Burn macaroni in the microwave....terrible smell

16 years ago

Last night my daughter was cooking a microwavable macaroni and cheese bowl in the microwave. She has done this numerous times so I don't know what she was thinking this time but she for some reason didn't put water in it and nuked the macaroni/ cheese powder concoction without water. Needless to say, the house smells worse than 15 bags of burned popcorn at the same time. We opened the front and back doors, sprayed air freshener, put charcoal in the microwave over night and the house still reeks today although not as bad. Do you guys know of anything else that might work? I hope the microwave is not ruined by smelling like this from now on. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

CB

Featured Answer

stephanie_in_ga

16 years ago

LMBO!

My 14 y/o DS did the same thing a few months ago! Turned out to be one of those stories he will never live down! He was home watching his brother and sister at the time. When it smelled burnt, his sister age 8 told him it was burning, he didn't believe her. Then the 5 y/o said "But there's smoke coming from the microwave!" The 14 y/o called me on my cell phone and I could hear the chaos in the background. When he asked "Should I tell Z and C to get on the floor and crawl to the door?" I about dropped the phone and fell on the floor laughing! I asked if the smoke detector went off, it did not, so I said he was fine. LOL.

But, yeah, the bowl was trash and the microwave stunk for a good while. I, too, was afraid it was ruined. I had to open windows to use it for a couple weeks, the smell lingered. I tried boiling water w/lemon in the microwave, I cleaned it over and over. It was just time. But the smell did eventually go away, maybe 3 weeks later. The microwaved survived, this time! LOL!

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Comments (13)

lydia1959
16 years ago
I don't know personally.. but the link below has a lot of different ideas to get rid of the smell.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Burned Food in microwave
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Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
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When he asked "Should I tell Z and C to get on the floor and crawl to the door?" I about dropped the phone and fell on the floor laughing!
LMAO...He has had some good training....
sharon_fl
16 years ago
Try putting 1/2 cup of cider vinegar in a bowl, place in the microwave & set for 3 minutes. Carefully remove and wipe the walls, door,ceiling & bottom of the inside with a soapy cloth, then rinse well.
pawsitive_gw
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My dad, for reasons still unknown to us, put a golfball in the microwave. Something about heating up the center and making it go further when hit?....I dunno.....Anyway, the microwave was never the same and had to be replaced. Talk about stink!!!
11jeremy12
8 years ago
Hi I had same situation my son put macaroni and cheese bowl in the microwave and forgot to add water he cook it for about 4 minutes and now my whole house smells terrible including the microwave now I read previous comments so my question is it still safe to use the microwave
joyfulguy
8 years ago
Hi Jeremy,

Prior to turning on the microwave, you might be well advised to attach a clothespin to your nose.

If there's someone else in the house (within probably 40 feet) ... look up another clothespin.

As microwaves have very limited powers of smell (of the inbound variety), it probably is unaware that in some folks' minds there appears to be a problem.

ole joyful
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Oh geez...I feel for you.

A year ago, my elderly mom put one of those rice filled neck bags in the microwave to warm it up. She accidentally set the timer for 20 minutes instead of two! My then spouse went to mom's house (I was buying a new car that night) and threw the microwave oven out in the snow- it was scorched inside. The next day, I got to mom's house and I could smell the putrid aroma from the microwave oven as I walked up the driveway. My mom has COPD and really suffered through the night, as the smell was as bad as what you described- like burned popcorn x 200!

I washed down the ceilings and walls in the kitchen, the cupboards, table, chairs, etc. Basically washed down everything in sight. Mom went to a hair appt., so I opened all the doors and got a fan going. I rubbed a cloth with "Resolve" rug cleaner on all of her furniture in the living room that was fabric. I washed all the walls in the house, etc. Fortunately, she closed the doors to the bedrooms, so they were spared. I switched out the furnace filter, as well.

I ran to Sears and bought a cheapie microwave oven. By the time I got back to her place, the house smelled 75% better. I put the microwave in it's place. Two days later, the place was back to normal. Sigh.

I have heard about boiling vinegar and water in the microwave, but mom's was so scorched and awful and smelly- with her breathing issues, I just wanted it out of there.

Good luck!
joyfulguy
8 years ago
Can't you just see that little june bug, flitting around that house, for most of that day?

o j
User
8 years ago
oj, it sucked, lol! I forgot to mention washing all the curtains, too. Thank goodness she has a small house. : )
jewels_ks
8 years ago
I would put vinegar in the microwave like mentioned above and I would also simmer a pot of vinegar on your stove top to help with odors too.
User
8 years ago
here's what I found on google:

Fill a bowl with 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon white vinegar.
1. Microwave it for 4-5 minutes and leave it with the door shut for 10-15 minutes.
2. Steam will loosen smell-causing detritus stuck to the walls. ...
3. After the waiting period, remove the bowl and wipe the inside of the microwave down with a paper towel.
5 Foolproof Ways to Get Burnt Popcorn Smell Out of The ...

blog.bostonappliance.net/5-foolproof-ways-to-get-burnt-popcorn-smell-out..
joyfulguy
8 years ago
Just come here with your problems, folks: quite often several solutions may be offered, quite a few of them, having been tested at home ... do work!

This can be one of your "problem-solving" places.

Most every day one can find something for which to be thankful.

ole joyfuelled

Burn macaroni in the microwave....terrible smell

stephanie_in_ga

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