To ask how often do you clean your microwave?

[ThinWomansBrain]

Obviously I clean anything that spills or makes a mess, but I've had a couple of poached egg incidents this week, so thorough cleans more often than normal!
On googling how often I should be cleaning it, some articles were suggesting every time I use it, which seemed a bit OTT

I use mine mostly for steaming vegetables (lidded container), reheating coffee, microwave rice pouches - and said poached eggs, in a container when they don't explode.

I do mine after every use - it only takes a few seconds.

We don't use it daily though, maybe once or twice a week if that.

More than I clean my oven

@Badoukas

Every 3 months or thereabouts

Us too. Til we had DC2 5 months ago and I'm genuinely not sure it's been done since he was born...cannot for the life of us keep on top of the house since we had him!

[quote ohidoliketobe]".... why...what bacteria is in there...?"

Microwaves don't kill bacteria....

hygienefoodsafety.org/does-microwave-kill-bacteria/#:~:text=Studies%20have%20shown%20that%20both,risk%20in%20public%2Fgeneral%20areas.[/quote]
What bacteria is getting from your food in a sealed container...?

@ 00100001: people use microwaves to hear fresh foods (like meat, dairy, vegetables, even baby formula/breast milk)

All of those foods rot, i.e. they have bacteria in them. Even if you cover food in the microwave, there are steam vents so bacteria from the food passes from the steam to the interior walls etc of the microwave. Most people leave the door closed too so it’s a sealed environment for bacteria to grow

Hence why I and many others choose to clean the microwave: both to maintain the microwave and to keep things sanitary - HTH

Re the covers - I often use mine inside the microwave as a ‘basket’ for bread etc as it’s an airtight environment/instead of or extra space as a bread bin. Easy to remove when I use the microwave which is just a couple of times a week usually

The when there's an explosion or every three months posters are my people

use a lemon, cut in half, in a bowl of water. A couple of minutes on high then you can wipe every thing off with a cloth.

I was just about to post what Ifailed posted...top tip from Kim and Aggie-remember them? It works brilliantly! I do this whenever I have bits of lemon left over from baking, G & T etc

Stick half a lemon in a bowl of boiled water, leave in for an hour and then I take everything out and wipe it all with some kitchen spray and cloth.

What are these magic lids?

Once a week, put the glass plate etc in the dishwasher and wipe round the inside

Yes, what are the magic lids?

Here’s a cover : from Amazon but also available from Argos, Lakeland, most supermarkets, B&M etc . Basically a big plastic bowl BUT with holes for steam to escape

www.amazon.co.uk/Ventilated-Microwave-Plate-Kitchen-Cooking/dp/B008ESN6PG/ref=asc_df_B008ESN6PG/?hvlocphy=9046084&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=231909287202&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-422831528621&hvrand=10840269852308345037

www.amazon.co.uk/Ventilated-Microwave-Plate-Kitchen-Cooking/dp/B008ESN6PG/ref=asc_df_B008ESN6PG/?hvlocphy=9046084&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=231909287202&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-422831528621&hvrand=10840269852308345037

I actually think it’s a good idea to wipe dry or leave door open to prevent the microwave rusting from inside: not that they are expensive anymore but to prevent a rusty microwave going into landfill … Not that I always do but if dripping with steam I would give it a quick dry (I often cook veg in the microwave)