Are you Wondering why your microwave smells like dead animal? This can be due to a dead animal in your microwave. Also, if you are the type that microwaves food regularly, there’s a good chance that your microwave will smell like a dead animal because rotten food particles can make your microwave smell like dead animal.
When your microwave smells like dead animal, then you have to locate the dead mouse in your microwave and get rid of it. Next, use water and soap to clean the microwave and wipe it with a piece of cloth to remove mouse droppings and dried urine. If your microwave smells bad after removing the dead body and wiping its remnants, boil a bowl full of white vinegar and water in your microwave, and it will surely overcome that foul smell.
Why Does My Microwave Smell Like Dead Animal?
Most people find it difficult to imagine how a mouse could get into the microwave, especially if you place a high value on cleanliness. Nevertheless, routine microwave and kitchen cleaning cannot completely exclude the potential that a rodent is trying to enter your microwave from another location.
In a similar vein, mice aren’t necessarily to blame for the foul scent coming from your microwave. It is crucial to comprehend the cause of your microwave’s offensive odor and whether or not a dead animal is truly rotting inside. The following are the main explanations for why your microwave smells like a dead mouse:
Dead Mouse
If your microwave smells like a dead animal, there may be a dead mouse or squirrel. Due to how chilly and gloomy microwave vents are, a lot of animals live there and eventually find their way into the microwave. Small microwaves make it simple to find any dead animals that might be entangled in their gas or electric lines, while larger microwaves make it more difficult.
To locate the trapped dead mouse, you’ll need to poke your head inside the microwave. Get rid of any mice, raccoons, or squirrels you find in the microwave or the vent right once to stop the source of that foul stench.
Decomposing Food Particles
This may not seem likely to explain the offensive odor, but it makes sense. Decomposed food can be the source of foul smells, whether you’ve recently moved into a home or have simply opened your microwave after months.
Sometimes we neglect to promptly clean up spills and piles of scorched food that eventually begin to decompose. Decomposing food can have a less offensive odour than dead animals.
Dirty Microwave
If you don’t clean your microwave regularly, the food particles and grease can build up and cause a bad smell, ensure to wipe down the inside of your microwave at least once a week with soap and water.
Mouse Droppings
Mice droppings and dried urine may be the source of an animal-like odour in your microwave, even if nothing is dead inside. Before using any cleaning solution or spray, check your microwave and completely remove these droppings.
What Can I Do When My Microwave Smells Like Death Animal?
Here are some natural solutions you can use if you notice a nasty smell emanating from your microwave to achieve the best results. Most of the time, even after properly cleaning the inside of your microwave, the bad smell could persist. Don’t panic or lose patience; these straightforward suggestions will save you at that point.
Microwave Clean Up
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Locate and remove the dead body that is the source of the odor first.
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Confirm that your microwave is connected to a wall outlet.
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If you detect any food or mouse poop inside the microwave, wipe it away with a wet cloth.
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Spray the microwave cleaner inside and out, then let it sit for a few minutes.
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To clean the microwave, use a cloth or a moist rag, your microwave should be spotless after completing this step.
Coffee
This is one of the tried-and-true techniques for removing unwanted microwave odors. You can roast one or two pans of coffee beans and keep them in the microwave for a few hours at a low temperature to prevent the beans from burning when your microwave smells like a dead animal. You can also use ground coffee if you don’t have any coffee beans. The powerful aroma of freshly roasted coffee can quickly dispel offensive odors.
Orange Peels
Keep the peels when you’ve finished the oranges. Did you know these peels work well to swiftly eliminate the “dead animal stench” from your microwave? You only need to roast the orange peels for 30 to 1 hour on parchment paper or in a microwave-safe basin, depending on the intensity of the foul smell.
Turn off your microwave and slightly open the door after an hour. You’ll be pleased to discover that a strong orange aroma permeates not just your microwave but also your kitchen for some time. After turning off the microwave, leave the peels inside for a while since they continue to ward off unpleasant odors.
Vinegar And Baking Soda
Once the dead animal that has been emitting a nasty odor from your microwave vent has been removed, you can use some basic kitchen products like baking soda and vinegar to eliminate the odors in the following ways:
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Spray as much white vinegar as you can into the vent after adding it to a spray bottle. Vinegar instantly eliminates any offensive odors.
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Put some baking soda into the vent immediately to eliminate the unpleasant odors. This is because baking soda is an excellent odor absorber.
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For the vinegar and baking soda to work swiftly and get rid of the nasty smells as soon as possible, keep a fan on high near the vent.
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Repeat these methods as often as necessary to completely rid your vent of the smell of a dead animal.
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You can also boil some white vinegar in a jar if the odor is particularly strong. Overnight, leave the container in the vent. The steam produced by the boiling vinegar will thoroughly clean the vent.
Lemon
Lemon is a great option to get rid of a bad smell if it is caused by leftover or decaying food. In a baking bowl, extract the juice of two to three lemons. You can now fill the bowl with water and the lemon pieces. After setting the microwave to 120°C, heat the mixture for around 30 minutes.
Please turn off the mixture after 30 minutes and wait for it to cool. After that, carefully open the microwave door and wipe the interior of the appliance with a delicate microfiber towel. Thanks to the lemon’s benefits, you’ll notice that your microwave is clear of grease and unpleasant odors sooner than anticipated.
Vanilla Extract
Who doesn’t adore vanilla’s delightful aroma? One of the tried-and-true techniques that have been used for a long time is the use of vanilla essence to eliminate bad odors from any kitchen appliance. Simply create a little mixture with 200 milliliters of water and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Instead of vanilla extract, you can also use 10 drops of vanilla essential oil.
After preheating your microwave to 120 degrees C, you should heat this mixture for about 30 minutes. During the heating process, the water in the vanilla extract evaporates. Therefore you should check the consistency two or three times. If you don’t want to heat in the smelly microwave, dunk a microfiber cloth in a mixture of vanilla essence and water, then wipe the inside of the microwave as often as you like until all the odors are gone.
Can I Get Hurt With The Smell Of A Dead Animal In The Microwave?
If you continue to breathe in the stench of a dead animal, you may have nausea, headaches, and occasionally general attacks. However, that only occurs if you neglect to address this issue and a dead animal continues to rot nearby. The likelihood that you may become ill from the leftover odor is low once the decomposing body has been removed.
However, that doesn’t mean you should leave the dead rodent’s scent in your microwave, where it might continue to create headaches and make you throw up.
After disposing of the animal’s remains, give your microwave a thorough cleaning and let it air out to ensure no unpleasant odors remain.
By doing this, you’ll increase the microwave cleanliness and improve the quality of the air you breathe. Most dead animal-related illnesses and infestations are brought on by flies and bacteria that feed on the dead animal. The lingering odor becomes quite harmless once the underlying issue has been resolved.
Additionally, this offensive odor may seep into anything you prepare in the microwave, which will undoubtedly make you sick. So, instead of acting cool when a dead animal is in your microwave, put on your gloves and remove them immediately to prevent it from rotting.
Since indoor air quality impacts your health, immediate action is only logical. Remove the odor’s cause and thoroughly clean any lingering odors to restore the freshness of your microwave.
Conclusion On Microwave Smells Like Dead Animal
Different animals like mice, squirrels, etc., can enter your microwave secretly and end up roasted and dead. In addition to removing a dead animal from the microwave, which is nauseating, you also have to deal with the lingering smell.
If you’re having trouble, don’t imagine waiting will make it go away. To resolve this issue, you’ll need to completely clean the microwave and deodorize it with a powerful substance.

Hiiii! My name is Ruth and I am an experienced chef with a passion for food and cooking. My love of baking began when I was nine, and I have since been refining my skills in the kitchen ever since.