We get it, you don’t necessarily want to go through the effort of scrubbing down your berries before you throw them on top of your overnight oats or yogurt, but knowing how to properly wash your strawberries may actually protect your health, removing all the grime or even pesticides that reside on the skin. And hear me out: We’ve all seen someone swapping out the strawberries at the grocery store for better ones in a different container—just think about what may be on their hands. Washing your strawberries at home can help to remove some of this residue, as well as any dirt that may be leftover from growth and harvest. “Strawberries have a rough surface due to their seeds, so it is important to wash them (and lightly scrub them) with running water,” notes Ginger Hultin, M.S., RDN. However, you may be under-cleaning your strawberries as well. “If you’re just wiping with a paper towel or giving a brief rinse, that’s not enough,” warns Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN. There should be some mild scrubbing, too.
