The key factors in keeping fruit fresh longer are how you store and wash it. Learn how to make apple cider vinegar fruit wash for your produce and some other helpful tips!
When you eat a lot of real food, you buy a lot of produce. Making sure that produce lasts all week (or two) is a tricky matter! The key is all in how you store it and when you wash it. And you are washing all your produce, right?
We have the dirty dozen and clean fifteen list, but despite the organic label, produce still has some level of gunk coated on it. Organic farms will use allowed pesticides. But I’m also talking about plain ole dirt. In that dirt, we find bugs, parasites, bacteria, and other toxic residues.
Think about natural fertilizer options? Yes, there might be some not so lovely things on our produce. Not to mention the number of hands that have touched your food on its way to the market.
More reasons to grow a garden! But before you are completely grossed out at your strawberries, let’s learn how to clean, store them, and make apple cider vinegar fruit wash!
Cleaning The Produce
There are fruits and vegetables that need to be cleaned right before you eat them. If you clean them and store them, you may end up with mushy produce. Rule of thumb, if it has a soft outer layer, wash it before you eat them.
- Strawberries
- Berries
- Mangoes
- Peaches
- Pears
- Eggplants
- Tomatoes
These fruits and veggies are best washed ahead of time and stored:
- Apples
- Avocados
- Melons
- Celery
- Bell peppers
- Radishes
- Lettuce
Apple Cider Vinegar Fruit Wash
To save on money there are several options of making your own produce wash with ingredients you already have. One of my favorite methods using apple cider vinegar fruit wash.
Apple cider vinegar is one of those miracle ingredients. You can clean the counters, soak your grains, make salad dressing, detox your body, keep heartburn at bay, and even remove moles. Plus, you can make it yourself from apple scraps.
The steps to cleaning produce in apple cider vinegar fruit wash are very simple.
Step 1. Dilute 1 Tbsp ACV in 1 cup of water.
Step 2. Add fruit or veggies.
Step 3. Soak and stir for about 5 minutes.
Step 4. Rinse well and dry.
Tips for Washing Produce
Soaking
- Agitation is key. Make a point to stir the produce a time or two while soaking.
Scrubbing
- Obviously, you can’t scrub strawberries, but pick up a bristle brush like this one the next time you’re near a dollar store and use it exclusively on washing produce.
- Get all the nooks and crannies well; pesticides can hide there too!
- Just because you don’t eat the outside of cantaloupe and mangos, doesn’t mean you not should wash and scrub them too. Cross-contamination from the knife to the cutting board and into the flesh of the fruit is completely possible.
Rinsing
- Wash big batches directly in the sink. Fill up the sink with water, add a few big splashes of apple cider vinegar and soak away (don’t forget to stir!).
- Another method includes spraying the produce with the apple cider vinegar/water mixture and letting it sit for five minutes before rinsing. Leave a simple spray bottle like this one on your counter for a quick wash.
Drying
- Some produce can be hand dried, like apples and berries.
- Some produce is better air-dried like peaches and tomatoes.
- Make sure produce is completely dry before storing it in the fridge.
FAQS
Using a vinegar fruit wash helps to break down bacteria, residue, and dirt!
You can soak your fruit in vinegar for 15 minutes. Make sure the produce is fully submerged.
The best kind is homemade like my vinegar fruit wash but if I am short on time, I buy this vegetable wash.
How to Keep Fruit Fresh Longer
Now that your fruits and veggies are clean. How long can you store them?
Produce with softer outer layers does better if washed right before eating. The day of is ok too.
Produce with thicker skin can be washed ahead of time and stored in the fridge. For optimal storage use the following guidelines for these common fruits and veggies:
Air-tight Container or Plastic Bag in the Fridge
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cherries
- Cucumber
- Radish
- Spinach
Ventilated Container or Plastic Bag in the Fridge
- Berries
- Greens*
- Eggplant
- Lettuce*
- Mushrooms
- Snap peas
*Greens and lettuce can be washed ahead of time and stored in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel. This will actually keep them fresh a little longer!
Ventilated on the Counter
- Avocado
- Bananas
- Mango
- Melon
- Tomatoes
If You Are Short On Time
One of the biggest struggles of a real food kitchen is the time it takes to clean, cut, and cook from scratch. One of my biggest tips to save time is to prep food ahead. This becomes a struggle with the fresh produce.
It would be nice to finish a big trip to Costco and take a half-hour and prep all the veggies for the week and not have to touch a knife again. But that doesn’t always keep your food fresh.
I’m not telling you not to prep, because that will save you a lot of time. But when you do prep, make sure your meal plan is set accordingly. If you prep strawberries and bell peppers, eat the strawberry vinaigrette salad you have planned that same day (or the next). The peppers will last a few days longer so the stir fry can come later.
The bottom line, however, is that fruits and veggies will only stay fresh for so long. Preserve by dehydrating, freezing, or canning. Then you have plenty of fruit in the off-season for granola bars, smoothies, or topping your toast! If you have never canned before and are intimidated by the process, follow this tutorial.
More DIY Natural Recipes
- How to Get Rid of Mold and Mildew Using Essential Oils
- DIY Linen Spray With Essential Oils
- Homemade Toothpaste (That’s Just Like Earthpaste!)
- DIY All-Natural Homemade Hand Purifier
Crush Inflation Challenge
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LeTreay
Sadly I don’t recall scrubbing veggies and fruits growing up. In fact I clearly remember Grandma saying something like, “A little dirt never hurt”. We used to rinse and go.
Janie
Hi
I couldn’t read all of the replies on this post, so apologies if someone has already mentioned it, but I used ACV to get rid of my sons’ plantar warts (and warts in general) with great success. Just soak a tiny piece of tissue or paper towel in vinegar, then put it directly on the wart and cover with a sticking plaster. I tore off a small corner then rolled it into a ball-shaped wad. I replaced it about every 48 hours and within a week the warts were gone. Take care not to overlap onto the skin too much when applying the wad, as it can irritate a little. It is much safer and more effective than those expensive products they sell at the pharmacy!
BTW, I knew ACV had many uses, but I have not yet used it to wash my produce – I will give it a try in place of the ordinary white vinegar I have been using.
Thanks!
Di H.
I am using Branch Basics and the ease of use is amazing! It is on the expensive side for the concentrate but you only use a little bit per bottle and fill the rest with water. I use their foam pump bottles and it lasts forever! My kids used to fly thru almost a bottle every 2 weeks and this one has lasted us over a month. . It even shows you the line to fill on their bottles. Compared to vinegar there is basically no scent. Adjust the dilution and you can pretty much use it on everything! Baby wash, produce wash, spot cleaner, window cleaner, all purpose cleaner, laundry detergent, etc.
Now if you are making acv and your own cleaners for basically free you may not find that it’s as cost effective.
Tiffany
Thanks for the brand recommendation Di! Making everything from scratch isn’t in the cards for everyone, nor the super-frugal all the time, so I do appreciate this tip on good green cleaners. 🙂
Kim
Hello…I use a vinegar. Lemon salt wash on my produce.. then let air dry before using in salads. Including stems leaves etc. . And all. What doesn’t get eaten in by 2 Nd day goes into a brown paper bag with pin holes in it and hung up to dry . Later used for additives to salads as a dry spice. . Especially works well with spinach.. kale spring onions and like vegetables….I live in Arizona nice and dry heat here. Only recommend a dark ventilated place without extra humidity for the brown bag method….you can also use a white netted zipper bag that they sell in laundry section of wally world for like 1.29…to spin dry your lettuces as well…have used on alfalfa and more fragiles.. which helps assistance in maintain a proper moisture balance…washable and reusable…
Adam
I’ve always been told……apple cider vinegar for food/cosmetic use…..and white vinegar for pickling/cleaning …… lol. I don’t know if it really makes a difference though.
Tasha
Since the ACV is diluted in water, do you think it’s safe to use the kitchen sink (cleaned) or a large stainless steel bowl? I was concerned about the metal being reactive to the ACV.
Tiffany
I think you’re fine Tasha. I haven’t heard or read anything about ACV being reaction to metal.
Tasha
Thank you Tiffany for responding.
Mini Clean
This one is really interesting. Vinegar is indeed a wonder! I should try this at home then. The problem with cleaning with vinegar is its smell, but I’ll be worry free with this then. Bugs and other insects are my biggest problems since sanitation is very vital for me especially that we have some babies at home.
Tiffany
ACV doesn’t have too strong of a smell in terms of washing produce, but if you’re using it for general house cleaning, we make citrus vinegar first to help make the smell better. Check it out: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2012/07/diy-citrus-infused-vinegar/
KK
Hi Tiffany,
I am assuming the ACV removes pesticides? I currently always wash my produce, even organic, with a Veggie Wash. However, the store I frequent (and I see you frequent too:) changed the product once they put their own name on it and now it has such a strong odor, I no longer like it!! I have been considering changing so this article is certainly helpful. I already keep a spray bottle in the kitchen with citrus vinegar I made for cleaning…do you think this will work? It was made with regular vinegar but has the benefit of citrus in it. Thank you for all your helpful, encouraging posts!!
Blessings,
Kay
Tiffany
Hi Kay! The ACV removes dirt and any trace remains of toxins sprayed on the surface of the produce. I’ve used citrus cleaner in a pinch, but the downside is that most distilled white vinegar is made with corn… and corn is very likely GMO. So in essence, it seems odd to clean food with “dirty” spray. Ideally, ACV is best. However, if you’ve got citrus vinegar and the budget says no more, then I won’t knock you for using what you got! 🙂
Christopher Pratt
Soaked apples in the vinegar solution recommended, but now there is some kind of white coating on them that will not come off and was not visible before soaking. What is it, why did it happen and are they ok to eat? Thanks!
Tiffany
I’m not sure Christopher – I’ve never had that happen before. Could it just be residue that needs to be wiped/dryed off? How long was the apple in the solution?
Jenn P
That sounds like the wax that was applied to the apples. Speaking of bugs, did you know that produce wax is made from bugs?
Anita
Hi! Just a late reply to your article re washing produce with ACV which sounds great! I use frozen berries to add to my smoothies – could I take them out of the freezer and wash them with ACV and then put them straight back in the freezer?
Cathie
Hi Tiffany….I’m curious, did you look into Branch Basics? I found that product recently and found your site today. Seeing the comment about it made me wonder what you thought of the product if you did look into it. I’m trying to weigh the value of Branch Basics given the cost. Thanks
Tiffany
Hi Cathie! I have not, but I can do that today. I don’t doubt that there’s products that work, but it’s the cost… especially when I already have ACV on-hand.
Gabie
After washing, how long does the produce usually last? I know with strawberries, washing causes the fruit to turn faster.
Tiffany
The ACV acts as a slight preservative, so it seems to last longer than usual. Although, it’s recommended to wash right before using to prevent it from aging faster. I’d say you have at least 2 days post-washing to use the fruit, possibly longer if it air-dries well before moving to the fridge. You might have longer, but we usually eat ours within that time frame.
Jane
Removing the bacteria and fungus acts as a preservative. If you haven’t washed off all of the vinegar, you haven’t cleaned anything or removed the pesticides.
Kate
Hello,
I attempted to remove a raised mole from my face with ACV. After a few day of applying ACV, the scab formed and it came off, leaving a slightly raised area. It seems as only the top of the mole came off on too if this there is yellow discharge coming out. I used lots of different ointments but it’s been three days and it’s not getting better, wonder whether I should see a doctor?
What do you guys recommend?
Thanks for advice
Joyce
Kate, First of all, good for you for using the Apple Cider vinegar! It does wonders. Now, this is what I would do… get some hexane free castor oil and use a q-tip and glob it over the area. Then cover with a band-aid to seal in the oil. Since it is on your face, I would do this in the evening and wear the band-aid to bed overnight. Remove in the morning and repeat until it is all gone. You will be amazed. After it heals do this for several more nights. If it ever comes back… just repeat. Castor oil is amazing stuff! Best of luck- Joyce
Tiffany
Hi Kate! You can see our personal experience with removing a mole with ACV here: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2013/04/how-to-remove-a-mole-with-apple-cider-vinegar/
However, we are not medical professionals and cannot recommend any sort of medical treatment 🙂
Sally
Thank you so much for your reply Tiffany! Have a great day. 🙂
Sally
Hello Tiffany,
Quick question… Will this remove the Waxy coat on Apples etc?
Thank you 🙂
Tiffany
Give the apples a few dunks and use some elbow grease as you dry and they absolutely will!
Brian
Cantilupes were mentioned re. cleaning fruit. I use all the cantilupe as it is a great scourse of vitamins and minerals that help prevent hardening of the arteries, and relieve anxiety and insomnia.
Eating only the flesh gives you 5% of the benefits using the whole melon including the skin, by passing it through a juicer provides 95%.
Can i use peroxide with cider vinegar to clean my fruit.
Tiffany
Hi Brian,
I would not recommend peroxide to clean your produce. 🙂
Jane
1. Never mix hydrogen peroxide with vinegar. It creates peracetic acid which is dangerous.
2. What you are buying isn’t really cantaloupe, but muskmelon. Use a search engine to find images of European cantaloupe to see the difference.
3. Use the vinegar bath along with some brushing to clean the melon.
4. Yes, I know the age of this article, but some other person will eventually see it, as I did, and try to make peracetic acid.
Carol
Does Braggs apple Cider vinegar kill parasites and bugs on vegetables and meat??
Tiffany
Hi Carol,
ACV will do what you need it to do on vegetables, but there are some breeds of parasites in meat that can only be killed by heat. That’s why there’s the push to properly cook meat to certain temperatures. 🙂
Carol
I wash the veggies and fruit in a veg wash, rinse with tap water two times, till no visible bugs / etc, then soak them in the water mix with acv for a while, skake it off and final rinse of spring water…I bought some lamb steaks, rinsed them in water, I soaked them and churned them around a bit before taking them out of the acv, and left it on…I covered both sides with salt and pepper and one side covered with granulated organic garlic, then, put them in a toaster oven, baked, then broiled on one side at the end…The end results was delicious…They had a more sweet taste, very tender, when done…
Tiffany
Hmmm… so the ACV acted as a tenderizer? Similar to how lemon juice would be… interesting! Thanks for the update Carol!
Carol
I’m lazy too!! If I don’t wash ALL my produce when before I put it away directly from the grocery store, I always think i’m too busy to wash it when I’m needing it. So when we all bring in the groceries I keep the produce out and wash it all, dry it all and then put it all away. It is a lot of work, but I found that it helps ensure all the produce gets gobbled up before it goes bad!
Penny Lane
Thanks for the post. I was just talking about this with my sister when she said she ran out of her veggie wash and we both just use vinegar water for all our kitchen (and bathroom) cleaning. Now I see that it works! Will the fruits/veggies go bad more quickly if I wash them all right away? I’ve always heard not to, but it can get time consuming doing them slowly as I use them.
Enjoying your blog!
Tiffany
Penny Lane,
See Joyce’s comment about ACV and white vinegar. I’d recommend ACV over white as best practice, only using white if you’re in a pinch. Because vinegar is acidic, it can cause the produce to age more quickly if done significantly ahead of time, like washing a big bag for spinach from Costco and not using it for another week to 10 days. It can be time consuming, so I’d recommend doing a big batch in the sink every 2-3 days or so. Maybe start it while you’re waiting for water to boil or rice to cook or something else that’s keeping you in the kitchen anyway. Thanks for reading and leaving such kind words! ~Tiffany
Andrea
I usually rinse my produce before I’m about to use it, but doing it all at once is a great idea! I typically just use water, but after looking at those bugs, I am going to start adding vinegar! Can this solution be used on any produce? Does it work on leafy greens like romaine, spinach and kale? I have been finding a lot of bugs on those lately =/
Thanks for sharing on Natural Living Monday!
Tiffany
Be sure to only do a day or two’s worth Andrea, not the whole week. Those bugs are kinda gross, eh? Yes, this solution will work on all produce. Fill a big mixing bowl (or a sink if you’re doing big leafed lettuce) and do it all in one batch. Another tip – after you’ve rinsed and dried, store a paper towel with the greens to absorb residual moisture. I do this with packaged kale… we go through one the first few days, then a second over the course of 10 days or so. It allows us to make one Costco-sized bag of baby kale last nearly two full weeks without getting slimy!
Robyn
How do you store the cleaned produce
Tiffany
It depends on what we’re washing. We try not to wash until just before eating, to prolong the life of the produce.
Lyn
I have been using the stay fresh Rubbermaid containers and found even with washing my berries all at once with ACV they are staying fresh for over a week.
Nicole
Does the taste of the ACV get into the produce? I love using it for cleaning and boiling eggs but I don’t want my produce tasting like it.
Thanks!
Tiffany
Nope!
Jenn P
I’m trying to think of an alternative to paper towel for the storing of leafy greens. What do you think of a piece of that sham-wow type material? I just found some at the dollar store so it’s fresh in my mind.
Tiffany
That might work Jenn. I’ve used a washcloth too, and cloth napkins. All seem to work well. The only issue is finding something small enough to fit in the bag!
Jolene
My grandmother used tea towels in with her lettuces to keep the moisture right. Just a thought.
Leah
Interesting. I use regular white vinegar for my produce rinses. In my google searches, apple cider vinegar didn’t come up. Maybe I missed that? I wonder if one is better than the other? White vinegar is a higher ratio – 1 cup to 3 cups water.
Tiffany
I don’t think one is “better” than the other, just different. The should both do the same, but apple cider has a much more mild taste that white distilled, just in case some residue is left. Some cleaning recipes call for skipping the rinse too, so that could be their reasoning for ACV, but if there’s good benefits from rinsing and scrubbing (if possible) so I wouldn’t skip that. ~Tiffany
Joyce
In regards to using White Vinegar over Apple Cider vinegar (the kind that has the “mother” in it like Bragg’s)does make a difference. White vinegar can be great for cleaning, but keep in mind it is made from corn which is GMO. I used to use a mild soap and then do a vinegar soak/rinse on my produce with White Vinegar. Not anymore. Now, since I have learned more about White Vinegar, and also knowing that the vapors aren’t good on my lungs, I switched to Apple Cider Vinegar. I eat a lot of organic produce, and the cost of vinegar was pricey… so now I am looking into Branch Basics Soap… it seems very impressive! But, I will continue using Apple Cider vinegar as an addition rinse with some of the more toxic fruit like strawberries and apples. And, I agree that even the organic produce needs cleaning! Thanks for the post!
Tiffany
A wonderful clarification Joyce – I didn’t know about white vinegar being derived from GMO corn. That stuff just seems to be everywhere! Do you have a scratch/dent grocery store in your area? I’ve found ACV w/the mother there and it was much more affordable. I haven’t heard of that brand soap before,but you have my curiosity piqued! I’m that to my list of “to research.” Thanks again Joyce! ~Tiffany