Cleaning is one of those household chores you simply can’t escape. Whether you need to remove water marks from your stainless steel taps or want flies and maggots to keep away from bins, the list is endless. Now if you own plenty of appliances in your kitchen, it can be quite time-consuming having to clean them all.
Luckily your microwave stains will wipe away immediately if you just mix in two ingredients and heat it for seven minutes. The great thing is – these staples are likely sitting in your kitchen pantry. One woman recently revealed the cleaning hack requires a spritz of lemon juice and vinegar.
According to the TikTok page, all you need is a microwave safe bowl, or measuring cup, and the two ingredients.
The account, known as America’s Test Kitchen, told their 962,500 followers: “Add one quarter cup tap water, one quarter cup distilled vinegar and a spritz of fresh lemon juice.
“Put it in your microwave and run it on full power for seven minutes. When the liquid heats up, it steams and that softens dried on messes.”
After the microwave beeps, it’s important to leave the liquid in there for another couple of minutes.
The account added: “Remove it carefully, now you can wipe it down with a towel or sponge. Easy peasy.
“The aides in the vinegar and lemon neutralises any smell and gives your microwave a nice scent. Now it’s fresh and clean.”
Combining lemon and vinegar with water then heating it for a few minutes creates a powerful cleaning steam.
This is because the boiling liquid evaporates and condenses on the interior walls which then softens and lifts baked-on grease and food splatters.
It also neutralises bad odours too, making your appliance smell nice and fresh.
The good thing about this cleaning hack is that you can leave it to do its work, while you crack on with something else.
Vinegar and lemon make a great team for other cleaning jobs too, like descaling kettles and coffee makers, dissolving soap scum and wiping down glass.
Since they both contain strong acids which break down mineral deposits and dirt naturally, it’s handy keeping both ingredients in your cupboards for a cleaning job.
It’s worth noting lemon and vinegar should be avoided on natural stone, waxed or solid wood, cast iron, chrome and electronic screens.
You must never mix them with chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide as it can create toxic gases and in turn ruin the cleaning efficiency.
But lemon can be used for a variety of areas in your home, like your wooden chopping boards. Thanks to their antibacterial properties and high citric acid content, the lemon helps to stop growth of harmful germs.