How to Clean the Inside of a Microwave After It Yellows From Overheating

Foods absorb a microwave's energy when it cooks food. Any food or materials, such as popcorn bags or other microwave-safe materials, can become overheated and burn. This burning can cause a yellow stain on the microwave's interior walls that is difficult to remove, but cleaning the microwave immediately after the appliance overheats makes stain removal easier. Cleaning the microwave with a basic, natural method should take care of any grime or other residue and possibly some of the staining. Break out a chemical solution to take care of any leftover yellowing, but use it carefully since it emits strong fumes and then rinse off the chemical since it is flammable.

Things You'll Need

• Microwave-safe bowl
• Citrus fruit
• Vinegar
• Sponge
• Cotton balls
• Acetone or nail-polish remover
• Cloth

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water and slices of orange, lemons or limes, or use 4 tablespoons of vinegar if you don't have citrus fruit on hand.

   • 2

     Put the bowl in the microwave and run the microwave on high until the water boils. Turn off the microwave and leave for 15 minutes.

   • 3

     Dampen a sponge with water and scrub the walls until all of the grime and residue are removed.

   • 4

     Saturate a cotton ball in acetone or nail polish remover and wipe it across the yellow stains until they disappear.

   • 5

     Wipe the microwave walls with a cloth moistened with water and a mild liquid detergent to remove all of the acetone residue. Keep wiping the microwave walls until the acetone smell dissipates.