fruit/veggie wash

PhillyGal34

I use a fruit/veggie wash for all of my fruit and vegetables because I cannot always find/afford the organic vegetables that I need.  Anyway, it isn't cheap and I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions for either a homemade wash or a brand that is good but not super expensive. 

Thanks! 

 

ETA- I also want something natural because what is the point of washing off chemicals with chemicals??? 

CDMay2006

I just use water, or soap and water (same as for dishes).  It's a good idea to wash all of it to get it clean (germs and surface chemicals), but i wanted to point out that much of the chemicals used in conventional agriculture are IN the fruits and vegetables, not just on them.  You might like to check out the dirty dozen/clean 15 lists to get an idea of how much chemical load conventional produce has (it's organized by type, like apples or peppers).  

PhillyGal34

thank you! I have been moving toward green for the past year but am taking slow steps to avoid overload/ being overwhelmed.  I've been working on using greener products in our home and trying to be more green in the kitchen and never gave this much thought. I know some times organic foods are not really "better" than others and sometimes the organic foods are from so far away that they have a much larger carbon footprint than local non-organic foods so I'm really torn sometimes... I will check out those lists, I really appreciate it!

JenD1018

You can do a vinegar wash.  I actually just read about it in Cooks Illustrated:

Forget buying expensive fruit and vegetable washes. A spray bottle filled with 3 parts water and 1 part white vinegar works just as well to clean smooth-surfaced produce such as apples and pears. Just spray, then rinse under tap water. In our tests, this method removed 98 percent of surface bacteria.

Delicate fruit, like berries, can be washed in a bowl filled with three parts water and one part white vinegar.  Drain, rinse with tap water, and then spin dry in a salad spinner lined with paper towels.

It's also good practice to wash produce that has inedible rinds and peels, such as melons, because cutting into a contaminated peel can drag pathogens inside.

 

PhillyGal34

is there anything vinegar can't do??? it amazes me!

 

I did know to wash even inedible rind fruits/veggies for that reason.  I heard about it on a show and it was like a light bulb went off... it seems so obvious yet I had never thought of it! 

fizzybauberswed

Ditto the vinegar wash.

Daisy07gray

  I love vinegar

PhillyGal34

i just bought a huge bottle yesterday (in a recyclable container of course) haha

pfal6

I have the fruit & veggie wash that you can get at WF and TJ's. But I did find a recipe for it online that was just vinegar, water, and lemon juice. I plan to make this & put it in the bottle when it is gone.

jerseygirlgreen

This is great stuff.  And the company is eco-friendly, fair trade and a member of the organic trade association.

 

http://www.myceladonroad.com/shop/productdetail.aspx?prod=033-011