Microwaves were such a great invention because they are so versatile. You can use a microwave to defrost food, to reheat food, and even to cook some foods too.
However, anybody who has used a microwave will know that from time to time, you will burn food in your microwave.
Burning food in your microwave is not pleasant. It will release the most disgusting smell into your kitchen, and that smell will linger for quite some time.
But, the smell of burning food within your microwave is ten times worse, and it takes a lot longer for this smell to go away.
In fact, this smell will not go away on its own, instead you will have to work to remove it from your microwave.
In this guide, we’ll be taking a look at how to get rid of the burnt smell inside your microwave. So to find out more, keep on reading.
What Causes Burnt Smell In Microwaves?
At some point in our lives, we will all burn something in the microwave.
It is something that is surprisingly easy to do, and a lot of the time it will occur because you were a little slow in taking the food out of the microwave.
However, almost every time that you end up with the burnt smell in the microwave, it will be because you have burnt food.
Food is often very easy to burn, and that is because mastering your microwave isn’t always as easy as you might expect.
Most of the time, this is because the cooking instructions on whatever it is that you are trying to cook do not match the power of your microwave.
However, sometimes, you might burn food because you lost track of time when inputting the cooking settings on your microwave.
Sometimes, the burnt smell in your microwave will be caused by something going wrong with the mechanical components of your microwave.
But, the majority of the time, it will be caused by you burning the food within it. So, will this burnt smell ever go away? Let’s find out.
Will Burnt Smell In Microwaves Go Away?
While the burnt smell within your microwave is pretty hardy. It will eventually go away.
However, depending on exactly what you burnt in the microwave, the smell might be more pungent. The smell of non-potent burnt foods is incredibly strong.
But, if the food that you have burnt is fish or Brussels sprouts, the smell will be a lot worse. However, it will go away.
You can leave the smell in your microwave to go away on its own, but this will often take quite a long time.
So, if you want the smell to go away quicker, you will have to put in the effort yourself. Even without burning, your microwave will need to be cleaned regularly.
But, if you burn something in your microwave, then you should clean your microwave more regularly to remove the smell.
When you have burnt something in your microwave, the manner in which you clean your microwave will have to change slightly.
Especially if the smell is very strong. So, how do you get rid of the burnt smell in your microwave? Let’s take a look.
How To Get Rid Of Burnt Smell In Microwave
When you have burnt something in your microwave, the smell will be very strong. It will stink out your entire kitchen, and every time that you use the microwave the smell will become worse.
Even if it has been some time since you burnt the food. That is why, the best way to remove the smell of burnt food from your microwave is to clean your microwave, rather than waiting for the smell to go away on its own.
First things first, you need to do a quick clean of the inside of your microwave. To do this, we would recommend cleaning your microwave in the same way that you usually do.
So take a damp cloth and begin by wiping the inside of your microwave out with it. This should remove any surface stains from the inside of your microwave.
With that done, you should then prepare a cleaning solution to heat up within your microwave. To do this, you should take a microwave-safe bowl and add 2-3 tablespoons of white vinegar.
Dilute this white vinegar with water, and place the bowl inside your microwave.
If you want to neutralize the smell, you can also add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to the mixture too. Then set the microwave to operate on full heat for 6 minutes.
During these 6 minutes, the mixture inside the bowl will heat up, and the water will produce steam. The steam will spread around the microwave and coat the inside.
A lot of the time, the smell that you are experiencing will stick to the inside of your microwave, and this is why it produces a stench every time that you use the microwave.
The steam will loosen the coating that is causing the smell, and remove the smell from the microwave.
Once the timer on your microwave has pinged, and the 6 minutes are up, you should leave the bowl to stand for a minute or two.
Then take the bowl out, and grab a cloth. You can then use the cloth to wipe the inside of your microwave clean, and dislodge any stains that might still be stuck to the inside.
The steam will cause the inside of your microwave to become wet, so when you wipe it with a cloth, you will dislodge smells and also dry the inside of your microwave too.
If the smell is still sticking around, then you should add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda to a bowl, then place it in the microwave overnight.
Do not set your microwave to go, instead you should simply leave the bowl inside the microwave with the door closed.
Then, when you come down in the morning, take the bowl out, and the burnt smell inside your microwave should be gone.
Summary
In short, the only way to effectively remove the burnt smell from your microwave is to clean it.
You should begin by cleaning your microwave the same as you usually would.
Then, you should use a combination of white vinegar, water, and vanilla extract to deodorize the microwave.
Once this is finished, the burnt smell should have gone away, and your microwave will be as good as new.
