1. Yes, it's a whole new look! Have questions or need help? Please post your question in the New Forum Questions thread Click the X to the right to dismiss this notice
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Seeing tons of unread posts after the upgrade? See this thread for help. Click the X to the right to dismiss this notice
    Dismiss Notice

What's the honest-to-goodness best way to wash your produce?

Discussion in 'Nature/Habitat/Garden Corner' started by OSimpson, Mar 4, 2009.

  1. OSimpson

    OSimpson Certified Master Naturalist

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2006
    Messages:
    1,015
    Likes Received:
    21
    The Bite
    Use water and white vinegar - no lie. A few squirts on your fruits and veggies gets rid of the nasty stuff (like pesticide residue) that you don't want - no store-bought washes necessary. Sincerely yours, Ideal Bite.
    The Benefits

    * Brushing bugs under the rug. A diluted vinegar rinse kills 98% of bacteria on produce - researchers found it works even better than a scrub brush.
    * Cash savings you can believe in. Water and vinegar rinses cost just pennies; the premade washes we found cost $4 and up.
    * It's a simple truth: Buying plastic bottles of produce wash means having to recycle them too (not to mention the energy and materials needed to make and ship them in the first place) - you'll still need to buy bottles of vinegar, but you'll buy fewer of them.

    Personally Speaking
    Some of us who happen to have white vinegar in our pantries actually have no idea how it got there. Now we've got a use for it…

    Wanna Try?

    * Mix water to white vinegar 3:1 in a spray bottle (if you've already got a bottle of the premade stuff, use it up and reuse the sprayer). Rinse with water after you spray. Yes, it's that easy.

    Homemade vinegar rinses: easy to make, cost almost nothin', and they avert unnecessary products - totally deserving of a solid four apples.
     
  2. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,929
    Likes Received:
    69
    i run it under cold water and hope for the best. i'm not dead yet- 38 years running...
     
  3. Ozgood

    Ozgood Not a space alien

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2008
    Messages:
    1,922
    Likes Received:
    1
    Nice to hear that old and cheap stuff works better than the new fancy stuff.

    Thanks for posting this.
     
  4. sharse

    sharse TeamDonzi rocks!!

    Joined:
    May 28, 2005
    Messages:
    2,795
    Likes Received:
    9
    If it doesn't leave a vinegar smell or even worse, flavor... I'm all over it! I'll try it when my store-bought bottle is empty.
     
  5. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    3,430
    Likes Received:
    148
    I use very diluted vinegar for meats and store brand bottled lemon juice for my produce. A little bit goes a long way. When I run out of lemon juice, I use vinegar or plain ole dish soap and a vegetable brush for produce.
     
  6. penny

    penny New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2003
    Messages:
    41
    Likes Received:
    1
    Hi KTdid-can you tell me what ratio water-to-vinegar you use for meat? Do you use the vinegar rinse for all meats?
    Thanks!
     
  7. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    3,430
    Likes Received:
    148
    Hi Penny - sorry for the late response. I fill a spray bottle with vinegar and just spritz the steak or chops and rinse. Another method is to fill bowl with water and add 1/8 or less cup of vinegar then submerge the roast or whatever your cooking for 30 seconds and rinse. I prefer the spray method because it's convenient to use on fruits and vegetables too, oh and for cleaning. Just be sure to label the bottle "full-strength vinegar".
     
  8. Nwfdrool

    Nwfdrool New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    257
    Likes Received:
    4
    So, no need to scrub with the vinegar mixture? Just spray and rinse?
     

Share This Page