Germs like E. coli can live on the surface of the plant if you don't wash your vegetables.Thanks to their rough surface, leafy greens are prone to havingbacteria on them.It is important to wash them in order to keep yourself safe and healthy, and soon you will be able to.
Step 1: You need to wash your hands.
You should spend 20 seconds under the water if you follow CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of disease.You might get more dirty hands if you don't wash them before washing lettuce.If you plan to handle a knife or other cutting tool, dry your hands thoroughly.
Step 2: If you can see damage on the leaf, cut it off.
Black spots and holes are where bugs might have chewed through.You can either put the damaged leaves in a food waste bin or use a knife to cut them off.Any leaves that look rotten should be thrown away.
Step 3: The leaf and stem meet at the top of the stem.
Food safety experts suggest removing the stem from the leaves by grabbing the leaf just below the base.The stem doesn't cook well and can be covered in dirt, so it's not something you need in your food.
Step 4: The leaf should be folded down along the stem.
Push down on each side of the leaf and pinch them together.As you fold the two sides down, it will appear as if there is only one leaf.
Step 5: Remove the leaf-halves from the stem.
Pulling down on the leaves quickly will rip the two sides of the leaf from the stem.The leaves look a little different, but the stem tends to harbor a lot ofbacteria that washing can't remove.The stem can be thrown in the bin.
Step 6: You should wash your leaves before using them.
The spread ofbacteria, rotting, and the growth of mold can be promoted by storing it after you have washed it.If you keep it in the fridge, try to avoid getting it wet.If you wash your spinach before storing it, you should dry it completely with a paper towel.
Step 7: The water should be cold to rinse the greens.
The leaves can be helped by warm and hot water.If you want to avoid this, use cool or cold tap water to wash the leaves.If you want to add a cleanse, you can use a mixture of 3 cups of water and 1 cup of white vinegar, but it won't remove as muchbacteria as water alone.It's a good idea to stay away from produce washes and soap because they can be harmful to your health.
Step 8: If you want a deeper, slower clean, immerse the leaves in a bowl full of water.
Place the leaves in a bowl of cold water and stir it around a bit.Before you test for dirt, let the leaves soak in the water for a full minute.If you see or taste dirt, drain the bowl and rinse the leaves.
Step 9: For a quick wash, rinse water over the spinach.
If you have a lot of spinach that you need to get through quickly, or you will be cooking it at a high enough heat that washing is not necessary, you can simply run cold water over the leaves.If you washed the leaves in a bowl and found dirt on them, you can drain the water from the colander and rinse them in it.The dirt andbacteria will leave the leaves.
Step 10: As you wash the leaves, move them around with your hands.
Regardless of how you wash them, it is a good idea to use your hands to separate the leaves and make sure the water is clean.
Step 11: The leaves should be dry with a paper towel.
A disposable towel is the easiest way to dry off a bunch of washed spinach.If you use a kitchen towel, you'll get germs back on the leaf.It is possible to use a cloth kitchen towel as long as it has just been washed.
Step 12: The salad spinner can be used to dry the spinach.
One way to dry off spinach is to use a salad spinner.This will allow the dirt and debris to fall off the leaves.You can use a salad spinner to wash the leaves, as it will remove dirt easily and thoroughly.If you plan to dry the leaves in the same spinner, you will need to clean and dry them as well.
Step 13: Don't let the air dry out.
The humidity will allow the growth and spread of any organisms on the leaves.The leaves are prone to rotting.You should dry the leaves before cooking.