3 Highly Effective Ways to Clean Your Fruits and Vegetables at Home

Cleaning fruits and vegetables can help eliminate germs and pesticides. Here are three effective ways to wash your produce.

All you need to wash produce effectively is water. In fact, this method is considered the best. Here’s how to clean fruits and vegetables in water:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to kill germs.
2. Place the products in a colander or hold them under cold running water.
3. Scrub firm fruits or vegetables with a fruit and vegetable brush.
4. Rinse the products thoroughly.
5. Pat dry.

You can also soak or spray your fruits and vegetables with vinegar to clean them naturally. The soaking method is best for small produce, such as blueberries, Brussels sprouts, cherries, and cherry tomatoes.

Here’s how to soak produce in vinegar:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to kill germs.
2. Pour a small amount of vinegar into a bowl mixed with water, then add the produce.
3. Let the products soak for a few minutes.
4. Drain the fruits and vegetables and rinse them completely.
5. Pat dry.

The spray method is best for large produce, such as apples, peppers, broccoli and peaches:

1. Add the vinegar and water to a spray bottle.
2. Place the product in a bowl or container and spray the solution thoroughly.
3. Let the vinegar sit for a few minutes before rinsing.
4. Pat dry.

Baking soda can effectively remove germs, pesticides, and soil from produce. Here’s how to clean fruits and vegetables with baking soda:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to kill germs.
2. Place the products in a bowl or container.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 2 cups of cold water.
4. Let the products soak for at least 12 minutes.
5. Move the products around to make sure the baking soda reaches all sides.
6. Use a produce brush to scrub firm produce.
7. Drain and rinse the products.
8. Pat dry.

Washing fruits and vegetables, whether organic or conventional, removes germs, pesticides and soil. You will sometimes see visible soil on leafy green vegetables, but you will not be able to see germs such as viruses and bacteria like E.coli And Salmonella. Properly washing produce is essential to preventing foodborne illness.

Pesticides can cause negative health effects, such as:

• Decreased sperm quality
• Disturbed menstrual cycle
• Impaired production of sex hormones
• Increased risk of miscarriage and birth defects

It’s important to note that while washing and soaking produce reduces pesticides, it cannot eliminate them completely. Peeling your produce can remove pesticides more effectively than washing alone. However, the benefits of eating five servings of produce a day far outweigh the risks of pesticides.

Here are some other tips to ensure your fruits and vegetables are safe to eat:

• Avoid certain cleaning products: Do not wash products with detergent, commercial wash, or soap. Fruits and vegetables can absorb these products and make you sick.
• Choose your products carefully: Look for fruits and vegetables that are not bruised or damaged.
• Prepare products safely: Never place salad or fresh produce on an unwashed plate or on a surface that has previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.
• Store products correctly: Keep fruits and vegetables away from raw meat, poultry and seafood in your grocery cart and refrigerator. Store pre-cut, highly perishable fresh fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius) or lower.

You can eat “pre-washed and ready-to-eat” foods, like bagged greens or baby carrots, without washing them.