Looking for a cost-effective and healthy alternative for cleaning your produce?  The two recipes below are easy to make and will ensure all the chemicals and wax residues are removed from the produce you eat.  This will help keep your family healthy while enjoying the food they are eating.  Want to see it in action? Check us out making the spray and wash on our YouTube Channel.

DIY Fruit and Vegetable Wash Spray

This spray works best for vegetables and fruit that have a firmer skin, such as apples, pears, grapes, cucumbers, carrots and eggplant.

1. 1 and 1/2 cups filtered or distilled water.
2. 3/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar.
3. 1 tbsp baking soda.
4. 10 drops of Lemon essential oil
5. 16 oz glass spray bottle.

Directions

1. Add the baking soda to the water first, then slowly add the apple cider vinegar as it may fizz and foam. Add the essential oil next (options: lemon, orange, purification, thieves)
2. Cap bottle and shake gently to mix well.
3. Spray as needed on produce and let sit for a few minutes.
4. Rinse well under cold water, let dry and store produce as desired.

Approximate Cost Breakdown

Vinegar = $1.12 ($5.99 for a 32 oz bottle)
Baking soda = $.02 ($3.88 for a 5lb bag)
Lemon essential oil = $.60 ($15.13 for 15 ml bottle or 250 drops)

Total = $1.74 for a 16 oz. bottle of homemade fruit and vegetable wash

DIY Fruit and Vegetable Wash Soak

This homemade fruit and vegetable wash soak works best for thin-skinned produce, such as lettuce, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, peaches and berries.

• Sink full of water
• 1 cup organic apple cider vinegar
• 10 drops of Lemon essential oil

Directions

1. Fill a sink full of water. Add vinegar and Lemon essential oil.
2. Add produce and let soak for about 10 minutes.
3. Rinse well under cold water, let dry and store produce as desired.

Cost Breakdown

Vinegar = $1.12 ($5.99 for a 32 oz bottle)
Lemon essential oil = $.60 ($15.13 for 15 ml bottle or 250 drops)

Total = $2.10 for use in a sink full of water (about 2 gallons or 256 oz) homemade fruit and vegetable wash soak

Ready-Made Option

If you feel you don’t have time to make your own?  Thieves Fruit and Veggie soak from Young Living is a great pre-made option.  One to two capfuls per sink of water goes a long way and will clean a lot of produce.  We carry a 2 oz spray bottle in the diaper bag to wash produce that our toddlers insist on eating from the grocery store.  It is better than cookies and donut holes and keeps them occupied while shopping.

The veggie and fruit spray and wash is a great start in  reducing your exposure to pesticides.  If buying all of your produce organic is not in your budget make sure you check out the EWG Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list that they publish each year.  This is an excellent guide to help you avoid those foods with the largest pesticide load.  We hope you enjoyed these cost-effective and healthy alternatives to keep your family healthy!

-Chris Dockter, DC CCEP