Your strawberries may be dirtier than you think — here’s how to clean them properly (2024)

Aside from simply being delicious when in-season, strawberries are an incredibly versatile fruit to have on hand — I love using them to make shortcakes, cobblers, ice cream and lemonade in the summer But before I even start to pull out any cooking gadgets or recipe booklets, I always make sure to thoroughly clean my berries, even if I only plan on eating them by hand. That’s because correctly cleaning your strawberries makes a difference in how they taste, how quickly they spoil and, in some cases, whether or not they’re crawling with tiny bugs.

I spoke with a culinary instructor and a professor of microbiology about the best ways to clean fresh fruit and asked them for tips and tricks to keep in mind before doing so.

There are a few different cleaning methods you can adopt, which I outline in detail below based on advice I got from experts.

1. Start by sorting through the unwashed strawberries and tossing out any that are visibly bruised, spoiled or moldy.
2. If you don’t plan on eating the strawberries right away or using them for a recipe, keep them in the ventilated container they came in or transfer them to a food storage container that’s specifically designed for fresh produce.
3. When you’re ready to use or eat your strawberries, transfer them to a colander, fine-mesh sieve or large glass bowl. You can either place the strawberries under cool running water in the sink, moving them around as needed and drain (if using a bowl) or go with the vinegar method. To do so, you can add the strawberries to a large glass bowl with 1 part distilled white vinegar to three parts cool water. Let the berries soak for about a minute or so, but no longer, as this can alter their texture and make them taste bland, according to Handal.
4. Transfer the strawberries to a large cutting board or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Spread them out evenly so they aren’t overlapping. Gently press another paper towel onto the strawberries and dry thoroughly. The dryer the better, since residual moisture will lead to them spoiling faster.
5. Transfer the strawberries to the basket of salad spinner lined with paper towels. Gently press the top pump at least a few times until the strawberries are completely dry.

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In short: Yes. This is because, even if they look clean on the surface, they’re susceptible to dirt, bacteria, fungi and other microbes, according to Michael Handal, a chef instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE). “Commercial produce may also carry trace amounts of chemicals and pesticides,” he says. “Washing fresh produce before consuming or preparing meals is imperative and washing methods will vary depending on the type and characteristics of the produce you are preparing.”

While cool water does a decent job of cleaning surface-level impurities, you can take things a step further by using a combination of water and distilled vinegar, according to Dr. Sharon Nachman, a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook University. “Vinegar is an acid,” she says. “And none of the bugs like acid and certainly bacteria don’t like acid.” The vinegar is what releases bugs and bacteria from the surface of the strawberries, she says.

It’s typically better to wash strawberries as you eat or prepare them compared to washing, drying and storing them all at once. That’s because washing them at once makes them more likely to spoil faster due to the buildup of moisture. “Strawberries should be stored, unwashed, in the plastic, clamshell-type containers they were purchased in,” says Handal. “An alternative would be storing them in a loose, plastic bag.”

While you can technically wash them all at once, it’s crucial to make sure you thoroughly dry themafterward and store them in a ventilated food container because excess moisture causes them to go bad faster. It’s also important to sort out visibly spoiled or bruised strawberries before putting them in the fridge, as this also contributes to the rest of the berries spoiling, according to Handal.

At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Michael Handal is a chef and instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.
• Dr. Sharon Nachman is a professor and the chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook University’s Renaissance School of Medicine.

I’m a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I write about kitchen products and cleaning hacks. I also have prior experience with recipe editing and writing explainers on food storage and cleaning. I spoke with two experts for their guidance for this story.

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