Homemade Fruit and Veggie Wash
fruit-and-veggie-wash
Have you ever been in the produce department and seen someone pick their nose…….and THEN pick their cantaloupe? Well honey, I have. And I’ve also been in the bathroom and seen tons of ladies leave without washing their hands. I want to scream after them “HEY! Come back! You forgot to wash your hands!” But seriously, think about all the people who have handled that apple before you…..did they wash? Did they pick…..something? Probably. So, it’s not far fetched to realize that you should be cleaning your fruits and vegetables before you eat them. I used to just wash mine under running water, but that doesn’t cut it for me anymore (see booger reference above). If I get something from my parents or from a friend, I figure washing it with water is pretty safe. But, to cover my butt (and not pick it) I’ve started making fruit and veggie wash to get rid of all the germs that might still be lurking. It’s very easy and includes one of my favorite things……white vinegar. Shocking, right?
You’ll need a spray bottle (I used and 8-oz. bottle), white vinegar and lemon juice. You can use fresh lemon juice, but I didn’t have any for this picture. I’m a slacker. I only used a small spray bottle because you’ll need to make a new batch about every two weeks. Leaving it at room temperature makes the lemon juice lose its potency. If you use fresh lemon, throw the peeling down the disposal to make it smell lemony fresh instead of like dead animal. Oh and just so you know, a whole potato won’t grind up in a garbage disposal…..or so I’ve been told by OTHER PEOPLE. *Cough*

 
To your bottle add one tablespoon of lemon juice and two tablespoons of white vinegar. White vinegar just rocks my face off.
Fill the rest of your bottle up with water. Put the top on and give it a little shake. Shake baby shake.
Spray your fruits or vegetables down with the spray and then let them sit a minute. If you’re cleaning a waxy vegetable, you might have to scrub it a little bit. Waxy vegetable…..that just doesn’t sound appetizing at all.

 
After a minute, rinse your item under running water. Make sure you rinse it very well. A bite of vinegar apple wouldn’t taste very well…..and it might keep your kids from trying them ever again.

A few notes:

-Don’t use this solution on mushrooms. They absorb things really fast, so they would take on a vinegar taste. Just use water for them.

-Porous fruits (peaches and berries) might absorb the lemon juice so spray them and then wash immediately without waiting a minute.

-The acid in white vinegar neutralizes pesticides

-Lemon juice is a natural disinfectant

 
Mommy Stacy says to tell you that you should wash ALL your fruits and vegetables – even your bananas, cantaloupes, and watermelons (think salmonella). Yes, you take the rind off but you’re still touching it and then touching the fruit on the inside. Tons of diseases are transferred through fruit and vegetables, so keep yourself safe and wash. Oh, and wash your hands after you use the bathroom too. 

Homemade Veggie/Fruit Wash 

 

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsps white vinegar

1 cup water

 

Mix together. Store in a spray bottle. Spray down fruits and vegetables, let sit one minute, and then rinse under running water. See notes above for specific rules when using.

Disclosure: Some posts include links to sponsors or affiliates, which give me a small percentage of the sale. You are not obligated to use these links when you make a purchase, but when you do so it helps to support this site, so thank you!

About Stacy

Stacy is the author of Crock On: A Semi-Whole Foods Slow Cooker Cookbook and a stay-at-home mom to her two children, Annie (3) and Andy (newborn). After an “awakening” in March 2011, her family switched to a more natural, whole foods diet. She likes to blog about how to live on less than you make and how to eat good food while doing it. Her passion is teaching others how to save money and she tag teams with her husband in this endeavor. At Stacy Makes Cents you’ll find information on how to save money in the kitchen, how to have fun with your kids, and how to be thrifty in all areas of life. Her passion is teaching others how to live debt free. Make sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with her daily antics.

  • Haley

    If you refrigerate your fruit/veggie wash, do you still have to make it every 2 weeks?

    • Stacy

      Probably not. But if I stuck mine in the fridge instead of leaving it on the sink, I would forget to use it. :-)

  • Angela Tuell

    I love this idea! How do I enter for the napkins? I only have a few I’d love to get some more!!

    • Stacy

      Just click on the button that says “Enter The Giveaway.” It’s at the very bottom. :-)

  • Angela Tuell

    Oh you mean the HUGE green one that I missed the first time? *blush*

    • Stacy

      :-) It’s okay. All moms have good excuses for missing stuff like that.

  • Courtney

    I found a really good tip on-line that keeps berries from getting moldy. When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider probably work best) and ten parts water. Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted I find you can’t taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge. The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! Raspberries will last a week or more, and strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft.

    • Stacy

      That sounds similar to the treatment you give to peaches and other fruits before you can them. :-) Thanks Courtney!