Ensuring your family’s produce is truly clean can feel like a daunting task. Water alone often isn’t enough to remove the waxes, pesticides, and handling residues that linger on the skins of fruits and vegetables. Using the right produce wash is a simple yet effective step toward a healthier kitchen routine.
With so many options available, from convenient sprays to concentrated soakers, finding the best one for your needs is key. This roundup simplifies your search by highlighting ten of the top-rated fruit and vegetable washes. We’ve evaluated them based on their ingredients, effectiveness, and ease of use to help you make a confident choice for your household.
Our Top Picks for Fruit and Vegetable Washes
- Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash, Pack of 3
- Fit Organic Produce Wash, 12 Oz Spray (Pack of 6)
- Veggie Wash Fruit & Vegetable Wash, 16-Ounce, Pack of 2
- Fit Organic 32 Oz Soaker Produce Wash
- ECOS Non-Toxic Fruit + Veggie Wash: 22oz Spray (Pack of 2)
- Bio-Kleen Kleen Wash-32 oz
- Melaleuca Eco Sense Harvest Pure Fruit and Vegetable Wash
- CleanBoss Eat Cleaner Triple-Action Fruit + Veggie Wash
- Environne Purely Essential Fruit & Vegetable Wash
- Molly’s Suds Natural Fruit & Veggie Wash
Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash
This wash from a trusted household name is formulated to give you cleaner produce. It is designed to eliminate over 90% of pesticide residue and removes surface pesticides four times more effectively than water alone. The formula achieves this with just seven simple ingredients, providing a straightforward and powerful clean.
Available in a convenient pack of three trigger spray bottles, it offers great value and ease of use. You can spray it directly onto your produce, let it sit, and then rinse. The packaging may vary, but you are guaranteed the same effective product inside.
Fit Organic Produce Wash
For those who prioritize organic products, this spray is a top choice. It is USDA-certified Organic and Kosher, made entirely from wholesome, natural ingredients. The formula is designed to be made from food to clean food, ensuring a safe and thorough wash for your fruits and vegetables.
As a market leader in its category, Fit Organic has a strong reputation. The easy-to-use spray bottle makes application simple, and the product has no expiration date, meaning it will not spoil over time. This makes it a practical and long-lasting addition to your kitchen.
Veggie Wash Fruit & Vegetable Wash
This product focuses on removing wax, soil, agricultural chemicals, and handling residue from both standard and organic produce. A key benefit is that it does its job without leaving any aftertaste or scent on your food, so the natural flavor of your fruits and vegetables remains unaffected.
The ingredients are safe and conscientious; it is Kosher Certified, Vegan, and made with vegetable-derived components. It contains no parabens, preservatives, or harsh surfactants, offering a gentle yet effective cleaning solution for health-conscious families.
Fit Organic 32 Oz Soaker Produce Wash
This is the larger, soaking formula version of the popular Fit Organic spray. It shares the same USDA-certified Organic and Kosher credentials, made with natural ingredients. This format is ideal for cleaning larger batches of produce at once, such as a big bunch of grapes or a full salad’s worth of ingredients.
Like its spray counterpart, it leaves no aftertaste or smell, ensuring your produce tastes fresh and clean. The “made from food to clean food” philosophy provides peace of mind, making it a reliable choice for a thorough, bulk clean.
ECOS Non-Toxic Fruit + Veggie Wash
From a brand known for its environmentally friendly products, this wash uses plant-powered ingredients to rinse away waxes, oils, and unseen dirt from your produce. It is formulated to be non-toxic, aligning with a eco-conscious lifestyle.
A significant advantage of this wash is that it leaves no odor or aftertaste on your fruits and vegetables. Sold in a convenient pack of two spray bottles, it provides a lasting supply of an effective, plant-based cleaning solution for your kitchen.
Bio-Kleen Kleen Wash
This 32-ounce concentrate offers a versatile and economical option for cleaning produce. As a concentrate, you can mix it with water to create a large quantity of wash, making it a cost-effective choice for families that go through a lot of fruits and vegetables.
Made in the United States, this product is designed for those who prefer a powerful clean from a concentrated formula. Its large size means you won’t have to repurchase it frequently, providing consistent value.
Melaleuca Eco Sense Harvest Pure Fruit and Vegetable Wash
This natural produce cleaner is formulated to tackle residues on your fruits and vegetables effectively. The compact 8-fluid ounce bottle is perfect for those with limited storage space or who want to try a product before committing to a larger size.
As part of the Eco Sense line, it emphasizes a more natural approach to household cleaning. It provides a specialized solution for ensuring your produce is free from unwanted surface contaminants before consumption.
CleanBoss Eat Cleaner Triple-Action Fruit + Veggie Wash
This product stands out with its patented, lab-proven formula that is all-natural. It is designed to eliminate residue like dirt and soil that can carry chemicals, and it is noted for being over 99% more effective than using water alone.
Beyond just cleaning, it also helps keep your produce fresher for up to five times longer. The pack of three includes a trigger sprayer with an improved nozzle for easier application, combining effective cleaning with practical produce preservation.
Environne Purely Essential Fruit & Vegetable Wash
This natural produce cleaner is proven to remove more surface pesticides than water alone. It offers a straightforward and effective method for reducing your family’s exposure to common agricultural chemicals found on produce skins.
The 16-fluid ounce bottle provides a substantial amount of wash for regular use. Its focus on essential, effective cleaning makes it a reliable option for those seeking a no-fuss, results-oriented product.
Molly’s Suds Natural Fruit & Veggie Wash
From a brand known for its natural cleaning products, this fruit and veggie wash is designed with a focus on pure, simple ingredients. It provides a gentle yet effective clean for your produce, aligning with a holistic and health-focused home environment.
The formula is crafted to remove residues without leaving behind any harsh chemical traces. It is an excellent choice for individuals with sensitivities or anyone who prefers to use plant-based and naturally derived cleaning agents in their kitchen.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Fruit and Vegetable Washes for Your Family
When I started looking for a fruit and vegetable wash, I was surprised by how many options were available. It can feel a bit overwhelming, but focusing on a few key factors made the decision much easier for me. The goal is to find a product that effectively removes things we don’t want on our food, like pesticides, waxes, and dirt, without introducing anything harmful itself.
First, I always check the ingredient list. I look for formulas that are plant-based and derived from natural sources, like citrus extracts or baking soda. I try to avoid washes with harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives, or artificial fragrances. Since my family will be consuming food treated with the wash, I want the ingredients to be as safe and simple as possible. Many of the best fruit and vegetable washes for your family use food-grade components, which gives me extra peace of mind.
Another major consideration is the type of application. I’ve found that concentrates are fantastic because a small bottle makes a large amount of wash, which is cost-effective and reduces plastic waste. Pre-mixed sprays are more convenient for quick use, like washing a single apple, but they can be more expensive per use. I also think about what I’m washing. For produce with thick skins, like avocados or melons, a good scrub with a brush is part of the process, but for delicate berries or leafy greens, a gentle soak is better. A versatile wash that can be used for both soaking and spraying is a huge plus in my kitchen.
Finally, I pay close attention to certifications. A USDA Certified Biobased product label tells me a significant portion of the ingredients come from renewable biological sources. Other seals to look for include certifications for being vegan, cruelty-free, or having a Leaping Bunny certification, which means the product wasn’t tested on animals. Reading reviews from other parents can also be incredibly helpful. They often share real-world experiences about how well a wash removed sticky wax from apples or any lingering film from grapes. By considering ingredients, application style, and trusted certifications, I feel confident I can pick a wash that keeps my family’s produce clean and safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a commercial fruit and vegetable wash better than just using water?
This is a question I asked myself for a long time. While running produce under water and giving it a good scrub can remove some surface dirt and germs, it often isn’t enough to break down and remove pesticide residues, wax coatings, or oil-based contaminants. Commercial washes are specifically designed with surfactants that help lift and dissolve these substances more effectively than water alone. For peace of mind with produce like apples, peaches, or leafy greens that have many crevices, I find a dedicated wash does a more thorough job.
Are these washes safe to use? Won’t they leave a chemical residue?
This was my biggest concern when I first started using them. The key is to read the labels carefully. The products I choose are made from food-grade ingredients, like those derived from corn, coconut, or citrus. They are designed to be rinsed off with water after application. As long as you follow the directions—usually involving a quick soak or spray followed by a thorough rinse—there should be no harmful residue left behind. The wash helps to remove unwanted residues, not add new ones.
Can I make my own effective fruit and vegetable wash at home?
You can certainly try a homemade solution. A common recipe is a mix of one part vinegar to three parts water. This can help reduce some bacteria and remove dirt. However, from my experience, vinegar isn’t very effective at breaking down wax or certain pesticide residues. It can also sometimes leave a slight vinegar taste on more porous fruits. For a simple clean, it’s an option, but for a more comprehensive clean, I prefer the performance of a commercial product specifically engineered for the task.
Do I need to use a wash on produce that I’m going to peel?
I used to skip washing anything I was going to peel, like bananas or oranges, but I’ve changed my habit. When you slice into an unwashed avocado or peel an orange, contaminants on the surface can be transferred from the peel to the inner flesh by your hands or the knife. Giving all produce a quick wash, even those with inedible skins, helps prevent cross-contamination and ensures the part you eat stays clean.
What is the difference between a wash for organic and conventional produce?
I use the same wash for all my produce, whether it’s organic or conventional. Organic farming standards limit the types of pesticides that can be used, but they can still be present from environmental drift or approved natural pesticides. All produce, regardless of its farming method, can also have dirt, bacteria, and natural waxes. Using one of the best fruit and vegetable washes for your family is a good practice for everything you bring home from the market. It provides a consistent level of cleanliness for all the food I serve.