An easy, steamy way to clean the microwave

Microwaves are workhorses for many families - from popping corn, to heating up coffee, or leftovers - we all rely on our microwave ovens in our day-to-day life. So, it's no wonder they get pretty dirty and gunky after a while. Today, let's clean our microwaves!

1. Let the steam do the work for you. In a large, microwave safe mug, throw in either a splash of white vinegar, or a couple of slices of fresh lemon. Fill the mug with water. Heat on high for 3-5 minutes - until good and steamy. Then, this is the trick: DON'T open the microwave door! Set your kitchen timer for at least 10 minutes (I usually leave it for 20 minutes).
2. Scrub the gunk away. Using a scrubby sponge or a favorite scrubber, scrub the gunk away. Remove the revolving glass bottom and give it a good rinse off. If you need a little extra scrubbing power, just sprinkle on a little baking soda onto your cloth or scrubber.
3. Dry the interior with a microfiber cloth, towel, or paper towel.
4. The outside matters too. Using our favorite Very Vinegar Cleaner, spray down the outside of the microwave and give it a good wipe down, too.

And, voila! You have a gorgeous, gleaming, sparkling clean microwave. Your family just might not recognize it. ;)

Kitchen Cleaning Tips - Scrub Down Those Appliances, Too

The appliances we so love in our kitchens - yes, you lovely stainless kettle, I'm talking to you - can become grungy and dirty over time. So, next time you're doing a quick cleaning burst or are doing a focus room cleaning in the kitchen, take a few of those precious allotted minutes to scrub down the appliances in your kitchen!

This includes both large appliances - like stove, fridge and dishwasher - and also the small appliances you rely on day in and day out, such as that kettle I so love, the coffeemaker, toaster, etc.

I find that a good scrubby sponge really helps with this task. Baking soda can add a little cleaning muscle to a regular soapy water mixture that will clean simply, but effectively. And if you notice that you're running out of time (remember your timer, slobbos!), then just aim to clean one or two appliances each time you're cleaning in the kitchen anyway. Over time, the whole kitchen will look better for it!