How to Make Homemade Fruit and Vegetable Wash

Whether you procure your fresh vegetables and fruits from an upmarket departmental store or from a street vendor, it is very important to wash them thoroughly. Well, is water enough to get rid of all the dirt, grime and pesticides that come with these fruits and vegetables? The answer most times is no, and in a lot of cases you can’t be sure. Thus, it is important to use fruit and vegetable wash to clean your vegetables. There are ample products available in the market that you can use instantly, but our recommendation is to use homemade fruit and vegetable washes. Want to know how you can make these washes at home? Browse the following article to know these recipes in detail!

Why Is It Necessary to Wash Vegetables and Fruits Before Consumption?

Organic or non-organic fruits and vegetables, no matter what you buy, it is very important to wash them thoroughly before consumption. Here are some reasons that justify why it is necessary to wash fruits and vegetables before consumption:

1.To Get Rid of Pesticides

It may surprise you, but even organic food manufacturers use organic pesticides on your products. Though it is far better than the pesticides that are commercially used by other framers, nobody would want their family to consume any kind of pesticides. Therefore, it is important to use fruit and vegetable wash to remove pesticides.

2. To Get Rid of Germs

Not only pesticides or chemicals, but the product can also come in contact with a lot of germs because you don’t know how many people may have touched them or handled them before you finally bought them.

3. To Get Rid of Unknown Ingredients

The shiny and fresh looking veggies and fruits in your refrigerator may sometimes contain unknown ingredients that may harm you. For example, the lush green spinach leaves may be sprayed with harmful dye, or the apples may contain a coating of wax. Such things can harm you.

4.To Increase the Shelf Life

When you wash your vegetables and fruits and store them nicely, it helps in keeping them fresh for longer and thus increases its shelf life.

Benefits of Making Your Own Fruit and Vegetable Wash

There are many vegetable and fruit washes available in the market that you can use for cleaning. However, it is better to use your own fruit and vegetable wash because:

• You can make it fresh and use it as desired.
• Different vegetables and fruits require different kinds of washes; you can make them as per requirements.
• These washes turn out to cheaper or inexpensive in comparison to store-bought washes.
• These washes help in preserving the produce and keep it fresh for longer.

DIY Fruit and Vegetable Wash

Here are some some recipes for fruit and vegetable wash that you can make:

1. Water and Vinegar Wash

This fruit and vegetable vinegar wash is very good for thoroughly washing your vegetables and fruits.

What You Will Need

• 1 part vinegar
• 3 parts of water

Directions

• Take water and vinegar. Mix well.
• Place your veggies or fruits in it for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Scrub gently and give a final rinse with plain water.

2. Water and Apple Cider Vinegar Wash

This homemade fruit and veggie wash with apple cider vinegar not only removes harmful bacteria from the fruits and veggies, but also helps effectively get rid of harmful pesticides.

What You Will Need

• 1 part apple cider vinegar
• 10 parts of water

Directions

• Mix water and apple cider vinegar or ACV.
• Soak the store bought fruits or veggies in it for approximately 10 minutes.
• Gently scrub them and wash under tap water.

3. Salt Wash

Salt not only adds taste to your food, but also helps clean fruits and vegetables.

What You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon salt for every cup of water.

Directions

• Soak the greens or fruits in it for 5 minutes.
• You can scrub the dirty spots.
• Rinse with plain tap water, dry and store.

4. Hydrogen Peroxide

This is another fairly popular way of cleaning your produce.

What You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide for every 4 litres of water (3% hydrogen peroxide)

Directions

• Immerse the vegetables or fruits in the solution for roughly 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the solution, wash with regular water, air them and store as desired.

5. Lemon and Vinegar Wash

Lemon, vinegar and water combo work wonders in cleaning your vegetables. You can also use this organic wash liquid spray for cleaning fruits.

What You Will Need

• 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 ½ cup water
• A spray bottle.

Directions

• Pour all the ingredients in the spray bottle and shake well.
• Sprinkle on the fruits and vegetables.
• Wash thoroughly with water before cooking the vegetables or eating the fruits.

6. Germ Wash

This wash is ideal for killing any germs that may be present on your freshly bought veggies and fruits.

What Will You Need

• A spray bottle filled with hydrogen peroxide (don’t dilute with water)
• A spray bottle filled with vinegar (don’t dilute by adding water)

Directions

• Spray the vegetables or fruits with vinegar first and then with hydrogen peroxide.
• Thoroughly rinse before consuming or cooking.

7. Essential Oil Wash

Procure therapeutic grade oil because your food will be coming in contact with the oil.

What You Will Need

• 2 to 3 drops of lemon oil (therapeutic grade essential oil)

Directions

• Fill water in a large vessel or sink.
• Add essential oil in it and soak your produce for a few minutes.
• Rinse with regular water.

Tips for Washing Fruits and Veggies

Here are some tips for washing veggies and fruits:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap before handling fruits and vegetables.
• Remove the outer leaves or wilted leaves of the leafy vegetables like cabbage or lettuce.
• Always wash berries before consumption. Washing and storing them beforehand can spoil them quickly.
• Do not soak mushrooms in water for long because they will soak water, which can spoil them soon.
• Discard any bruised or damaged areas before washing.
• You must also wash fruits or vegetables with peels as it may prevent bacteria or other germs to enter after peeling.
• Make use of a clean and soft brush to scrub the vegetables and fruits while washing.
• Make sure you dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel before storing.

The produce that you procure from the market usually comes with dirt, chemicals, wax and other harmful substances on them. Using your own fruits and vegetable wash for cleaning the produce is highly recommended, and it is a safer bet than store-bought washes or what you will get from the market. So, try these simple and effective tips and produce healthier for consumption.

Also Read:

Interesting Facts About Dangerous Household Waste
Tips for Making Compost At Home
Ways for Cleaning Fish Tank at Home