Inside: Don't just rinse your produce with water. You can get off more pesticides and germs with this easy homemade produce wash. It only takes a few seconds!

Don't just eat your fruit and vegetables straight from the store. Remove wax, chemicals, and pesticides with this easy-to-make vegetable wash.

Note: My old way was the spray method that is listed at the bottom. You can use that if you only have a few fruits and vegetables.

If you are looking to clean a large amount I also have recommendations for soaking the fruits and vegetables to clean them. Yes, it uses bleach to clean the produce. I know some people aren't crazy about using it, but that's what I am currently using based off of some reading I did.

Don't just rinse your produce with water. You can get off more pesticides and germs with this easy homemade produce wash. It only takes a few minutes. 

Homemade Produce Wash

I love feeding my family fruits and veggies. Not only are they fairly inexpensive when I buy them in season, but they also are good for you.

I feel like I can do something good for my family by feeding them fruits and vegetables with every meal. I love having fresh fruits and veggies in the summer to serve.

In the fall I make applesauce and apple butter with apples from the store and during winter I add so many veggies to the soups that we eat.

However, it seems like I have been reading more and more about the pesticides on fruits and veggies.

You hear about the dirty dozen and what to avoid and what to buy.

Plus it seems like some produce is handled by so many hands before they ever get to your house. I don't want to bring in any germs or illness from produce.

I used to just give my fruits and veggies a quick rinse under the water. But, I have now started being a little more thorough about cleaning them.

I have made a homemade produce wash that I use to help clean off the fruits and vegetables. I know it doesn't get everything off the produce, but it helps.

The produce wash recipe is simple to make and only takes a few extra minutes when rinsing off your produce. It's also a lot cheaper than the produce washes that you find in the store.

Washing Produce in the Sink

If you have a lot of produce to wash off like a bunch of oranges or apples I recommend washing them in a bleach wash in the sink. Just follow the directions below.

Step 1: Make sure your sink is clean and free from germs. Clean your sink before you start washing the produce. You can see how I like to clean my kitchen sink here.

Step 2: Once your sink is clean then you will want to fill it up with warm water. You will want to make sure you avoid cold water because bleach doesn't work as well with cold water.

Step 3: Add 2 teaspoons of regular bleach for every gallon of water in your sink.

Step 4: I also added a small squirt of dawn soap to the sink too. Using dish soap will help break up the wax coating that often comes on apples and other fruits.

Step 5: Once you have the sink filled with the water/bleach mixture then you can add the produce.

Step 6: Add your produce and let it sit for at least 1 minute in the bleach solution.

Step 7: Over the minute or two move the produce around in the water so all the produce is in the bleach water.

Step 8: Next, rinse off the fruits and vegetables with fresh water. I have a double sink so I just washed them one at a time on the other side.

Note: If you can gently use a vegetable brush to clean the veggies off to break up any germs or junk that is on it.

Step 9: Once you have cleaned off all of the fruits and vegetables set them aside to dry.

Normally I just use an old towel to let them dry.

Once they are dry you can eat them, or prep them how you would like too.

Making a Spray Wash For Produce

To make the produce wash you will want to start with a spray bottle. Add one cup of water to the spray bottle.

Then add one tablespoon lemon juice and two tablespoons white vinegar. Put the lid on and shake well.

To use the produce spray give the bottle a good shake and generously apply to the produce.

Make sure you get all the sides of the produce. Once you have applied the produce spray everywhere you can rinse the produce with water.

This wash won't remove all of the pesticides, but it can help remove some of the pesticide residue left on your fruits and veggies.

It will also help remove some of the bacteria and germs from others handling them.

Help keep your family healthier by using this simple homemade produce wash.

Homemade Produce Wash

1 cup of water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Add one cup of water, 1 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons vinegar to the spray bottle. Put the lid on and shake well.

To use the produce spray give the bottle a good shake and generously apply to the produce. Make sure you get all the sides of the produce. Once you have applied the produce spray everywhere you can rinse the produce with water.

Either method will help clean germs and dirt from your produce. I recommend using this for just about all of your fruit and vegetables at this time.

By cleaning your produce before your family eats it you can help keep them healthy and free from germs.

Want some other easy tips? Check out how to help your fresh berries last longer.