Halfway through reheating leftovers the other day, my microwave started sounding like a rusty shopping cart. The turntable was lurching instead of spinning, and my soup came out hot on one side and cold on the other.

The culprit was the little rollers under the glass plate, all gummed up with months of spills.

What to take apart

The turntable is usually just three pieces sitting on top of each other: the glass plate, a plastic support ring, and the metal hub underneath. None of them are bolted down, so everything lifts right out.

1. Lift out the glass plate and the support ring.
2. Wipe the floor of the microwave with warm soapy water.
3. Wash the plate and ring in the sink, or put them in the dishwasher if they are dishwasher safe.
4. Dry everything fully before you put it back.

The support ring is the part everyone forgets. Its little wheels collect grease and crumbs until they stop rolling, which is exactly why the plate starts jerking around.

The sticky roller fix

If the wheels still do not turn after a wash, they are probably clogged with dried food. Soak the ring in hot water with a splash of vinegar for ten minutes, then scrub each wheel with an old toothbrush. Spin them with your finger to make sure they move freely before reassembling.

I made the mistake once of spraying cleaner directly into the microwave without taking anything out. All I did was push the gunk deeper into the roller track. Taking the three pieces out takes ten seconds and does the actual job.

Now the plate spins smooth and quiet, and my leftovers heat evenly for the first time in months.