Everyone knows that eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is a healthy choice, but in recent years in the United States, there have been numerous disease outbreaks caused by unwashed produce, including spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce.
That's why you should thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before eating them to remove chemical residues and dirt. So how should you wash fruits and vegetables?
Since your hands may have germs and dirt on them, wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before washing fruits and vegetables.
If you're using a kitchen sink to soak fruits and vegetables, first wash and clean the sink thoroughly until it's spotless.
When washing fruits and vegetables, remove any spoiled outer layers and bruised or damaged parts.
Fill the sink about 2/3 full with water and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of baking soda to the water, stirring well. Place the fruits or vegetables into this baking soda water and wash them.
For vegetables and fruits like watermelon, apples, carrots, or potatoes, use a soft-bristled vegetable brush to clean them thoroughly.
When cleaning lettuce or cabbage, remove the outermost leaves.
