Microwave cleaning hacks: It's the dirtiest appliance in your kitchen

Research shows 80 per cent of people don't clean their microwaves. Photo / Getty Images

As it's where we cook and eat our food, we tend to avoid thinking about just how dirty our kitchens can get.

But a new study shows one appliance in particular gets the dirtiest - and we use it a lot. You guessed it, it's the trusty microwave.

Whether it's defrosting meat, softening butter, or heating up leftover soup, all kinds of smells and stains get left in this appliance, and it could do with a clean a lot more often.

UK cookware store Oliver's Kitchen carried out research revealing that 80 per cent of people admit they never clean their microwaves, according to Metro UK - which is disgusting when you consider how often food can spill over or spit as it heats up.

But there's no need for things to get this dire in the kitchen, as it's incredibly easy to clean a microwave.

All you need to do is cut a lemon in half, squeeze both pieces into about 120ml of water in a microwaveable bowl, and then add the squeezed lemon halves to the bowl.

Microwave the bowl for about three minutes on high and then leave to stand for about five minutes. When you open the microwave door, you can easily wipe the whole thing down.

But it's not just our microwaves that could do with a spring clean in the kitchen. The research also showed that 69 per cent of people don't clean their oven regularly either.

And 48 per cent admitted they don't clean their fridges either. In a further shocking revelation, 21 per cent confessed they don't wash their hands properly before preparing and cooking food and didn't change or wash their kitchen tea towels regularly - though they can become a home for all sorts of nasty bacteria.

As we head into spring, it's the perfect time to carry out some deep spring cleaning at home - the microwave might be a good place to start.