How to Wash Produce with Vinegar

With all the germs and pesticides in the world, it can be daunting to think about what kinds of bacteria are lingering on your fresh fruits and veggies. Although you should never use chemicals or soaps to clean off your produce, there are few household supplies like vinegar and lemon juice that can partially sanitize your fruits and veggies.^[1] It only takes a few minutes to clean and rinse your produce so you can safely enjoy it at home.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Spraying Smooth-Skinned Produce

1. Mix water and white vinegar together in a spray bottle. Fill an empty spray bottle with convert|4|cup|mL|abbr=on}} of water with of white vinegar. Replace the spray head on top of the bottle, then shake the ingredients together to mix them up.^[2]
   
   • You can also add in of lemon juice, if you’d like. This will help make your produce wash even more effective.
   • It’s best to clean your produce right before you plan on eating it so it doesn’t go bad in storage.^[3]
2. Arrange your produce in a strainer or colander. Place your apples, oranges, tomatoes, or any other produce in a large colander. Set this in your sink, so you don’t spill water or produce wash anywhere in your home.^[4]
   
   
   
   • Colanders are better than regular containers, as the dirty water and produce wash can easily rinse out.
3. Spritz over the surface of your produce with the vinegar mixture. Cover as much of the fruits and veggies as you can. Shift and turn your produce around if you need to—just make sure that it’s all getting covered with the vinegar wash.^[5]
   
   
   • It’s always better to use too much than not enough.
4. Let your produce soak for at least 5 minutes. Set a timer for around 5 minutes to ensure that your fruits and veggies are thoroughly sanitized. While vinegar is pretty effective at getting rid of common produce fungi and germs, it doesn’t work instantaneously. Leave your produce in the colander while it soaks.^[6]
   
   • You can soak your fruits and veggies for up to 10 minutes, if you’d like.
5. Rinse off the vinegar with tap water. Turn on your faucet and move the colander around below the running water. Wash off all of the vinegar mixture from your food so you won’t be tasting it later on.^[7]
   
   
   • Cool water works well for this.
6. Blot your produce with paper towels. Take your fruits and veggies out of the colander and set them on a clean surface. Grab a fresh paper towel and dry off any leftover water on your produce, so it’s ready to prepare and eat!^[8]
   
   

[Edit]Washing Leafy Greens

1. Fill a container with 4 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. Find a large, clean basin or container that can fit some of your lettuce or other leafy greens. Pour of water into the container, then add in another of distilled white vinegar.^[9]
   
   
   • You always want your vinegar wash to be a 4:1 ratio of vinegar to water.
   • Since all sides of the greens are exposed, it’s better to soak the produce rather than spray it.
2. Let your lettuce soak in the mixture for 5 minutes. Submerge your lettuce in the vinegar wash, checking to make sure it’s completely soaking. Set a timer for around 5 minutes and wait while your lettuce gets sanitized.^[10]
   
   
   
3. Transfer your produce to a colander and rinse it off. Pour any excess vinegar wash out of the container, then move the greens to a colander. Turn your tap onto a cool setting and rinse off any leftover vinegar wash from the greens.^[11]
   
   
4. Dry your lettuce in a salad spinner or with paper towels. Blot each piece of lettuce dry or use the salad spinner to get rid of any extra water and vinegar. Once you’ve finished using the salad spinner, wash it off with hot water and soap.^[12]
   
   

[Edit]Tips

• It’s best to wash your produce right before you plan on eating it, rather than washing it right away.^[13]
• Commercial produce washers may be a good option if you’re really worried about lingering bacteria and pesticides on your fruits and veggies. You can find these washes at most grocery stores.^[14]

[Edit]Warnings

• Don’t clean off your fruit and veggies with soap or any kind of bleach product.^[15]

[Edit]Things You’ll Need

[Edit]Sanitizing Regular Produce

• Spray bottle
• Water
• White vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Colander
• Paper towels

[Edit]Washing Leafy Greens

• Water
• White vinegar
• Colander
• Salad spinner
• Paper towels
• Dish soap

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4336e/
2. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-your-own-fruit-and-veggie-wash-256797
3. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2019/05/31/yes-you-need-to-wash-your-produce-heres-how/
4. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-your-own-fruit-and-veggie-wash-256797
5. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-your-own-fruit-and-veggie-wash-256797
6. ↑ https://www.bestfoodfacts.org/fruit-vinegar/
7. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-your-own-fruit-and-veggie-wash-256797
8. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-your-own-fruit-and-veggie-wash-256797
9. ↑ https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4336e/
10. ↑ https://www.bestfoodfacts.org/fruit-vinegar/
11. ↑ https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4336e/
12. ↑ https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4336e/
13. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-your-own-fruit-and-veggie-wash-256797
14. ↑ https://www.bestfoodfacts.org/fruit-vinegar/
15. ↑ http://npic.orst.edu/capro/fruitwash.html