Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients, but they aren’t always as clean as they look. Before they reach your kitchen, they’ve often been grown in fields, handled by farm workers, packed into boxes, transported across long distances, stocked on grocery shelves, and picked up by countless shoppers.
Along the way, produce can collect dirt, bacteria, pesticide residue, and other contaminants. Even fruits and vegetables with thick peels can spread germs to your hands, cutting boards, and knives while you’re preparing them.
A quick rinse under cool running water is usually all it takes to remove much of the dirt and surface residue. Here are 14 fruits and vegetables that should always be washed before you eat or prepare them.
Apples
Apples often have a thin food-grade wax coating that helps keep them fresh during shipping. That coating can also collect dust, dirt, and traces of pesticide residue.
Before eating or slicing an apple, rinse it under running water and gently rub the skin with your hands or a produce brush.
Leafy Greens
Lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula, and other leafy greens can trap dirt between their leaves. They may also carry bacteria picked up during growing and harvesting.
Separate the leaves and rinse them well under cool water. Even greens labeled “pre-washed” can benefit from another quick rinse.
Berries
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are delicate fruits that can easily collect dirt and residue on their surface.
Rinse berries just before eating them. Washing them too far ahead of time adds moisture, which can make them spoil more quickly.
Grapes
Because grapes grow in tight clusters, dust and other debris can collect between them.
Place them in a colander and rinse them thoroughly under cool running water while gently rubbing the grapes with your hands.
Cucumbers
Many cucumbers sold in grocery stores have a wax coating that helps them stay fresh longer. Dirt and bacteria can cling to that surface.
Give cucumbers a good rinse and lightly scrub the skin before cutting or eating them.
Potatoes
Potatoes spend their entire growing season underground, so it’s common for dirt to remain on the skin even after they’re packaged.
Scrub potatoes under running water before cutting them. This keeps soil from being transferred inside the potato by your knife.
Carrots
Carrots also grow beneath the soil, and small amounts of dirt often remain on the surface.
A quick rinse and gentle scrub remove leftover soil and leave them ready for cooking or snacking.
Bell Peppers
Bell peppers may look spotless, but their smooth skin can still carry dirt, bacteria, and pesticide residue.
Wash peppers before slicing them so contaminants on the outside aren’t carried into the flesh by your knife.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are often eaten raw, which makes washing them especially worthwhile.
Rinse each tomato under cool running water and gently rub the skin before slicing or serving.
Mushrooms
Fresh mushrooms sometimes have bits of growing material or dirt clinging to them.
Instead of soaking them, give them a quick rinse or wipe them with a damp paper towel. Mushrooms absorb water easily, so a long soak can make them soggy.
Fresh Herbs
Herbs like cilantro, parsley, dill, and basil can hide tiny insects, grit, and dirt between their leaves.
Swish them gently in a bowl of cool water, then pat them dry with a clean towel before using them.
Melons
Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew have thick rinds, but they still need to be washed.
When you cut through the rind, your knife can carry bacteria from the outside directly into the fruit. A quick rinse before slicing helps lower that risk.
Peaches and Nectarines
Peaches and nectarines can collect dust, residue, and bacteria during handling.
Rinse them gently under cool water and lightly rub the skin before taking a bite or cutting them into slices.
Pears
Like apples, pears are usually eaten with the skin on. They may also have a light wax coating that can trap dirt and residue.
Wash pears under running water and gently rub the surface before serving them.
