PublishedAug 28, 2019 5:16 PM EDT
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Let's be honest: the inside of your microwave has seen things. Pizza sauce, soup explosions, mysterious grease that may predate your lease. Once that grime hardens, it's basically appliance amber.
Spring cleaning season is here, and the microwave is first on the hit list. We raided Reddit threads like 'What's your best cleaning hack?' for the most satisfying ways to evict microwave gunk and stove-top slime.
From citrusy steam baths to pantry-science pastes, here are five Reddit-approved moves to make your microwave (and the rest of the kitchen) behave.
The internet's favorite microwave spa treatment? Citrus steam. Just add water, add lemons, and let the microwave do the hard part.
“As a pro housekeeper, I can confirm: five minutes with a bowl of water steams off the gunk and leaves zero chemical smell.” —Supergario64
Want it to sparkle and smell like a fancy lemonade stand? Toss in actual lemon slices.
“Microwave lemon slices in water until it's steamy, then wipe. The grime basically slides off in shame.” —Papayaregime
No lemons? No problem. Professional cleaner Katgib13 says a little concentrate and patience works just as well.
“Mix a cap of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day into a spray bottle of water. Spray the microwave, close the door, wait 10 minutes, and wipe. That's it. No elbow grease required.” —Katgib13
For the minimalist cleaner, all you need is a wet rag and a microwave.
“Microwave a wet rag for one to two minutes, grab it by the corners so you don't sear your fingerprints off, wave it around to cool, then wipe. The stuck-on food basically gives up.” —ChefBoyTD89
A soaked dish towel becomes a tiny steam machine. Science!
Microwaves aren't the only kitchen villains. User Baroqueandsaxy pleads: "The backsplash behind my stove is sticky and I'm losing my mind."
Katgib13's secret weapon is Cream of Tartar from the baking aisle. Mix it with water into a paste, scrub in small sections, and watch grease vanish from backsplashes, toasters, cabinets, and range hoods.
Bonus: it's also a natural bleaching agent for white sinks and tile. Who knew your muffin ingredient moonlighted as a degreaser?
Baking soda: the overachiever of your pantry. For oven crud, one user makes a paste and lets chemistry handle the rest.
“Make a baking soda paste, slather it inside the oven, let it sit overnight, then scrape and wipe. Finish with diluted vinegar. It's like a time machine for your appliance.” —li_the_great
For extra-stubborn stove messes, swap water for hydrogen peroxide and make a paste that tackles burnt-on grease.
“Baking soda plus hydrogen peroxide makes a paste that eats burnt grease for breakfast. Let it sit, wipe it off, rinse, and pretend you never let it get that bad.” —Marmorset
Reddit Has the Ultimate Secret to Ceiling Fan Dust
How to Actually Clean a Toaster
Cleaning Hacks You Can Use All Year Long
Lydia Geisel has been on the editorial team at Domino since 2017. Today, she writes and edits home and renovation stories, including house tours, before and afters, and DIYs, and leads our design news coverage. She lives in New York City.
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