor Remover
Peel two oranges and place the peels inside a bowl with 2 cups of water. Microwave the peels for four minutes. Keep an eye on the water levels inside the container to prevent them from burning. Allow the bowl to sit inside the microwave with the door shut for up to 12 hours.
Thanks for learning about how to get burnt smell out of microwaves. If you found any of our odor eliminator ideas useful, please take a minute to share these microwave deodorizing tips on Facebook and Pinterest.