Washing fruits and vegetables has become second nature to most of us. We run them under the tap, maybe give them a quick rub, and call it good. Yet food safety specialists are warning that some of the most common techniques people rely on aren’t just ineffective but could actually increase health risks. Contaminated food sickened more people in 2024 than in 2023: total illnesses increased to 1,392, up from 1,118 in 2023, making proper produce washing more critical than ever.
With recent food recalls shaking consumer confidence, understanding the right way to clean your fruits and vegetables has never been more important. Think you’ve got your washing routine down? You might be surprised.
Using Soap or Detergent on Your Fruits and Vegetables
Let’s be real: if soap works wonders on your hands, why wouldn’t it work on your apples? Here’s the thing though. Washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is not recommended. Produce is porous. Soap and household detergents can be absorbed by fruits and vegetables, despite thorough rinsing, and can make you sick, according to the FDA. Soap ingredients may cause adverse health effects if ingested, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Multiple food safety experts from universities across the country agree. Do not use detergent or soap to wash produce. Because produce skins and peelings are porous, fruits and vegetables can absorb detergent residues, which are not deemed safe for consumption. Even though it might feel counterintuitive, plain running water remains your best friend when it comes to cleaning produce.
Relying on Commercial Produce Washes
Those fancy bottles promising to deep-clean your veggies? They’re probably not worth the money. The safety of the residues of commercial produce washes is not known and their effectiveness has not been tested, according to FDA guidance. Research backs this up in a big way.
Multiple studies have found that produce washes such as Fit and Earth Friendly are no more effective in cleaning produce than regular tap water. None of the produce washes tested, including FIT, Fruit & Vegetable Wash, Organiclean, Vegi-Clean, or a 1% solution of Palmolive dish detergent, was more effective than rinsing with water for removing eight of nine pesticides. The mechanical action of rubbing the produce under tap water is likely responsible for removing pesticide residues. Save your cash and stick with water.
Washing Produce in Hot or Very Cold Water
Water temperature matters more than you’d think. Avoid using hot water as this may cause the produce to experience thermal shock and absorb the water and any bacteria into its cells. When produce experiences extreme temperature changes, it can actually draw contaminants inward rather than washing them away.
Wash water should be no more than 10 degrees colder than produce to prevent the entrance of microorganisms into the stem or blossom end of the produce. Cool or lukewarm running water hits the sweet spot. Cool running water can remove 90 to 99% of pathogens, including E. coli, salmonella, listeria, which is about as good as it gets.
Soaking Produce for Extended Periods
It might seem like giving your produce a nice long soak would clean it thoroughly. Honestly, though, that extra time isn’t helping. For both quality and safety, it is not recommended to let produce soak in water. Long soaking periods can create conditions where bacteria multiply rather than diminish.
Soaking produce for more than a minute or two or rinsing in hot water can invite bacteria in. The skins of fruits and vegetables are actually kind of like our skin. They have pores that open up and start absorbing in warm or wet conditions, which could contribute to a high microbial content because you don’t know what’s in your sink, your water, or the bowl that you’re using. A quick rinse under running water beats a prolonged bath every time.
Washing Pre-Washed or Ready-to-Eat Greens
Those bags of salad marked “triple washed” or “ready-to-eat” don’t need another rinse. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend washing “pre-washed” produce again at home. If you do wash the produce, you actually have a greater chance of contaminating it from your own sink. Your kitchen sink harbors more bacteria than you might realize.
Doing so can actually increase the risk of cross-contamination, particularly if your sink or utensils aren’t perfectly clean. The processing facilities that package these items follow strict sanitization protocols. Unless you see visible dirt or the package is damaged, leave pre-washed items alone.
Using Bleach, Sanitizers, or Disinfectants
During the pandemic, some people got creative with cleaning methods. According to some research about food safety practices in the United States, 16% of those surveyed reported using bleach or household cleaners to wash fruits and vegetables during the pandemic. This practice is dangerous.
Using bleach or detergents to clean fruits and vegetables can make you sick. Do NOT wash produce with soap, bleach, sanitizer, alcohol, disinfectant or any other chemical. Bleach can destroy harmful microorganisms, but it should not be ingested. According to FoodSafety.gov using bleach or detergents to clean fruits and vegetables can make you sick if you swallow the chemicals. These chemicals are meant for surfaces, not food.
Assuming Vinegar or Baking Soda Are Necessary
Salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, and lime juice have not been shown to be effective at removing germs on produce. While baking soda and vinegar have gained popularity on social media, the science tells a different story. Based on the body of evidence we currently have available, water alone is still the best way to clean fresh produce. There’s no real advantage to using vinegar or baking soda.
Both baking soda and vinegar can affect the flavor of the produce, potentially leaving your strawberries tasting like salad dressing. Some research suggests minimal bacterial reduction with these methods, but not enough to justify the extra effort or altered taste. Running water does the job just fine.
Skipping the Scrub on Firm Produce
Not all fruits and vegetables need the same treatment. Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush. Those textured surfaces can trap dirt and bacteria in ways smooth produce doesn’t. Think about the netted skin of a cantaloupe or the ridges on a cucumber.
Even if you do not plan to eat the skin, it is still important to wash produce first so dirt and bacteria are not transferred from the surface when peeling or cutting produce. When your knife passes through an unwashed rind, it carries surface contaminants directly into the flesh you’re about to eat. A clean brush and some elbow grease make all the difference for items with tough exteriors.
Forgetting to Dry Your Produce
Rinsing is only part of the equation. After washing, dry produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present on the surface. Moisture creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria to multiply.
This step is particularly important if you’re not eating the produce immediately. Wet fruits and vegetables spoil faster and can develop mold more quickly. Pat everything dry before storing it in your refrigerator. Just make sure your towel is actually clean because cross-contamination works both ways.
Washing Your Hands Before and After Handling Produce
Here’s something most people overlook entirely. First, wash your hands. It prevents germs on your skin from contaminating the produce you’re cleaning. You can’t effectively clean produce with dirty hands. It defeats the entire purpose.
Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling foods, including fresh produce. Think about everything you’ve touched before reaching for that head of lettuce: your phone, door handles, grocery cart. Your hands carry bacteria that can transfer directly to the food you’re about to prepare. This simple step makes a genuine difference but gets skipped constantly.
The right way to wash produce isn’t complicated or expensive. Plain running water, a gentle rub or scrub depending on the item, and thorough drying cover most of your bases. Somewhere between 90% and 99% of what’s on the produce can be removed with running water. We really can’t get much better than that by adding anything to the water. Skip the fancy products and dangerous chemicals.
With foodborne illnesses on the rise, getting back to basics matters more than ever. Your instinct to thoroughly clean your produce is absolutely right. You’ve just got to make sure you’re doing it the way that actually works. What surprised you most about these common mistakes?
