How to Wash Fruits & Vegetables with Baking Soda | Arm & Hammer (2024)

FAQs

How to Wash Fruits & Vegetables with Baking Soda | Arm & Hammer? ›

For a mixing bowl, add 1 teaspoon baking soda to every 2 cups cold water. If your produce is on a vine, such as tomatoes, or leafy like a head of lettuce, separate the produce and remove all vines and outer leaves. Submerge the fruit or vegetables in the baking soda water. Let soak for 12 to 15 minutes.

For a mixing bowl, add 1 teaspoon baking soda to every 2 cups cold water. If your produce is on a vine, such as tomatoes, or leafy like a head of lettuce, separate the produce and remove all vines and outer leaves. Submerge the fruit or vegetables in the baking soda water. Let soak for 12 to 15 minutes.

Arm and Hammer fruit and vegetable wash safely eliminates pesticide residue, wax and soil. A pure and simple formula with the cleaning power of baking soda, salt and plant-derived cleaning agents. Made with 7 ingredients, Arm and Hammer fruit and vegetable wash can help your family live a healthier lifestyle.

Gently rub produce while holding under plain running water. There's no need to use soap or a produce wash. Use a clean vegetable brush to scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers. Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.

Naturally, it's an excellent solution for cleaning produce, too. Previous studies have shown that baking soda removes 66.7% to 98.9% of pesticides. Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with every two cups of cold water. Douse your fruits and vegetables for a minute, rinse, and enjoy without pesticides.

Washing fruits and vegetables with vinegar kills up to 98% of bacteria on the surface of your produce. Use 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water for your vinegar bath. Soak fruits and veggies in vinegar bath for 2 minutes.

Baking soda can help remove some pesticide residues from fruits and vegetables, but it may not entirely kill the pesticides. It is more effective at reducing surface pesticide levels.

Nearly all of our research found that the washes you can find in the store aren't any more effective than common household products or even just water alone. The University of Maine tested produce washes to see how well they removed microbes and found them no more effective than a soak in distilled water.

Washing produce before storing may promote bacterial growth and speed up spoilage, so it is often recommended to wait and wash fruits and vegetables just before use.

Baking soda is great for scrubbing off stubborn dirt and grime from vegetables. It won't damage produce like some harsher cleaners can since it's mostly non-abrasive. This method also won't leave odor on your food so you don't have to worry about your meals tasting vinegary afterward.

Should you wash fruit in hot or cold water? ›

Always use cool, drinkable water to wash fruits and vegetables. With the recent foodborne outbreaks related to produce, consumers, more than ever, have heightened concerns over the safety of fresh produce. Therefore, it is essential to know how to prevent foodborne illnesses related to these foods.

A University of Massachusetts study found that soaking produce in baking soda solution is effective at removing common pesticides.

This is a bad practice, however, and you should avoid adding baking soda when boiling any type of vegetable. It has various unwelcome effects, such as softening the vegetable, altering the vegetable's flavor, destroying thiamine content, and hastening the loss of vitamin C.

The prevailing idea is that it removes pesticides, protective waxes and microbes, and will keep your produce fresh for longer. Unlike washing fresh produce with soap or disinfectants (which can leave residue and cause gastrointestinal disturbances if consumed), washing fruit with vinegar is totally safe.