True or false? Organic fruits and vegetables don’t need to be washed. According to my husband, the answer is true. But he would be…WRONG! All produce should be properly cleaned if you want to consume vitamins and minerals, not dirt and contaminants. And that’s why I love this easy pesticide, bacteria and dirt removal spray.
I’ll let you in on a secret. I don’t buy all my produce organic. I know organic is ideal. But it’s super expensive. And so I save my organic dollars for produce that tests high for toxicity.
But you can be exposed to contaminants even when buying organic. There’s air pollution, toxins in the water and other unaccounted for contaminants. Not to mention the potential for bacteria and food-borne illnesses. Which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy organic. It just means you should properly clean your food.
When you’re being good to your health.
I enjoy healthy food. But let’s face it. Part of why I eat vegetables is to protect my body. Vegetable consumption is associated with a lower risk of disease.
But exposure to contaminants is associated with an increased risk of disease. So produce that absorbs more toxins can be a double edged sword. Here are just some diseases for which pesticide exposure leads to increased risk:
- Dementia
- Parkinsons
- Cancer
- A.L.S.
- Heart Disease
Food preparation is key
How you prepare your produce is integral to the health benefits it provides. Here are some tips to prepare your produce to get the best bang for your nutrition buck.
- Eat both cooked and raw veggies. There’s benefit to eating both.
- Cook your veggies to the point where they’re still crunchy. Once a vegetable becomes soggy, it loses much of its nutrient potential.
- Clean your vegetables right before use. Storing fruits and veggies while wet can speed up their decay.
- Keep up with the dirty dozen and clean fifteen list released every year. Always purchase the dirty dozen items organic if possible.
- Wash produce thoroughly before using it. Fruits and vegetables can’t fully do their health promoting work if they make your body fight against toxicity.
Other DIY cleaning options
You can soak your produce for pesticide, bacteria and dirt removal. Plan to let your vegetables soak for 15 minutes to a half hour. A really easy vegetable soak is:
- 2 cups purified water
- ½ cup white vinegar
Make sure to use a vegetable brush to scrub any vegetables with thicker skins. Don’t be too rough though. You don’t want to tear the skin. And remember to be gentle with fragile produce like leafy greens and berries.
But let’s admit it. Vegetable sprays make pesticide, bacteria and dirt removal super easy. Store shelves are filled with different options. But I prefer making my own. It’s cheaper. And I have complete control over the ingredients. Plus, I never run out because the ingredients are ones that I ususally already have on-hand.
DIY spray for pesticide, bacteria and dirt removal
- 2 cups warm, purified water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp vinegar (white vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Add warm water and salt to the spray bottle and shake immediately to help salt dissolve. Add vinegar and lemon juice.
Spray generously on produce. Gently scrub spray into thicker skinned fruits and veggies. Let sit for 1 to 3 minutes so the spray can be absorbed. Gently rinse before using. This should work for most produce. But leafy greens are best to clean by the soaking method.
The vinegar and lemon juice are effective at removing bacteria. The salt helps with the removal of pesticides and bugs. And between the two, you have a really effective cleaning spray.
How I got my husband to clean his veggies
If I give my husband an easy, spray bottle solution for pesticide, bacteria and dirt removal, he’ll actually use it. I think it helps to get men to clean veggies if you give them things that remind them of a video game. Shooting things is fun. Even if it’s just fruits and vegetables.
So I always try to keep a batch of this DIY spray on hand. And when I run out, making more is easy. And I feel good having produce that not only nourishes, but truly protects my health for now, and for my future years as well.
Do you wash your produce before using it? What’s your favorite method?
I can’t wait to try this!! I’m always so careful with the produce I buy for these exact reasons
Yes, we always wash our produce before using it, or consuming it. We usually just use warm water, but I’ll have to try this DIY spray sometime!
This is something I totally agree with!! It’s so important to wash your veggies, we dont’ know how they are handled before they go to us!
This is really nice. It’s good to know that you can get rid of those pesticides that so many companies use. This is also why I prefer organic. Thanks for the recipe!
Wow, such a qucik and simple recipe for washing fruits and vegetables, will definitely stop purchasing the spray washes and start making my own.
I”ve heard about these sprays, but I never tried them. I think I was skeptical as to if they really worked or not. I usually just use vinegar.
I am totally going to make the spray! I get weekly delivery of fruits and veggies and the first thing I do is remove stickers and wash it all. It’s so time consuming but worth it. A spray would make life so much easier!
I love a good water and vinegar wash for fruits and veggies! It works well! There are towels too for scrubbing certain fruits and vegetables as you wash too.
This is such a useful DIY! The thought of pesticides all over my fruit and vegetables has always disturbed me!!
Cheers, Sarah Camille // SCsScoop.com
Great tips! I need to be better about cleaning my produce. I admit I’m usually too lazy and just give a quick rinse, or wipe with a cloth. Ack! I’ll have to try this DIY mix!
This spray sounds great. I typically have just used hot water and a tiny bit of soap but this sounds like it would work much better
I always wash my fruit, but just under running water. No scrubbing or anything. I know, yuck! It’s quicker. Although this, as long as I keep the bottle near the sink, is just as quick. Maybe not with the drying, but it’s healthier! I’ve got all the stuff to do this, plus a glass spray bottle.
This is so important. There are so few regulations for pesticides. Love this product.
This sounds like a great spray in preparing food ready to eat. And so simple to make too! I didn’t realise how bad it was to not clean them properly.
One has to be so careful when cleaning fresh fruits and vegetables. I love being able to make sure that your family is consuming clean foods.
I am so glad I found this. I have been looking for a great DIY fruit and veggie spray
Washing your produce is so very important. I totally agree. Removing pesticides, germs and maybe even bacteria is so important to your health! Love your DIY Spray!!
Washing your veggies is so important. I need to make this spray so that I have it on hand.
I never knew that there was a spray that you could make. This looks like it is so perfect for washing those veggies up.
Bookmarking this one! I am so picky with fruits and veggies because of pesticides! Next time I will use your little guide here 🙂
When my mom was battling cancer I was totally on top of the dirty dozen and clean 15. Lately, I’ve slacked on keeping up with it. I need to get better at it again and also try this DIY cleaner. I think I’ve also heard that soaking your fruits and veggies can help them last longer.
I usually just rinse my fruits and veggies, but after reading this post I need to be more diligent. I’m glad to know that I can make a cleanser at home using natural products.
I have often wondered about the best way to clean my fruits & veggies. So very happy to read a post and see that it’s simple–and stuff that’s always in my kitchen.
I just finally got a veggie brush – so psyched! 🙂