Today I think we'll talk about cleaning produce.
Your water supply should be clean of course. If you aren't filtering your water source then you should use purified/filtered water for cleaning not adding to your pesticide coated or filled fruit.
Washing Fresh Green Leafy Vegetables
TIP
I know for years I watched my grandparents wash their leafy green vegetables in a sink of cold water with salt added. This is great for homegrown collards, turnips, cabbage, mustard etc. If you have added pesticide (hope not) add some vinegar or lemon juice to this water as well. Soak for 10 minutes then drain and put through at least three rinses of fresh cold water.
- Fill sink half to three-quarters full of cold clean water
- Add 1/2 cup salt
- Add 1/2 cup white vinegar IF produce has been sprayed with Pesticides
- Swish around to mix
- Add your leafy greens to water
- Soak 10 minutes
- Rinse in through 3 clean sinks of fresh cold water
Washing Lettuces are very tender so I would pull apart and place in a colander.
- Fill a large bowl or sink with enough water to submerge. Add some vinegar or lemon juice to the container.
- Dip the lettuces up and down soaking a few times.
- Rinse with cold water then drain and put into a salad spinner if you have one.
TIP Cleaning Berries: The best advice: Buy or Pick Your Own from Organically-Pesticide Free Farms.
General information on berries: Berries are more tender so I advise you to clean in this manner
- Place in colander
- Rinse with clean cold water gently
- Fill large bowl or sink with water to submerge if very dirty
- Dip colander up and down to rinse
- Drain in colander
- Place on paper towel lined counter to dry naturally
- 1 part lemon juice or vinegar
- 3 parts water
- Place in spray bottle or add about a cup of lemon juice or vinegar to small sink of water to place fruit in.
Pesticide Cleaning Sprays
DIY #1
Homemade Produce Spray
- 1 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbs. baking soda
- One spray bottle
Mix well until baking soda is dissolved. Put into the spray bottle. Spray onto fruits and vegetables and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse spray off and there you have it.
DIY #2
Homemade Produce Spray
- 1 Tbs. lemon juice
- 2 Tbs. white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- One spray bottle
Place mixture into spray bottle and shake vigorously. Spray the wash on your produce. Rub completely or use scrub brush to clean. Rinse with clean water.
DIY #3
Produce Wash
- 3 parts water
- 1 part white vinegar
Make sure your fruits and veggies are at Room Temperature before soaking to prevent them from soaking up the dirty pesticide residue.
Sink or large bowl fill with measured mixture. Soak for at least 10 minutes or you can leave up to an hour. (of course you wouldn't want to leave tender or water filled soft skinned fruits in this an hour so use your judgement).
The pesticide residue will float to the top. Remove rinse and get rid of water mixture.
I'd like to say that it is very sad that in this day and time we need to worry about how our food is being grown. The cancer causing pesticides are a big concern. It is advisable to clean what we can and limit purchase of items that we can not clean of them. Some produce both has these harmful products inside of them and there is nothing we can do about them other than finding organically grown or better yet growing our own.
Have a great week!
Enjoy!
