Safe, Natural DIY Fruit and Vegetable Wash with Vinegar
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Fresh produce is the cornerstone of a healthy diet. But regardless of whether you get it at the store or grow it at home, it is still important to make sure it is clean before you eat it!
This quick, simple fruit and vegetable wash uses vinegar to safely clean produce and ensure your food is free of pesticides, fungicides, dirt, and other nasties.
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Are you looking for more simple DIY gardening projects to do at home? You may enjoy learning how to make seed bombs, how to make compost tea, how to make bone meal garden fertilizer, how to make a homemade starting mix for seeds, and how to build a cattle panel trellis.
Why I Use a Fruit and Vegetable Wash
A recent Cyclospora outbreak linked to commercially processed lettuce is a reminder of just how many hands and steps fresh store-bought produce goes through before it reaches our plates! From growing and harvesting to washing, processing, packaging, shipping, and stocking store shelves, every step presents an opportunity for contamination if something goes wrong.
It's one of the many reasons I believe so strongly in growing at least some of your own food! When you grow lettuce or other vegetables at home, you're shortening the journey from garden to table. You know how it was grown, when it was harvested, and how it was handled.
While no food is completely risk-free, growing your own produce gives you greater transparency and confidence in what you're feeding your family. This isn't meant to drive fear—it's a reminder that growing your own food is one of the most empowering skills you can have!
Just a few containers or a single raised bed can provide fresh, delicious produce while helping you become a little more connected to where your food comes from.
Food Safety
Even if you are growing an organic garden, it is still recommended to wash off your veggies before bringing them inside. If you don't wash your fruits and veggies, sometimes you'll bring in spiders, slugs, or creepy crawlies. And then there is the dirt and grit that you don't want inside.
Whether your produce comes from your garden, a farmers market, a friend, or the grocery store, it's always a good idea to:
Wash your hands before preparing food.
Rinse produce thoroughly under cool running water before eating or preparing it.
Separate and rinse leafy greens one leaf at a time.
Scrub firm vegetables like carrots and potatoes with a clean vegetable brush.
If you would like more cleaning power, avoid using soaps, bleach, detergent, or household cleaners on fresh produce! Instead, use the following recipe for a fruit and vegetable wash.
Ingredients Needed
Photo courtesy of https://extension.colostate.edu/
You can use this wash in your kitchen sink or set up a washing basin outside. Either way, it is super easy to get your produce clean.
This inexpensive recipe doesn't take a lot of complex ingredients. You simply need:
- Water - Tap water works just fine.
- Distilled White Vinegar - The white vinegar does the work of gently cleaning your produce.
How to Make Fruit and Vegetable Wash with Vinegar
- Fill - Fill a sink or washtub with regular tap water.
- Add Vinegar - Stir in 3 cups distilled white vinegar.
- Add Produce - Place whole fruits and vegetables in solution.
- Soak - Let fruits and vegetables set in solution for 10 minutes.
- Rinse - Wash fruits and vegetables off with clean, running tap water.
- Ready - Your produce is ready to enjoy!
As always, all of us here at MIgardener are cheering you on as you Grow Bigger!
Is there a downside to washing fruit with vinegar?
No, there is no disadvantage to washing your produce with this fruit and vegetable wash other than the cost of the vinegar. It will not change the taste or texture if used correctly and may help prevent mold.
What fruits and vegetables should not be washed?
All fresh produce should be washed before eating. Some types of fruit, like raspberries, may keep longer if you wait to wash them until just before eating instead of before storing them in the refrigerator.
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Luke Marion
Luke Marion created MIgardener in 2011 with a passion for inspiring others to grow a garden, live healthier lives, and have fun doing it. With the help of social media, that was all made possible! Today, MIgardener can be found on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. We believe gardening should be made fun and accessible to anyone of any skill level. Our slogan, “Grow Big or Go Home,” was created to help drive home our mission. We believe that when you put 100% effort into something, you will get 110% back.
