You've Probably Been Cleaning Your Strawberries Wrong

Nothing beats fresh strawberries. Whether you’re using them in a shortcake, throwing them in a spinach salad, or enjoying them on their own, cleaning them is essential. And a quick rinse doesn’t always do the trick. If you’ve been on TikTok, you’ve probably seen videos of people soaking their berries in water mixed with vinegar, baking soda, or salt. But what’s the best way to clean fresh strawberries?

To find out, I went to the Delish team and some other expert sources, and let’s just say people have differing opinions on how to clean strawberries! Here you’ll find the most common methods to get those strawberries squeaky clean. Use the process that works best for you and what you’re cooking.

Use a Salad Spinner

First, always use a salad spinner to rinse or soak your berries. Strain the water and then use the spinner to help dry them. The key is to thoroughly dry your berries after washing them to keep them from spoiling.

Plain Water

Yes, plain water will do, according to MasterClass. But make sure you’re washing each berry individually, rather than quickly running the carton under the faucet. A step above rinsing your berries under the faucet is soaking them in a bowl of cold water. After soaking or rinsing, make sure to thoroughly pat them dry with a cloth or paper towel.

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Water & Vinegar

This is probably the most popular and effective way to clean strawberries, both online and amongst the Delish team. Fill a bowl with about a 3:1 ratio of water to white vinegar and let the berries soak for about 15 to 20 minutes. Some people even add a bit of salt to the mixture, too. Rinse the strawberries with water and then dry them. Check out this TikTok video for a demonstration.

Water & Baking Soda

While one Delish staffer was not a fan of the water and baking soda method (it left her strawberries tasting very acidic), many people swear by it. MasterClass recommends 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every four cups of water. Soak them for about five minutes before rinsing and drying them.

Water & Salt

Lastly, you can add a bit of salt to a bowl of water to get your berries clean. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt for every cup of warm water and let the berries soak for five minutes before rinsing and drying.

Now check out all of our favorite strawberry dessert recipes like strawberry cheesecake bars and homemade strawberry cake. We even have a boozy strawberry daiquiri and frozen strawberry margarita.