How to Get a Smell of Burning Out of the Microwave

The popcorn stayed in the microwave longer than it should have and when you realized it it was too late: the microwave smelled like burning. And now, what to do?

Some homemade recipes work very well and with little effort you can remove the smell of burning from the microwave which, let's face it, doesn't just appear because of popcorn, other foods can also end up burning inside the appliance.

But then, do you want to know what those magic recipes are? So keep following this post with us.

Recipes and homemade tips to remove the smell of burning from the microwave

1. Water with lemon

The lemon is an old known in many homemade cleaning recipes, but you may not know that it is also a great ally when it comes to removing bad smells, including burning. This is because lemon has powerful cleaning and disinfecting substances, such as limonene, for example. Limonene is an excellent bactericide, fungicide, insecticide and degreaser. That is, in addition to removing the bad smell, the lemon still leaves your microwave clean and disinfected.

But how to remove the smell of burning in the microwave using lemon? The recipe is simple, but step by step needs to be followed to the letter to ensure the expected result. Write down how you should do it:

In a glass bowl add about 200 ml of water and the juice of a lemon.
Put this mixture in the microwave for about three minutes or until you notice that the water is already boiling. Do this using the high power of the device.
Turn off the device, but do not open it. This is the jump of the cat for the recipe to work. The steam created by boiling water with lemon must remain in the microwave for at least 5 minutes. It is he who will ensure the removal of odors.
After this time has passed, open the microwave door, remove the bowl and then finish the cleaning process with a cloth moistened only with water. Take the opportunity to remove food scraps or stains inside the appliance.

Only that!

2. Vinegar

Vinegar is another great friend for removing unpleasant smells. The logic is the same: the acidity of the vinegar causes the same degreasing and disinfecting action of the lemon.

See below the step by step to remove the smell of burning from the microwave using vinegar:

Mix a part of vinegar to a part of water in a glass bowl.
Microwave the mixture for about three minutes or until the water boils.
Turn off the appliance, but do not open the microwave. Just like cleaning with lemon, the water vapor with vinegar will remove the burning smell. Leave the device closed for about five minutes.
Open the microwave after this time and complete the cleaning by wiping with a cloth moistened with water.
To enhance the mixture, you can choose to add a pinch of baking soda.

3. Coffee powder

Coffee is universally known as an odor and aroma neutralizer. It is no wonder that every perfumery has a small pot with coffee beans for customers to smell between a sample and another of perfume.

But how can coffee powder work to remove the smell of burning from the microwave? Very similar to the two previous recipes, check out the step by step:

In a glass bowl mix two shallow tablespoons of coffee powder with approximately one cup of water (about 240 ml).
Then place this mixture in the microwave at high power for approximately 3 minutes or until you notice the boiling process.
Unplug the appliance and, as in the tips above, wait for about 5 minutes before opening the microwave.
The steam from the coffee helps both to remove the odor and to leave the house with a very tasty smell, disguising the bad smell.

4. Cinnamon

How about now betting on cinnamon to remove the smell of burning from the microwave? Cinnamon does not have the same cleaning and odor-removing properties as the recipes above, but it is still effective and mainly helps to mask the bad smell. Here's how to do it:

Place two or three pieces of cinnamon stick in a bowl of water. Microwave at high power for about three minutes or until boiling.
Turn the appliance off and leave the mixture inside so that the steam continues to do its job.
To make the microwave and the house even more fragrant, try putting some orange peels together.

5. Baking soda

Finally, you can still bet on good old baking soda. This white powder is the lifeline of many household chores and can also help you get the smell of burning out of the microwave. The recipe here couldn't be easier, look:

Place two tablespoons full of baking soda in a small bowl and leave it in the microwave overnight. Only that! You don't need to turn on the appliance, nothing, just let the container with the baking soda rest in the microwave. The next day, remove it. Ready!

Care and some more tips when taking the smell out of the microwave

Use only microwave-safe glass containers.
Do not use plastic containers. The heating of the plastic causes toxic substances to be released.
Do not place metal utensils inside the microwave.
Do not reuse the mixture used in the cleaning process, throw it away.
If the smell still persists, try cooking a strong-smelling food in the microwave, such as cheese, bacon and butter. However, it may be that the smell of these foods also permeates the appliance and your kitchen.
When cleaning, try to use clean sponges to avoid contaminating the inside of the appliance with bacteria.
Once you have finished preparing some food, leave the microwave door open to help eliminate odors.
Always use the microwave at the right power for the type of food you are cooking. A very high potency will inevitably end up burning fast-cooking foods.
Foods like chocolate, for example, need to be stirred during the microwave heating process. To do this, interrupt the heating cycle of the appliance, remove the food, stir and return to finish the process.
Always try to stay close by during the cooking or heating process. Thus, the chance of forgetting the food inside the device is less.
Take your microwave for maintenance if you notice that it is overheating. In addition to damaging the food preparation process, a microwave that does not work properly can put your health at risk, since the radiation leak is harmful to the human body.