How to clean microwave turn table

[How_Dun]

We just traded motorhomes and the glass microwave tray is yellow with, I guess, old grease. I put it in the dishwasher and it doesn't look any better. I'm a bit of a neat freak and this bothers me. Have any of you experienced this and what do I do? Thanks.

[NYCgrrl]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
Howard, the caramelized/baked on grease on the bottom is probably grease that vaporized and then condensed on the plate. Happens on skillets and other appliances used for heating grease or oil to higher temps. I don't think there is a magic solutions to cleaning these items, elbow grease and some type of abrasive is one answer but my fav is replace the darn things. This does not apply to cast iron cook wear. It's supposed to look that way.

I suspect the yellowing is carmelized or polymer grease as well.
I'm in the try cleaning before replacing school of thunk though. Maybe it'll give more time to acquire interest/ save money on the funds needed for a new one first;).

SWMO wrote:


NYCgrrl I wonder if vinegar reacts to heat like alcohol? Alcohol starts turning to steam before water, somewhere around 180 if I remember right. My point is that if vinegar reacts the same a slow heating just below the boil point would coat the inside with vinegar followed by water. I would think this would be a good thing.

Interesting question and worth researching from my POV. I know that vinegar, much like various citrus juices, is a mild/weak acetic acid thus making it an important component of degreasers. I also know isopropyl alcohol is a useful component of homemade and many proprietary glass cleaners but don't recall why. Adding to my brain fart, I can discuss alcohol in cooking (bring on da booze!) as a flavorant but still remain on the sideline as to whether it all cooks off or not. The fact that I gave up on caring is a different subject;):D.

[SWMO]

NYCgrrl I wonder if vinegar reacts to heat like alcohol? Alcohol starts turning to steam before water, somewhere around 180 if I remember right. My point is that if vinegar reacts the same a slow heating just below the boil point would coat the inside with vinegar followed by water. I would think this would be a good thing.

[D_E_Bishop]

Howard, the caramelized/baked on grease on the bottom is probably grease that vaporized and then condensed on the plate. Happens on skillets and other appliances used for heating grease or oil to higher temps. I don't think there is a magic solutions to cleaning these items, elbow grease and some type of abrasive is one answer but my fav is replace the darn things. This does not apply to cast iron cook wear. It's supposed to look that way.

[therink]

Lowes and other places that sell appliances sell Cerama Brite. It is a cleaner for glass cook top stoves. Should remove and old grease or burnt in stains in the glass.

[NYCgrrl]

How Dun wrote:
Thanks Gordon for your comments. Replacing the microwave is an option we have talked about. I like the looks of it and the microwave part does seem to work ok. I haven't used the convection yet. The turntable is still not as clean as I want but is better. No, the plate is not yellow just coated with grease I guess. The only way it could have been on the underside is if something, maybe a casserole, boiled over while cooking on the racks and wasn't cleaned up.?? I appreciate everyone's help. Thanks.

It could be that a casserole boiled over or just that the original owner never paid as much attention/couldn't see to clean the bottom as well as they did to the top. Sort of like the "round" corners that existed on my kitchen's vinyl flooring before I moved in. Watched the man cleaning one day and realised he just mopped in a circle:D.

I clean my convection/nuker by giving it a daily or weekly (yep sometimes I'm just lazy) steam bath of water and vinegar. Place a 3:1 ratio of water and white vinegar in a bowl and microwave the contents for about 4-5 minutes. When the machine stops just wipe out the interior with a damp sponge. This method saves me from the drudgery of unnecessary scrubbing.

[How_Dun]

Thanks Gordon for your comments. Replacing the microwave is an option we have talked about. I like the looks of it and the microwave part does seem to work ok. I haven't used the convection yet. The turntable is still not as clean as I want but is better. No, the plate is not yellow just coated with grease I guess. The only way it could have been on the underside is if something, maybe a casserole, boiled over while cooking on the racks and wasn't cleaned up.?? I appreciate everyone's help. Thanks.

[Cuffs054]

I realize this is a wild idea, but maybe the glass is colored?

[GordonThree]

Before buying more cleaners, mix several tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of dish soap into just enough hot water to soak the plate in your sink. let it sit, the longer the better.

if it is cooked on grease, you need an alkaline solution to break it down. baking soda is the most mild, moving up to ammonia based cleaners and straight ammonia and lastly lye / sodium hydroxide (nasty stuff.)

edit:
oh one more thing to add, if the previous owner microwaved enough greasy food to coat the turn table with an impenetrable layer of it, chances are the same greasy coating is built up inside the microwave too, places that can't be cleaned like the magnetron tube, the cooling fan, etc. microwaves are cheap - might be worth considering a new one.

[How_Dun]

I guess I will have to get some Krud Kutter or oven cleaner. I have been scrubbing on it with a steel pad and it's a little better but not what I want it to be. Believe it or not I'm pretty sure the yellow is on the underside which is a textured glass. I did Google first but I wouldn't have known about Krud Kutter if the kind person on here hadn't told me about it. Thank you.

[SWMO]

Cold oven spray should work also if build up is the problem. I'm not a big fan of the stuff, but glass is impervious to anything like that..

[therink]

Try WD40 or Goof Off with a steel wool pad.

[2oldman]

Google: Click me! (this is fun)

[Super_Dave]

If it is glass, something isn't making sense about the glass being yellowed. Is it a build up that can't be scrapped or chipped off?

[NYCgrrl]

I'd spray the turntable with Krud Kutter, a proprietary cleaner/degreaser, you can purchase at Ace Hardware stores and then allow it to soak in a white vinegar and water solution. The vinegar and water solution should remove any leftover cleaning product and has a mild bleaching action as well as dissipate old grease smells. I'm intensely cheap when it comes to commercially made cleaning products (normally if ammonia, elbow grease, vinegar or baking soda won't clean something...I use more elbow grease, LOL) but I discovered Krud Kutter when ordering supplies for multiple dwellings and IMO it's worth every penny.

HTH!