The internet has been left flabbergasted after a woman shared her unusual dishwasher hack on TikTok.
The woman, who goes by the username Smilelop, shared a video which showed her dishwasher stacked full of colorful fruits, vegetables and bins of smaller fruit (which I assume has holes in the bottom).
Instead of placing harsh detergents or a tablet in the dishwasher, Smilelop recommends using a capful of distilled white vinegar.
While this not a new hack (remember steaming salmon in a dishwasher?), a new generation is asking if it is safe.
Food Safety
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 Health Crisis, health agencies have specifically recommended cleaning kitchen surfaces that come in contact with food. The CDC notes the safest produce is cooked; the next safest is washed.
The main recommendations I can locate along with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to rinse produce under cold running water before eating it and not to use commercial cleaners.
The Best Way to Wash Fruits and Vegetables
The CDC gives even more detail regarding washing fresh produce. They recommend cleaning fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting or cooking unless the package says the produce have been washed (like packaged triple washed baby spinach).
How to rinse: You should hold your produce under cold running water for 30 to 60 seconds.
How to scrub: Gently rub soft fruits or vegetables with the palms of your hands. Don’t rub so hard you cause bruising. For firm produce, you can use a vegetable brush.
Pro Tip: Scrub the outside of pineapples, oranges, and melons – when you cut into these foods with a knife, bacteria on the outside can gets transferred to the inside.
Most fruits and vegetables don’t need to soak. This step is for leafy greens such as kale, chard, and spinach that can have a lot of dirt clinging to the leaves.
How to soak: Soak the bunch of leaves in a bowl of clean water for several minutes and then dry it with a salad spinner to remove the gritty water.
So back to the TikTok video. While many were excited by the unlikely hack, I would not recommend it because you could ruin your produce if any rinse agent is left in the machine and the water pressure may be too much for delicate fruit.
If you are going to try this, make sure no soap or rinse agents are in your dishwasher. Select a cold cycle and skip the drying cycle for sure!
Wow great hacks! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks, Suzi!
I did not know this was a thing! Thank you for setting the record straight! Simply cleaning in the sink is so much better! I can’t imagine eating fruits and veggies that have rinsing agent on them.
The notion has been around a while but with Covid fears it seems to have reaurfaced. Thanks for the comment.
Such a funny, but extremely helpful dishwasher hack! Great Inspiration and guidance. Thank you!!
Thank you, Alyse!
Oh my! I know my blueberries would just be flying around in there propelled by the power of my Miele jets! HAhaaaa. Thanks for the advice.
I imagine blueberry skins might be all that is left! Thanks for commenting!
I’m with Lisa: I can’t imagine eating veggies or fruit that have been through a dishwasher’s rinse cycle…even with the vinegar, but I can understand the appeal to young parents strapped for time and trying to do SOMETHING to make sure their veggies and fruits are safe to eat.
I spend about 45 min per week, just for me, rinsing, by hand, every fruit and veggie I bring into my home. I soak them all first in warm water and vinegar and then I pick them up, and one by one, I gently scrub them again under the faucet, just as you’re recommending.
Thanks for a timely post, Ann.
The time you spend, Leslie, is well worth it. Thanks for commenting!
Great post! Thank you for sharing… I think I’ll use the sink method.
Carla, That will be my preferred method, too.
Love this post, hacks can be great ideas sometimes! Thanks for sharing.
So True! Thanks, Amy!
I’m with a few that have stated above that I’m pretty sure I won’t be washing my fruits and veggies in the dishwasher. Funny how things go ‘viral’!
I’ll be sticking to the sink to wash, but fun to know what others do.