Looking for a foolproof way to clean your microwave? The Angry Mama microwave cleaner stands up to greasy messes.
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Looking for a foolproof way to clean your microwave? The Angry Mama microwave cleaner stands up to greasy messes.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more.
Developing a foolproof kitchen cleaning routine takes a considerable amount of time, sometimes even months. Even if you have a system down pat, chances are there are still areas of the kitchen you avoid cleaning until they’re really gross, like the microwave.
Luckily, there are kitchen cleaning products that make chores fun, like the Angry Mama microwave cleaner. All it takes is a splash of water, vinegar or lemon juice and a few minutes in the microwave and this fiery little gadget will do the deep cleaning for you. Figuring out how to clean a microwave has never been easier thanks to this trending home product.
An odd but useful home product, the Angry Mama microwave cleaner is a compact Amazon cleaning product that looks exactly like, well, an angry mama. The body is hollow and is designed to hold a few tablespoons of water and a dash of vinegar. The water and vinegar solution act as a powerful cleaning agent when heated up in the microwave, instantly de-scaling the microwave from tough food particles and grime.
Amazon shoppers love that it saves them time cleaning and that it makes a genius gift for cooks. Here are more cool Amazon products that shoppers love, like Angry Mama’s twin, Chilly Mama.
Upon opening my Amazon package with the Angry Mama inside, I was shocked at how big the gadget is. For comparison, it’s the same size as my 16-ounce soda can drinking glasses. I appreciate the sturdiness of the product. It’s not messing around!
All it takes is a few simple steps to fire up the Angry Mama microwave cleaner. I tested filling it with water and lemon juice first, then with vinegar, water and a splash of lemon juice. Here are my results:
Firing up the Angry Mama microwave cleaner is extremely simple. First, pop her fiery red hair and head off. There are two visible fill lines on the base. I poured tap water to the fill line and topped it off with the juice of half of a lemon. Next, I popped her head and hair back on and set it in my microwave for five minutes.
Intrigued by the process, I watched as Angry Mama started to bubble. The steam wasn’t super visible to me, but I did notice the water and lemon juice mixture starting to bubble over as she heated up in the microwave. I let her cool down for two minutes after the process was complete. Then, I removed the Angry Mama with oven mitts (safety first!). I wiped the microwave down with my Swedish dishcloth, amazed at how simple the tool made my cleaning routine. It quite literally took one swipe of my dishcloth to remove stains and food gunk. Success!
I waited a few days for my microwave to get gross again before trying the vinegar and water method, which is what the instructions recommend. Several reviewers note adding a splash of lemon juice to the vinegar and water helps with the smell, so I put this method to the test. I poured distilled white vinegar to the fill line, then water to the fill line and a splash of lemon juice on top.
Following the same method as before, I popped her in the microwave for five minutes. After two minutes I noticed a painful vinegar smell throughout my kitchen. No one likes the smell of vinegar to begin with, but heated up vinegar? That’s a different kind of funky. The smell was so bad that I had to stop the microwave at three minutes. Still, I was able to wipe the microwave in just one swipe of the dishcloth. This method certainly cleaned my microwave, but it took a few hours for the vinegar smell to leave the kitchen. It’s safe to say I will strictly use the water and lemon juice method from here on out.
All it takes is five to eight minutes in the microwave for the fiery gadget to work. I found that five minutes was more than enough to get the job done. Just remember to let it cool down before removing it and use oven mitts for extra caution.
There are two fill lines on the Angry Mama: One for vinegar and one for water. Fill it with vinegar (or lemon juice) first, making sure not to go past the fill line on the bottom of the gadget. Top with water to the fill line near the Angry Mama’s head.
“It works!” writes verified Amazon reviewer, Lynn. “I haven’t cleaned my microwave in nearly a year. It’s not working as well and I was certain it was because it needed to be cleaned. This thing worked a miracle quickly. At the end of the allotted time I just wiped the microwave clean (literally done in less than a minute). I’m so thrilled with this I’m giving it for Christmas (they will probably not be happy when they open the package, but they will be when they use it!).”
Vicki W. shares, “I used it in the microwave but instead of half vinegar and water, I added some lemon juice to the water and ran the microwave for just five minutes, instead of the seven minutes suggested. It worked like a charm and loosened all the grime…it took less than two minutes to wipe clean! Easy to use and so fun…Love it!!”
“Easy to use and works great,” adds Michelle G., a verified Amazon reviewer. “My work microwave can be disgusting so I use it there because it beats scrubbing it by hand. Just put the liquids in and turn it on. Only need to use a damp sponge to wipe it after it stops.”
Despite the unpleasant smell that the vinegar and water solution produced, I’m happy with the Angry Mama microwave cleaner. Before her, I found myself using a lot of multipurpose spray and elbow grease to lift food stains and gunk. Now, it’s the opposite. I gave the outside of my microwave a final wipe down with The Pink Stuff spray for the final touch. The Angry Mama is officially in my weekly cleaning routine!
For more viral cleaning hacks (that actually work), check out our Dawn PowerWash review and stove gap cover test. Then, stock up on dishwashing gloves, Scrub Daddy products and the cutest sponge holder!
If you’re still scrubbing your microwave down with a wet dish cloth, it’s time to upgrade your routine with the Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner. Find it on Amazon, Walmart, Sur La Table and The Container Store where it retails between $8 and $15. You’ll be a happy mama in no time!