I don’t know about you but how to wash my produce has always been a little confusing for me. I usually run my items under water for a couple of seconds and then dry with a paper towel.

But is that enough?

Do I need to scrub? Buy an expensive spray? Soak? What about if it comes pre-bagged or if it’s organic?

I decided to do a little research on the subject.

Yes, you should always wash all produce.

There are a couple of different techniques. Plain water is OK to use. You can buy a pricey veggie spray but it’s unnecessary. You can easily make your own with 1 cup of white vinegar and 3 cups of water and putting it in a spray bottle. An apple should get about six sprays and then a rinse with some plain water.

Leafy vegetables can be sprayed or soaked in the sink or a tub (with a little bit more vinegar and water), rinsed and then stored for the week.

Berries and grapes can be soaked or sprayed in a colander and then rinsed very well.

Tougher skinned vegetables like potatoes and mangos should be scrubbed with a brush.

Some more tips:

• If you use a scrub brush for your produce, don’t forget to clean it! Run it through the dishwasher after each use.
• Peeling something? It still needs to be washed first to ensure you’re not getting bacteria on the fruit/vegetable itself.
• Never use bleach or antibacterial soap on your produce.

Find more information about making a vinegar vegetable wash at Livestrong.com.

More about proper vegetable washing here.

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