A family’s rather unique way of cleaning produce has started a rather, well, fruitful discussion online.
Back in June, a trio of videos posted by social media user Lara (@larad_official) showing her mother washing her fruits and vegetables in the dishwasher went viral on both Instagram and TikTok.
At the start of the first video, her mom is loading up celery, carrots, tomatoes, dragon fruit and more into her machine.
Asked by her daughter what she’s doing, she responds, “I’m trying to wash my fruit and vegetable in the dishwasher. Why not?”
When Lara points out that a dishwasher is for dishes, her mother is unfazed.
“No, it can clean my vegetable and fruit with vinegar,” she says, motioning towards a bottle of distilled white vinegar on the counter. Still in disbelief, Lara asks her mother how many times she’s done this, and she replies, “So many times.”
“So you literally refuse to use the dishwasher for dishes, but it’s OK for fruits and vegetables,” Lara retorts.
“Yeah, I think I feel more clean because so many people are touching (produce),” her mom says, as opposed to dishes, which are only handled by family.
Lara, still fully taken aback, maintains this is not “something that people do,” but her mother remains nonplussed.
A day after the first video, Lara posted an update answering a couple of questions from viewers. In it, her mom clarifies that she’s using a cold water rinse setting on her dishwasher.
In a third video, the pair shows the result: produce that appears perfectly clean. Lara examines the contents and says nothing was “smushed,” as her mom takes a bite of a carrot, fresh from the dishwasher.
The TikTok user did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment.
Her videos on this supposed produce-washing hack went viral, amassing a combined 10 million views on TikTok and more than 12 million views on Instagram. On both platforms, there are tens of thousands of comments debating the merits of this technique.
Some called the hack “genius.”
“Your mom just created a trend for the lazy people and we are in love!” one TikTok user wrote.
“This woman’s using 100% of her brain. Well done,” commented and Instagram user.
Others were skeptical of the method.
“My dishwasher has a single water inlet valve and the hot water line is connected,” wrote one person on Instagram.
Another added, “but there’s still a little water/detergent/ rinse-aid left from the previous wash 🤮.”
“the tomatoes would disintegrate even with cold water. the pressure would destroy them,” commented someone on TikTok. “potatoes would probably be ok; everything else would be ruined.”
“Can’t eat at everybody’s house,” added another TikToker. “I just know those apples taste like dishwasher tablets and rinse.”
This isn’t even the first time someone has gone viral for washing produce in the dishwasher. In 2022, Barbara Costello, better known as Brunch with Babs on social media, suggested we all clean our potatoes in the dishwasher — and she was also met with much debate.
So, what do the experts say about the hands-free hack?
Should you wash your produce in the dishwasher?
Luke LaBorde, Ph.D., a Professor of Food Science at Penn State University says that while washing your fruit in the dishwasher is probably harmless, it’s also probably useless.
“It could reduce soil deposits, but most dishwashers recirculate the water, making it unlikely to reduce harmful or spoilage microbes,” LaBorde tells TODAY.com, adding that most often harmful microbes are not the only potential issue with unwashed produce.
LaBorde thinks that the viral videos are most likely skits, pointing at other comedic videos from the user involving similar bickering between mother and daughter. But regardless of the videos’ intention, many commenters said they were planning on actually trying the technique for themselves.
The professor says that washing your produce this way could increase levels of yeasts, molds and some bacteria that can cause food spoilage, especially on bruised or otherwise damaged produce.
“There is a variety of vegetables; some don’t need much washing, others such as root crops could require more vigorous cleaning,” LaBorde says. “Cool running water from the faucet is the recommendation for cleaning produce in the kitchen.”
LaBorde is not the only expert hoping to dissuade you from popping your peaches, pineapples, persimmons and papayas in the dishwasher. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also says it’s a bad idea.
“The FDA does not recommend utilizing kitchen appliances, such as the dishwasher, to wash produce safely and effectively,” an FDA official tells TODAY.com. “The FDA only recommends washing produce thoroughly under running water.”
The FDA also says that consumers may opt to scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush, if needed.
As far as running your produce through the dishwasher, “The main concern is the introduction of residual chemical contaminants from detergents and rinse aids into the pores and natural crevices of the produce,” says the FDA official.
Also, if you add a rinse aid into your dishwasher, it typically automatically dispenses with every wash. This cleaning solution contains surfactants, a chemical that lowers the surface tension of water so it more easily slides off dishes in the washer.
In these viral videos, some of the most porous fruits like eggplants and apples are in the dishwasher, so if a rinse aid was in the machine, it certainly permeated the produce.
“These chemicals are intended for cleaning hard surfaces such as dishes and glassware and were not intended to be used on fresh produce,” the official says, adding that safe handling practices are always important to prevent the introduction of pathogens (you can find its guidance on the FDA website).
LaBorde also suggests cleaning produce only just before cooking or consuming by using cool flowing water from the kitchen faucet. He says that there’s no need to use detergents or chemical sanitizers and that peeling helps to reduce any pesticide residues that might be present, although levels are already going to be low.
“Social media is alluring and entertaining (I guess) but the tried-and-true common-sense recommendations are the ones that work,” LaBorde says.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
