Leafy greens are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other health-promoting, disease-fighting nutrients.

Unfortunately, many of these emerald beauties can be high in pesticide residues.

Does this mean you should avoid putting arugula or lettuce in your smoothies? Heck no!

In this article, we share the best ways to remove pesticide residues from leafy green vegetables and helpful consumer advocate tools to help you vet the healthiest produce. 

Why It’s Important To Wash Leafy Vegetables 

Washing produce is essential for eating healthfully, preventing foodborne illness, and reducing pesticide exposure.

Yet many Americans forgo washing their produce before eating or cooking.

As working mamas, we know how helpful time-savers are when trying to get a meal on the table after a long day.

Cleaning produce, especially leafy green vegetables, reduces contamination and pesticide exposure.

For example:

• In the last several years, how many times have you heard of recalls due to issues like E. Coli, Listeria, or Salmonella in conventional or organic spinach, Romaine lettuce, and salad kits? 
• Imagine how many people—from farm to grocery store—have touched, breathed on, and otherwise handled your produce?
• Additionally, leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collards, and mustard greens have consistently appeared on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen* list for several years. 

*The Dirty Dozen is an annual list compiled by EWG where they test various fruit and vegetables to see which contain the lowest and highest pesticide residues.

Leafy greens’ delicate nature, along with controversial growing practices in commercial agriculture, like monocropping, make them a favorite of pests, fungi, and other plant diseases.

Therefore, conventionally grown leafy greens are vigorously sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Studies show that PFAS (forever chemicals) are present in 7 out of 10 insecticides used on crops.  This is a key reason to buy organic produce as PFAS chemicals are difficult to remove from the body.

From cleaning products to lawn care, food to pest control, the harmful cumulative effects of pesticide exposure, from cancer to developmental disorders, are just beginning to be understood.

This is why buying organic should always be a priority, but washing your leafy vegetables—and all produce—is vital to remove as many bacteria, germs, viruses, parasites, and pesticide residues as possible.

Removing Pesticides From Leafy Vegetables: 3 Methods 

Removing pesticides from leafy greens is challenging because they cannot be vigorously scrubbed or peeled as other produce can.

Yet, as you’ve just learned, proper cleaning to reduce pesticide exposure is essential.

To be clear, no known method exists to reduce 100% of pesticide residues. 

The best way to avoid pesticides altogether is to buy organic, grow it yourself, or buy from local farmers who do not use pesticides.

However, when this isn’t possible, use one of the following methods to remove as much pesticide residue as possible.

1. Clean Running Water

Cool running water is considered the most effective method for removing dirt, debris, and pesticide residue from fruits and vegetables, including leafy greens. If you plan to cook them, you are ready to go.  See #2-3 if you plan to eat them raw.

A recent 2022 study titled: “Effectiveness of Different Washing Strategies on Pesticide Residue Removal: The First Comparative Study on Leafy Vegetables” showed rinsing under cool water was the most effective method of the nine methods studied.

Ideally, wash produce just before eating. Moisture from washing harbors bacteria, promotes bacterial growth, and shortens shelf life. 

Here’s how to rinse and wash leafy greens under cool, clean, running water.

• Wash your hands with warm, soapy water.
• Clean your kitchen sink with hot, soapy water and rinse with hot water before washing produce. This is especially important if the leafy vegetables are eaten raw.
• Discard any discolored or slimy-looking leaves and remove the outer leaves for extra protection. 
• Separate your leafy greens in a clean colander or place them in a big bowl or clean sink.
• Gently rinse in running water for at least 20 seconds to remove dirt, debris, and germs.
• Shake off excess water, and they are ready for cooking. Since cooking kills bacteria and parasites, no further treatment is needed,
• To extend shelf life, make sure to thoroughly dry any unused, clean, leafy vegetables before storing them in the refrigerator.
• If leafy vegetables are to be eaten raw, consider the following soaking methods.

1. Baking Soda

Why include a baking soda soak for removing pesticides from leafy vegetables when running water works so well? 

Soaking leafy vegetables in baking soda has been shown to break down chemical residues (even some pesticides), making them easier to rinse away. Care will need to be taken with the delicate leaves.

• Clean and rinse greens under running water for 20 seconds, as described above.
• Place the leafy vegetables in a clean sink or bowl. 
• Add water to cover and mix in baking soda at a ratio* of 1 teaspoon to 2 cups water (2 Tablespoons to 12 cups).
• Gently agitate the leafy vegetables.
• Soak the produce for 5-10 minutes. Baking soda breaks down many harmful chemicals, making them easier to rinse off. 
• Gently agitate before rinsing.
• Place in colandar or strainer, if desired.
• Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
• Cook or pat dry, or spin dry in a salad spinner, and they are ready to go in salads or smoothies.
• Store uneaten dry, clean greens in the refrigerator.

 *The ratio of baking soda to water varies across articles that recommend baking soda as a produce soak. 

2. Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide

Why include a hydrogen peroxide soak for removing pesticides when running water works so well?

A food-grade hydrogen peroxide soak may be desirable after rinsing your greens with running water, as described above, if you plan to eat them raw, in salads, or smoothies.  Hydrogen peroxide has been found to reduce pesticide residues and kill bacteria.

• Clean and rinse greens under running water for 20 seconds, as described above.
• Add produce to a clean sink or bowl.
• Add water to cover produce using a ratio* of 1 cup Food Grade 3% Hydrogen Peroxide to 10 cups water.
• Agitate leafy vegetables gently.
• Soak for 5-10 minutes. Hydrogen peroxide acts as a disinfectant, helping to kill bacteria and remove residues.
• Agitate gently.
• Place in colandar or strainer, if desired.
• Rinse thoroughly with cold water to remove hydrogen peroxide and debris.
• Leafy vegetables are ready to be cooked or eaten raw.
• Pat dry or spin dry the leafy greens to be eaten raw in a salad spinner, and they are ready to go in salads or smoothies.
• Store uneaten, dry, cleaned leafy vegetables in the refrigerator.

*The ratio of hydrogen peroxide to water varies across articles that recommend hydrogen peroxide as a produce soak. 

3. Food Grade Organic Apple Cider Vinegar or White Distilled Vinegar *

Why include vinegar for removing pesticides when running water works so well?

A vinegar soak may be desirable after rinsing your greens with running water, as described above, if you plan to eat them raw or in salads. Vinegar helps remove pesticide residues and bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella.

• Clean and rinse the leafy vegetables with running water for 20 seconds as described above.
• Place produce in a clean sink or bowl
• Add water to cover with a ratio** of 1 part vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar) with 3 -4 parts water in a large bowl. 
• Soak the leafy greens for about 10 minutes. Vinegar helps to kill bacteria and remove residues.
• Rinse the greens thoroughly with cold water.
• Ready to cook.  Or spin-dry in a salad spinner, or pat-dry the leafy vegetables, and they are ready to go in salads or smoothies.
• Store uneaten greens in the refrigerator. 

*Individuals with CIRS (chronic inflammatory response syndrome) or chemical sensitivity may react to vinegar, especiallly when sprayed***.

**The ratio of vinegar to water varies across articles that recomend vinegar as a produce soak.

***When vinegar is used as a soaking medium, it typically does not irritate the lungs. However, whenever we mention vinegar, we make sure to include that vinegar contains acetic acid, a lung irritant when sprayed. Use it in a well-ventilated area, and avoid inhaling aerosolized vinegar. Do not spray vinegar in the presence of children, individuals who are chemically or mold-sensitive, or those with lung or other chronic health conditions. 

Going Pesticide-Free: How to Clear Your Home 

Lowering your pesticide exposure is foundational to a healthy lifestyle and preventing various chronic and deadly diseases.

It’s especially important for homes with children who are more susceptible to the negative impacts of acute and chronic exposure.

As mentioned above, pesticides don’t just enter our homes on produce. They can also be found in pest control sprays, cleaning products (bleach, for example, is an EPA-registered pesticide), pet products, tracked-in shoes, and clothing and building materials.

Take proactive action, identify and remove pesticides from your home.

Pesticides are the first category of harmful products that we recommend removing from the home in our free Toss the Toxins online course. Fortunately, you can significantly reduce your pesticide exposure by making a few simple changes and safe substitutions in and around your home. 

Learn more in: How To Remove Pesticides From Your Home in 8 Simple Steps. 

FAQs 

Who knew washing leafy greens could be such a big topic?! Here, we answer some FAQs to help you safely remove pesticide residues.

Should I Wash Bagged Vegetables And Salads? 

This is controversial, but our opinion is a firm YES.

As you’ve likely noticed, most of the leafy green vegetable recalls have been for salad kits and bagged or pre-cut veggies…which are supposed to be triple-washed and “the safest” option.

Well, if they were so safe, why so many recalls?

Ideally, we recommend against buying salad kits or bagged veggies and instead making/chopping your own. 

However, if you need to buy them for convenience, please wash them thoroughly using one of the healthy and safe methods listed above.

Not only are they more likely to be contaminated, but they could have been washed in a factory using bleach or other less-than-natural cleaning agents that could leave more residue.

Do Pesticides Soak Into Fruits And Vegetables? 

It depends on the fruit or vegetable.

More porous, thin-skinned fruits and veggies, like nectarines and leafy greens, are much more likely to contain pesticide residue than thick-skinned cousins, like winter squash or avocados.

Pesticides can also enter a plant through the roots or seeds, and no amount of washing or produce wash can remove them.

This is why we recommend buying organic or certified naturally-grown produce whenever possible. 

If this isn’t an option, avoid the Dirty Dozen, buy more of the Clean Fifteen, and wash everything (organic or not) using one of these healthy & safe methods.

Make The Switch to Pesticide-Free With Branch Basics 

In addition to washing produce and buying organic, switching from cleaners with harmful chemicals to human-safe cleaning and laundry products is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your daily pesticide exposure.

If you’re interested in tossing the toxins and trying Branch Basics as a cleaning system, check out our Starter Kits.

Our human-safe, natural, MADE SAFE-certified, biodegradable, non-GMO, and EWG-verified cleaning line was designed to replace all cleaning and laundry products with just one Concentrate. 

Simply add water to create All-Purpose (which can also be used as a produce spray), Bathroom, Streak-Free, Laundry, and Foaming Wash.

To learn more about what’s in Branch Basics and how it works, see: How To Get Started With Your Branch Basics Kit, and reduce your pesticide burden right now.