Don’t Eat Grapes Before You Know This Trick – You’ll Be Shocked at What’s Stuck on the Skin!

Simply rinsing grapes with plain water is not enough. You should wash them the following way to remove as much dirt and residue as possible.

Grapes are juicy fruits with high nutritional value and great health benefits. They have a sweet-tart flavor but are also prone to pest infestations. Therefore, during cultivation, farmers may use pesticides.

Because of this, you must ensure grapes are thoroughly washed before eating to remove dirt, debris, and insect eggs. So, what’s the best way to clean grapes?

One of the most common mistakes people make when washing grapes is rinsing an entire bunch at once. Doing so makes it difficult to remove dirt and insect eggs trapped between the grapes.

Cut grapes before washing
Use scissors to cut the stems of each grape individually. Avoid pulling grapes off by hand, as this can tear the skin, allowing dirt and bacteria to get onto the flesh.

When cutting, leave a small portion of the stem attached to each grape.

Rinse briefly with clean water
After separating the grapes, place them in a basin and rinse gently once with clean water to remove some of the surface dirt.

Soak grapes in rice water and baking soda
Pour rice water into a basin, add the grapes, and make sure they are fully submerged. Rice water has mild alkalinity, which can help neutralize some of the remaining chemicals. It also helps loosen dirt stuck on the grape skin.

Next, add about 1 tablespoon of baking soda to help clean and dissolve any oily residues on the grape skin (if present).

The combination of rice water and baking soda cleans grapes more effectively.

Stir the grapes gently in the rice water, then soak for about 5 minutes. You’ll notice the water becoming cloudy or debris floating on the surface. Do not soak for too long, as this can cause the grapes to become mushy.

If you don’t have rice water, you can sprinkle some flour over the grapes, add water, and stir until the flour dissolves. Then, add baking soda as usual.

Rinse grapes again with clean water
After soaking, remove the grapes and rinse at least 2–3 times with clean water to eliminate any remaining residues.

Drain the grapes in a colander before serving.

You may notice a thin white powdery coating on grape skins. Many people mistake this for dirt or chemical residue. However, it is a natural wax bloom produced by the fruit itself to reduce water loss and prevent mold. Other fruits like cucumbers and plums may also have this coating.

This natural bloom is harmless to humans, and it is not necessary to scrub it off completely. If some remains after washing, there’s no need to worry.