Cleaning produce is more a physical process than a chemical one. The goal is to remove contaminant particles by scrubbing, rinsing thoroughly, and drying with a clean cloth.
Fill a basin with cool water
This could be a mixing bowl, a salad spinner, a produce-cleaning set, or other tools that work for you. Using a colander-like inner bowl with a solid outer bowl allows you to soak and scrub produce and remove it from the dirty water for easier rinsing and drying.
If your produce is layered, remove the outer layer before cleaning. If you are cutting into something, even if you are not eating the exterior, wash the exterior as though you were eating it.
Soak (optional)
Soaking produce for five to ten minutes in cool water or in a 1:3 vinegar solution helps to loosen grit and dirt. One study showed that soaking before rinsing more effectively removes bacteria than rinsing alone. Some produce, like strawberries, can degrade when soaked, so skip that step for delicate produce.
Scrub
Having a basin of cool water makes it easier to focus your scrubbing, submerging, and sloshing without rushing or wasting water.
If you are cleaning tough produce, use a vegetable brush and scrub gently (let the bristles do the work), targeting grimier areas. Scrub your produce for at least as long as you wash your hands — around 20 seconds.
The stem and blossom ends of produce like apples and tomatoes are particularly hospitable to grime. Take your time to scrub these areas, ideally with a produce brush.
While it is likely not as effective as intensive scrubbing, a 20-second spin in the salad spinner with water, a rinse in the inner basket, and a spin without water can serve as a sufficient wash routine.
Rinse
Lift the inner bowl out of the dirty water and discard the dirty water from the outer bowl (or use it to water your plants). Rinse the produce in the mesh inner under rapidly running water. The more rapidly your water is running, the more effective it will be at removing contaminants. But be careful: The outer skin on mushrooms, for example, can peel back if rinsed under water that is too forceful.
Dry
Gently shake the colander or inner bowl over the sink to remove excess water. As long as you are not washing something very delicate, such as raspberries, and you already have your salad spinner out, you can spin your produce to remove a couple more teaspoons of water. Pat or wipe the produce dry. Wiping, rather than air-drying, provides one last chance to frictionally remove contaminants.
This article was edited by Brittney Ho, Amy Koplin, and Sofia Sokolove.
