Microwave interiors are painted steel with a door seal and a turntable, and the two mistakes are the same in domestic and commercial kitchens: scrubbing the coating off with an abrasive, and ignoring the door seal where the food splatter actually collects.
Steam first, then wipe
Put a bowl of water in the microwave, run it for three to five minutes, and let the steam soften the food film. Then wipe with a soft cloth and a mild degreaser, clean the door seal and the turntable separately, and never use an abrasive pad on the interior coating.
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The five-minute method
- Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water (a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar is optional and mainly helps the smell).
- Run on high for three to five minutes, then leave the door shut for another five so the steam works.
- Remove the bowl and wipe the interior with a soft cloth. Most of the film comes off without any scrubbing at this point.
- Wipe the door seal and the frame behind it, then the turntable and its roller ring, which you can wash in the sink.
- Finish the outside with a glass cleaner on the door window and a damp cloth on the casing, including the keypad surround where fingers land.
What not to use
- Abrasive pads and powders. The interior is a coated surface; scratching it removes the protection and the metal then stains and can spark.
- Oven cleaner. Caustic on a microwave interior attacks the coating and the seal.
- Bleach in the cavity. There is no rinse step in a microwave; residue stays where food will be.
- Anything that goes into the door hinge or the control panel. Liquid in the electronics is how a working microwave becomes a dead one.
| Product | Use | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Whiteley Tile Plus degreaser | Diluted for food film and kitchen grease | A$62.31 |
| CRL 1973 glass cleaner | Door glass and stainless front panels | A$10.00 |
| Merri Magic microfibre eraser | Stubborn film, without scratching | A$8.00 |
| Wipes, rags and dusters | Wiping and finishing | from A$7.95 |
Lemon or vinegar? The honest answer
Both are acidic and both smell fresher than a plain bowl of water, so people assume they are doing the cleaning. The steam does the work: it softens the food film so it wipes off. Lemon and vinegar add a little descaling on the interior surfaces, and neither removes baked-on grease on its own.
Bicarbonate of soda is a mild abrasive and a deodoriser. Made into a paste it will lift light staining, and it will also leave a chalky residue if you do not wipe twice — which is the part most instructions skip.
Commercial microwaves
In a staff kitchen or a food business, the microwave is a shared, high-touch appliance and it belongs on the cleaning schedule, not in the "someone will do it" category. The practical routine is a wipe-down at the end of each day, a steam-and-wipe weekly, and a check of the door seal for cracking — a perished seal leaks microwaves and food film, and it is a replacement part rather than a cleaning problem.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand sets the sanitation expectations for food premises, and the chemical handling side is covered by SafeWork NSW in chemicals and other substances.
The turntable, the roller ring and the vents
Three parts get missed every time. The glass turntable comes out and goes in the sink; the roller ring underneath collects crumbs and grease and needs a rinse as well, because it is what makes the plate wobble and rattle. The vents at the back and sides clog with kitchen grease, and a microwave with blocked vents runs hotter and shortens its own life. Wipe them with a damp cloth and a diluted degreaser, and never spray directly into them.
If the turntable has a plastic hub, check it for cracks at the same time. A cracked hub is a two-dollar part and a common reason for a machine that sounds broken.
Questions we get asked most
- What is the best way to clean the inside of a microwave?
- Steam it with a bowl of water for three to five minutes, leave the door shut so the steam works, then wipe with a soft cloth. Most food film needs no scrubbing after that.
- What should you not use to clean a microwave?
- Abrasive pads and powders, caustic oven cleaner, bleach left in the cavity, and any liquid around the door hinge or the control panel. All four either damage the coating or the electronics.
- How to use bicarbonate of soda to clean a microwave?
- Mix a paste with a little water, apply it to light staining with a cloth, and wipe it off twice. It is a mild abrasive and deodoriser, so expect to rinse rather than scrub.
- Is it better to clean the microwave with lemon or vinegar?
- Either works the same way: the bowl of water produces the steam that does the work, and the acid adds a light descaling effect and a better smell. Neither replaces a wipe with a mild degreaser.
- How often should a commercial microwave be cleaned?
- Wiped out daily, deep cleaned weekly, and the door seal checked at the same time. Put it on the cleaning schedule if the kitchen has one.
References
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand — cleaning and sanitation in food premises.
- SafeWork NSW — chemicals and other substances.
Kitchen equipment on a cleaning schedule?
Tell us what equipment you have and how often it is used, and we will set the products and dilutions so the routine takes minutes rather than an afternoon. Browse degreasers or ask our team.