Wash Vegetables Properly: Reduce Pesticides and Harmful Chemicals at Home

• Chemical use in farming has increased, making proper vegetable washing crucial to remove pesticides and germs.
• Surface rinsing is often insufficient; thorough cleaning upon bringing vegetables home is important.
• Methods include soaking in salt water to remove dirt and kill microbes, or a lemon solution (lemon juice, white vinegar, water) for germs.
• Rinsing under running water for 30 seconds, then soaking in cold water for five minutes, is effective; leafy greens require longer soaking.
• For stubborn residues, a 20-minute soak in a 90% water and 10% vinegar solution, followed by rinsing, can reduce chemical traces.

Why It Matters: Properly washing vegetables with salt water, lemon solution, cold water, or vinegar can significantly reduce pesticides.