April 27, 2025, 9:49 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Whether the strawberries come from the garden or the supermarket, it’s important to wash them before eating. This helps remove dirt, insects, and other inedible residues. Is it enough to rinse the berries with plain water, or should you add some baking soda as well?
Typically, the strawberry season begins in mid-May and lasts until August. However, due to globalization, these red fruits are available year-round. Regardless of the season you wish to buy and consume them, strawberries should be washed thoroughly before eating — but should you use baking soda or not?
Is It Sensible to Wash Strawberries with Baking Soda?
In fact, it can be beneficial to wash strawberries with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Researchers have also studied the effect of baking soda on fruits and vegetables. Strawberries from the supermarket, in particular, can be cleaned more thoroughly this way, as it is common for the fruits to be treated with pesticides. These protect them from diseases and pests. However, pesticides can pose a risk to human health.
This is where baking soda comes into play: The powder is alkaline and can dissolve fats particularly well — water alone is, unfortunately, not enough. Other water-repellent dirt particles and small insects can also be successfully removed with baking soda. Sodium bicarbonate also breaks down the chemical structure of pesticides, allowing them to be washed off the fruits. This is confirmed by a study from the University of Massachusetts. The researchers found that while water can remove a large portion of pesticides and dirt particles, baking soda is significantly more effective.
By the way: Since baking powder contains baking soda, it is also suitable as a home remedy to rid fruits of pesticide residues.
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Washing Strawberries — Here’s How to Do It Right
Baking soda needs time to effectively remove pesticide residues. Therefore, strawberries should be placed in a baking soda bath. Use about one teaspoon of baking soda per liter of water. The berries should be soaked for about 15 minutes — according to the study, this duration is ideal for the powder to work efficiently.
Afterward, rinse the strawberries with clear water and dry them gently. Be careful not to press them too hard. It’s also important not to soak strawberries with bruises, as they could absorb water. In this case, it’s better to simply rinse them with clear water.