How to Get Burnt Popcorn Smell out of the Microwave

Co-authored by Marcus Shields

Last Updated: February 16, 2023 References

The smell of burnt popcorn is strong and can linger in your microwave for a long time. Every time you use the microwave, you’ll be reminded again of that popcorn you let pop for too long. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to get rid of the smell once and for all.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Steaming with Lemon Water

1
Put water and lemon into a microwave-safe bowl. Pour a half a cup of water into a ceramic or microwave-safe bowl. Then take one lemon and cut it in half. Squeeze each half of the lemon into the water. Drop the halves into the bowl after squeezing. Put the bowl into the microwave.^{[1]
X
Research source}

EXPERT TIP

Marcus Shields
House Cleaning Professional
Marcus is the owner of Maid Easy, a local residential cleaning company in Phoenix, Arizona. His cleaning roots date back to his grandmother who cleaned homes for valley residents in the 60’s through the 70’s. After working in tech for over a decade, he came back to the cleaning industry and opened Maid Easy to pass his family’s tried and true methods to home dwellers across the Phoenix Metro Area.

Marcus Shields
House Cleaning Professional

Try using a product that will concentrate the steam. Marcus Shields, the owner of Maideasy says: "Heating the water in a microwave-safe bowl or cup works well, but one one of our favorite products is the Angry Mama. You fill it with water, put on the top, and put it in the microwave for about 2 minutes. When the water gets hot, steam comes out of the cap and coats the inside of the microwave, including beneath the tray. When it's done, you can just wipe out the inside of the microwave."
2
Microwave the bowl for three minutes. Microwave the bowl with the lemon and water on high for three minutes. This will produce a steam that will pervade the microwave and make it easier to clean. Keep the microwave door closed for five minutes after the cycle is complete to let the steam do its work.^{[2]
X
Research source}

EXPERT TIP

Marcus Shields
House Cleaning Professional
Marcus is the owner of Maid Easy, a local residential cleaning company in Phoenix, Arizona. His cleaning roots date back to his grandmother who cleaned homes for valley residents in the 60’s through the 70’s. After working in tech for over a decade, he came back to the cleaning industry and opened Maid Easy to pass his family’s tried and true methods to home dwellers across the Phoenix Metro Area.

Marcus Shields
House Cleaning Professional

Curious how this works? Marcus Shields of Maideasy says: "Microwaves work by exciting the water particles in your food. The particles become high-energy and shake around, which is why they clean the microwave when you heat them."

Advertisement
3
Wipe the microwave. After the five minutes are over, open up the microwave. Carefully with an oven mitt or towel, remove the bowl and set it aside. Use a sponge or wet cloth and wipe down the inside of the microwave.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- If the microwave has a turning tray, you can take this out and clean it individually to make the process easier.
4
Scrub any stubborn food remnants. Use a scrub brush to scrub away any drips or stains in the microwave. The stains are probably not from the popcorn, but the popcorn odor can stick to these stains. If the scrub brush isn’t working, try dipping a cloth into the lemon and water mixture and rubbing at the stains.^{[4]
X
Research source}
5
Dry the inside with a dry cloth. After you have removed the stain, do a final wipe down of the microwave with a dry cloth. This will remove the moisture from the inside of the microwave. You should notice that the odor of the popcorn is gone and is replaced with a nice citrus smell. If not, there are a couple more measures you can take.^{[5]
X
Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using Vinegar

1
Do a steam-clean process with vinegar. Fill a bowl with equal parts water and white vinegar. Put the bowl in the microwave for three minutes on high. Leave the microwave door shut for a few minutes after the steam, then take out the bowl. Rub the interior of the microwave with a clean towel or cloth. Vinegar is a powerful cleaning agent, and the steam should have eliminated the smell of the burnt popcorn.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Vinegar will leave a vinegary scent behind that will dissipate after a couple days.
2
Pour vinegar and baking soda on a sponge and clean the microwave. If the steam-treatment doesn’t work, you may want to be more direct with the vinegar treatment. Pour about half a tablespoon of vinegar and a teaspoon of baking soda on a damp sponge. Heat the sponge in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, and then scrub the inside of the microwave with the sponge.^{[7]
X
Research source}
3
Use a scrub brush. A scrub brush is a more aggressive tool than a sponge, and its bristles may be able to get into the nooks and crannies that a sponge can’t. Dip the scrub brush into the water-vinegar mixture, then scrub the inside of the microwave.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Absorbing the Smell

1
Combine water and ground coffee in a cup. Coffee is a very effective at absorbing odors. If you have not had luck in getting the burnt popcorn smell out of your microwave, pour about 2 tablespoons of ground coffee along with ½ cup of water into a microwavable cup or bowl.^{[8]
X
Research source}
2
Microwave the coffee and water mixture. Put the cup or bowl with the coffee and water into the microwave. Then microwave the coffee on high for 3 minutes. Leave the coffee in the microwave for a minute or two after the cycle is over.^{[9]
X
Research source}
3
Take the coffee out of the microwave. Carefully remove the cup or bowl with the coffee from the microwave. You should notice that the smell of burnt popcorn is gone. Coffee is not only very good at absorbing smells, it also masks bad smells as well.
4
Place an open box of baking soda in the microwave. If the coffee didn’t work to entirely absorb the smell, leave an open container of baking soda in the microwave overnight. Baking soda also has strong absorbing capabilities and can once and for all fix your problem.^{[10]
X
Research source}

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Masking the Smell

1
Use vanilla to mask the smell. If you cannot fully remove the smell of burnt popcorn, there are several ways you can cover the smell until it fades away. Pour one tablespoon of vanilla extract into a coffee cup, then put it in the oven. Leave it in the oven at 300 degrees for an hour. The smell of vanilla is strong and very pleasant, and will mask the smell of burnt popcorn by spreading the vanilla scent all around your kitchen.^{[11]
X
Research source}
2
Use dryer sheets. Sometimes the smell of popcorn can get stuck in the vents of the microwave. There is no easy way to clean these, but taping dryer sheets to the vents can absorb bad and unpleasant scents. Take the sheets off the vents when you are using the microwave, and then reattach after you're done. ^{[12]
X
Research source}
3
Cook other things in the microwave. Cook other strong-smelling foods in the microwave. These can mask and cancel out the unpleasant smell of burnt popcorn. Any food like pizza that has high amounts of cheese is a good option for masking the smell. Other foods include bacon, soups, or sweet-smelling pastries like cinnamon rolls.^{[13]
X
Research source}
4
Burn candles. Burning candles is a good way of neutralizing burnt popcorn smell. Buy candles in scents that you enjoy, and leave them burning whenever you are in the kitchen. Make sure to blow them out before leaving the house or going to sleep.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I get my microwave white again if it was discolored by burned popcorn?

Community Answer

Try applying full-strength chlorine bleach with a paper towel. Let it stand for about five minutes and then wipe clean.