Fruit and Vegetable Wash
Why should fruits and vegetables be washed?
They could have been grown using pesticides, insecticides, or fungicides [Even if you buy organic produce which limits the use of some pesticides or uses ‘natural pesticides’, which are not really all that natural. Seriously. This is a rant for another day.] Grow your own or know thy farmer if you want to be certain about what goes on your food [even so… wash the dirt off…]
How many people touched and germified them before you? [Maybe they had the flu… or didn’t wash their hands after using the bathroom… OK I’m not trying to make anyone vomit, it’s realistic. I once saw someone sneeze all over the tomato section and will never look at produce the same way again.]
Are you convinced yet? OK let’s get scrubbing!
How to Clean Fruits and Vegetables
When I come home from the grocery store or the garden, I fill up the sink with coldish water and add either:
- 1/2 cup of my own concentrated cleaner. A small glass bowl can be used with a tablespoon of cleaner for a smaller amount of fruit and vegetables. I promise they will NOT taste like vinegar. After washing, fruits and vegetables are more true to their flavour.
- A few squirts of a natural dish soap or soap concentrate can also be used in a sink full of water. I like this Attitude Dish Soap or Dr Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap.
- 4-5 drops of Lemon EO (Young Living or Plant Therapy) or Grapefruit EO (Young Living or Plant Therapy) in the water. You will have to mix it a few times to distribute the essential oils as they tend to settle on top of the water.
{I use and recommend Young Living Essential Oils and Plant Therapy Essential Oils because they are 100% pure quality essential oils. There are other reputable essential oil companies to purchase from. Your local drug store’s cheap essential oil can give you a rash and not have the same positive effects because most only contain about 10% of the pure oil and the rest is filled with synthetics. Do your research and find a company you feel comfortable purchasing from.}
Add the fruit and vegetables and let them sit for approximately 30 minutes and then I scrub the outside of hard vegetables and fruit with my Norwex Veggie and Fruit Scrub Cloth or a vegetable scrub brush. It is great for removing stubborn dirt on carrots and potatoes, or waxes on apples and lemons.
Finally, I rinse all the fruit and vegetables with cold water and put them on the dish rack to dry. All the fruit and vegetables will be sparkling clean and last longer!
Psst… some extra tips
Berries and leafy greens should be placed in the sink within a mesh strainer or colander. They do not need to sit as long as the other fruits and vegetables and can be removed and rinsed after 10-15 mins. [They are sensitive… awe…] I chop up my leafy greens, so that they are easier to clean and prepped to eat! It is easier to use a salad spinner to dry leafy greens.
Do not soak herbs, onions, or mushrooms! The herbs will wilt. I recommend buying organic or growing your own and giving a quick rinse before using.
I wash almost all fruits and vegetables (even if they have a peel that will not be eaten, like bananas, oranges, carrots, etc). Often these peels go into my homemade vegetable broth, into compost, or will be touched with my hands… so they need to be free of nasties and pesticides.
Not a DIYer? Here are some natural alternatives to purchase
Happy Washing 🙂
Do you wash your fruits and vegetables? What do you use?
2 Responses
YES! I wash all our fruits and veggies almost immediately when we get home. I usually just use water or vinegar – I’m going to have to try adding some citrus to it though. What a great idea!
Happy to hear it!