How to Wash Fruits and Vegetables: 7 FDA Tips to Know

Rinsing produce under plain running water, with gentle rubbing, is the core of the FDA's advice. The agency lists 7 tips for cleaning fruits and vegetables, and the one that surprises many people is what you can leave out: there is no need to use soap or a produce wash. Here is how the seven tips work together, from the cutting board to the fridge.

In this guide: - The 7 FDA tips for cleaning fruits and vegetables - Wash method by produce type, in one table - When pre-washed produce needs no more washing - Storage steps after washing - A 3-step wash routine for every shopping trip

Tip 1: wash your hands first

Start with clean hands. The FDA advises washing your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing fresh produce. The FDA's produce selection guidance repeats the point, advising at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after preparation.

This tip comes before the produce even touches the sink, because hands, utensils, and surfaces all touch what you eat.

Tips 2 and 3: trim damage, then rinse before peeling

Tip 2 is about damage. If damage or bruising occurs before eating or handling, cut away the damaged or bruised areas before preparing or eating. When shopping, the FDA advises choosing produce that is not bruised or damaged.

Tip 3 is about order. Rinse produce before you peel it, so dirt and bacteria are not transferred from the knife onto the fruit or vegetable. That applies to items with skins you will not eat, such as melons, as well as to produce with edible skins.

Tips 4 and 5: running water, then a brush for firm produce

Gently rub produce while holding it under plain running water. The FDA says there is no need to use soap or a produce wash. A clean vegetable brush is the tool for firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers.

The table sorts the tips by what you bought. One row deserves a second look: when packaging states that bagged produce is pre-washed and ready-to-eat, the FDA says you can use it without further washing.

Tip 6: dry with a clean cloth or paper towel

After rinsing, dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel. The FDA says this step further reduces bacteria that may be present. It is the one step people skip, and it takes only a few seconds.

If you use a produce brush, keep it clean as well, since it touches every firm item you scrub.

Tip 7: remove the outermost leaves

For a head of lettuce or cabbage, remove the outermost leaves before you rinse the rest. This is a fast first cleaning step, and it works well with the running-water rinse from the earlier tips.

The 7 tips at a glance

1. Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing produce.
2. Cut away damaged or bruised areas before preparing or eating.
3. Rinse produce before you peel it.
4. Gently rub produce under plain running water, with no soap or produce wash.
5. Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean vegetable brush.
6. Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel.
7. Remove the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage.

Quick answers to common questions

• Do I need to wash produce I plan to peel? Yes. Rinse before peeling so the knife does not carry dirt and bacteria into the flesh.
• Do I need a special produce wash? The FDA says there is no need to use soap or a produce wash.
• Does bagged salad need another rinse? Not when the package says pre-washed and ready-to-eat.
• Does drying matter? The FDA says drying further reduces bacteria that may be present.

Storage after washing

The FDA advises storing perishable produce in a clean refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. For cut or packaged items, it advises choosing pre-cut produce only if it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice at the store.

Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood, both in your cart and in your fridge. A dedicated shelf or a closed container keeps them apart.

Your 3-step wash routine

1. Prep: wash your hands for 20 seconds, cut away damaged or bruised areas, and remove the outermost leaves of lettuce or cabbage.
2. Rinse: hold each item under plain running water, rub gently, and scrub firm produce with a clean vegetable brush. Rinse before you peel.
3. Dry and store: dry with a clean cloth or paper towel, then refrigerate perishable produce at 40°F (4°C) or below.

Before you buy

• Choose produce that is not bruised or damaged.
• Pick pre-cut items only when they are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
• Check bagged salads for a pre-washed, ready-to-eat label so you know whether more washing is needed.
• Keep produce that will be eaten raw away from raw meat, poultry, and seafood.

Sources

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 7 Tips for Cleaning Fruits, Vegetables
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Selecting and Serving Produce Safely