Yes, baking soda works on everything from apples to zucchini, but please—don’t use it on mushrooms. They’re like sponges from another dimension; they’ll soak up the solution and taste like a fizzy science lab. For mushrooms, just wipe them with a damp cloth and accept you’ll never be perfectly clean.
Here’s a wild fact: baking soda also removes waxes embedded with fungicides that some producers use to make apples look like they just came from a plastic surgery convention. A study found it’s especially effective on apples, pears, and peaches. Your guacamole ingredients? Not so much—citrus fruits have porous skins that trap the soda, so rinse them extra well or just peel them.
How to Clean Produce with Baking Soda - A Quaint Life
The “But I’m Lazy” Alternative
If soaking sounds like a chore, make a paste of baking soda with a few drops of water—think toothpaste consistency. Rub it gently onto thick-skinned produce like cucumbers or bell peppers, then rinse. It’s faster, but you look slightly unhinged scrubbing a cucumber with white goo. Embrace the madness; it’s worth the story later.
And for the really lazy: just buy a bag of pre-washed salad mix and accept your fate. Baking soda won’t save you from the existential dread of bagged lettuce, but it will save you from ingesting mystery chemicals. Choose your battle.
