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Yes, you should be washing your apples before eating them.

Reviewed by Dietitian Madeline Peck, RDN, CDN

Key Points

• Washing your apples helps remove dirt, residue and bacteria.
• Wash your hands, scrub the apples under running water and dab dry with a clean towel.
• Do not use soap to clean produce, and always use kitchen utensils to avoid cross contamination.

Apples are America’s favorite fruit, and it’s easy to see why. They’re a conveniently portable snack option that provides an impressive 4 to 5 grams of fiber per apple. With about 90 different varieties of apples commercially available, there’s sure to be an apple for everyone.

But before you take a bite of the delicious apple you packed in your bag, be sure to wash it first. Washing your apples (and other produce) is important because it helps remove any unwanted dirt, bacteria and residue. Movies and cartoons would have you believe that rubbing an apple on your shirt first is sufficient, but is that really enough? We asked food safety experts for their tips, and here’s what they said about the best way to wash your apples.

How to Wash Your Apples

There are generally three steps you need to follow to properly wash your apples at home before eating them. “The most important step of all—wash your hands first,” says Jackie Newgent, RDN. You don’t want any of the dirt or germs on your hands to transfer to the apple when you are trying to wash it. Next, think “friction and faucet,” per Newgent. “Using a produce brush (make sure it’s clean, too!), thoroughly scrub the entire apple under running cold water,” she explains. Finally, dab it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.

Unlike washing dishes, there’s no need to use soap or detergent on your apples when cleaning. “Produce is porous and can absorb residues, and both FDA and USDA advise against using soap or detergent on fruits and vegetables,” explains Melissa Vaccaro, M.S., CP-FS, PCQIsenior food safety program specialist at the National Environmental Health Association. She adds that you don’t need to spend the money on a commercial produce wash either. “FDA does not recommend them because their effectiveness has not been adequately established,” says Vaccaro.

Washing isn’t the only food safety factor to consider when eating apples and other produce. “Keep produce away from raw meat, poultry and seafood, and use clean hands, cutting boards and utensils to prevent cross-contamination,” says Vaccaro. You don’t want to accidentally introduce new bacteria to your freshly washed apple.

Why You Need to Wash Your Apples

Unlike the magic apples from fairy tales, conventional apples don’t magically appear in the grocery store. “Think about the journey an apple takes before reaching your kitchen,” says Darin Detwiler, LP.D., MAEd.a professor of food policy at Northeastern University. “It has been grown outdoors, harvested, packed, transported, displayed, purchased and handled. Along the way, its surface can pick up soil, debris and microorganisms.”

That means your apple picks up a lot on its surface that could potentially make you sick. “Washing helps remove dirt and reduce microorganisms that may be present on the surface,” per Detwiler. “It does not sterilize the apple or eliminate every possible pathogen, but it is a simple and important risk-reduction step,” he adds.

The peel of the apple is exposed to the dirt and germs during its journey from orchard to grocery, but simply removing the peel is not a foolproof way to clean your apples. Detwiler explains that it’s still important to wash them. “A knife or peeler can potentially carry contamination from the outside surface onto the flesh you are about to eat,” he explains.

Expert Tips for Washing Produce

Now that you’ve gotten the lowdown on the best way to wash apples, here are some other expert tips for helping you wash the other produce in your fridge.

• Soaking may reduce pesticide concentration. Some studies show that soaking produce in a vinegar or baking soda solution could reduce pesticide residue. One meta-analysis that reviewed 47 studies found that soaking produce such as tomatoes and peppers reduced the presence of certain pesticides. That said, results varied among studies, with some seeing a 0% reduction and others reporting a 94% reduction. More research is needed to understand the concentrations and solutions that can be effective in removing pesticides.
• But not everything should be soaked. “When multiple pieces of produce are soaked together, microorganisms from one item can potentially spread to others,” explains Vaccaro. “For some fruits and vegetables, water can also enter through natural openings, stem or blossom ends, bruises or other damaged areas. Washing under clean, running water is a better approach,” she says.
• Always remove damaged or bruised areas. You probably already cut away damaged or bruised areas on your produce because they don’t taste or look as good. However, there’s a food safety factor as well, because the bacteria that can cause illness can thrive in those damaged places. So after you’ve given your produce a good wash, cut those out for good measure.

Our Expert Take

Apples travel a long way from the orchard to your cart. Washing them is the best way to protect yourself from any harmful bacteria they may have picked up along the way. The best way to wash an apple is under running water. Experts agree that the first step is always to wash your hands. Then, with clean hands, you should gently scrub the apple under running water before drying with a clean towel.