Wash tomatoes under fresh, cool running water. There is no need to use anything other than water to wash tomatoes. Washing them gently with water is as effective as using produce cleansers. Don't soak tomatoes in a sink full of water.
The key is to hold your tomatoes under cold running water for 30 to 60 seconds and rub gently to remove germs, dirt and pesticide residue. Once clean, be sure to store your tomatoes properly. Ripe tomatoes can go in the fridge and unripe tomatoes should be left to ripen on the counter at room temperature.
Washing Tomatoes
Tomatoes should be washed before cutting. To wash, wet each tomato with water, rub its surface, rinse it with running water, and dry it with a paper towel. After washing, cut away the stem scar and surrounding area and discard it before slicing or chopping the tomato.
What we learned: Yes, it is safe to soak fruits and vegetables in vinegar. Using a solution that's three parts water and one part vinegar will be most effective at removing bacteria. If soaking fruit in the sink, be sure to clean the sink first and make sure you're using enough vinegar to meet the three-to-one ratio.
There's no need to wash your tomatoes after harvesting. In fact, it's better to wait until you're ready to use them. Even then, a quick rinse with tepid water should do. If they're noticeably dirty, then rub them very gently to remove dirt and debris so you don't cause bruising.
There are two main risks of eating unwashed fruits and vegetables: bacterial contamination and pesticides. In recent years, many outbreaks of foodborne illness have come from contaminated cantaloupe, spinach, tomatoes, and lettuce.
Dry in a dehydrator set at 140 F. Place tomatoes on drying trays cut-side-up. Dry for 10 to 18 hours. For best results, follow the manufacturer's directions.
Baking soda, whose alkalinity helps to neutralize many common acidic pesticides, is generally thought to be the most effective produce wash.
Rinsing is not necessary! If you're simply using a vinegar and water solution to wipe and disinfect, you won't need to rinse. However, if there's also plenty of dirt and grime you're wiping away, you may also want to rinse with some extra water.
Washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is not recommended . Do not use bleach solutions or other disinfecting products on fruits and vegetables. Cut away any damaged or bruised areas before preparing or eating.
Tomato works as a natural astringent, thus you can use it to reduce open pores and blackheads. You just need to cut a tomato in half and rub all over the skin, letting the juice saturate into the pores. Leave it for 15 minutes and wash off with normal water.
Soak in salt water
One of the best ways to wash fruits and vegetables to help avoid bugs and pesticides is by soaking them in salt water. We recommend using Himalayan salt or sea salt and soaking your produce for at least 20 minutes before rinsing off with running water. Then they're clean and ready to eat!
No washing method is 100% effective for removing all pesticide residues. The specialist explained that unlike dishes, fruit and vegetables have pores. Dish soap or bleach can get trapped or absorbed by the pores and become difficult to rinse off the fruit once they have been applied.
Gently rub produce while holding under plain running water. There's no need to use soap or a produce wash. Use a clean vegetable brush to scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers. Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.
Clean fresh produce.
For extra protection, adding one part vinegar or lemon juice to the three parts water helps, but you don't need to use any soap, detergents or special cleaners. It is important to rinse food even if you are going to peel it. - Use a scrub brush to remove additional dirt and bacteria.
White distilled vinegar is the best vinegar for cleaning because it doesn't contain a coloring agent. Therefore, it won't stain surfaces. Staining can happen when cleaning with a darker-colored vinegar.
When washing your clothing, add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the fabric softener compartment just before the last rinse cycle. If you'd like your clothes to have a mild scent, add four or five drops of essential oil into the fabric softener compartment.
Make your solution: To clean most fruits and vegetables, mix a solution of 1 cup vinegar to 4 cups water inside your spray bottle, then add a tablespoon of lemon juice. Shake well to combine.
Place your fruit in a colander in the sink and spray all sides with the vinegar solution. Let the solution sit on the fruit for about 5 minutes, then rinse each piece thoroughly with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
Best practice for removing germs
A safe way to reduce the number of bacteria on your fruits and veggies is to soak your veggies in a 1 part vinegar, 2 parts water mixture. You can use distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, whichever you have on hand. Then, rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Storing and Handling Guidelines
Tomatoes stored at refrigeration temperatures below 41 °F will have approximate shelf life of 5 days. Tomatoes stored at temperatures under 75 °F will have approximate shelf life of 1 to 2 days. Storing tomatoes above 75° F is not recommended.
Tomatoes really love water and do not like to dry up too much! It's hard to overwater a tomato plant, but even a water-loving plant can get overwatered. Always feel the soil before watering - it should feel a bit dry or moist but not wet.