You should wash fruit with clean, cool running water and a bit of gentle friction from your hands or a soft brush; you do not need soap or special produce wash.

Best basic method

  • Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before handling fruit.
  • Rinse fruit under cool running water right before eating or cutting it, not much earlier.
  • Rub firm fruits (apples, pears, plums) with your hands or a soft produce brush to help remove dirt, microbes, and some pesticide residues.
  • For soft fruits (berries, grapes, cherries), place them in a colander and gently rinse, letting the water flow over them while you move them around with your hands.
  • Dry fruit with a clean towel or paper towel to remove additional surface moisture and microbes.

What to avoid using

  • Do not use dish soap, hand soap, bleach, or household cleaners on fruit; they can leave residues that aren’t meant to be eaten and can irritate your stomach.
  • “Produce wash” products are generally not necessary; running water plus friction is considered effective by food safety experts.

Optional extras people use

Some people like to add simple kitchen ingredients, mainly for peace of mind or to help with wax and some residues:

  • Baking soda: Soaking fruit in cold water with a small amount of baking soda (for example, about 1 teaspoon per 2 cups of water in a bowl) and then rinsing can help loosen dirt and coatings.
  • Diluted vinegar: A short soak in a mix such as 1 part white vinegar to 3–4 parts water, followed by a thorough rinse and drying, is commonly used at home to reduce microbes on fruits like berries, though plain water is still the official basic recommendation.

Quick mini-guide by fruit type (HTML table)

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Fruit type What to wash with How to do it
Apples, pears, firm stone fruits Cool running water Rinse under running water, rub with hands or a soft brush, then dry with a clean towel.
Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) Cool running water (optionally brief diluted vinegar soak) Place in a colander, rinse gently right before eating; optionally brief vinegar–water soak, then rinse and dry on a towel.
Grapes, cherries Cool running water Keep stems on, rinse in a colander, move them around with your hands, then drain and dry.
Melons (you eat inside only) Cool running water Wash and scrub the rind with a clean brush before cutting so you don’t drag microbes inside with the knife.
Citrus (oranges, lemons) Cool running water Rinse and rub or brush the peel, especially if zesting or cutting into wedges.

Forum-style takeaway

If you’re wondering what to wash fruit with, stick to cool running water plus a bit of scrubbing; skip soaps and harsh chemicals, and only add things like baking soda or diluted vinegar if you personally prefer that extra step.

TL;DR: Use cool running water and friction, avoid soaps and cleaners, and optionally use a mild baking soda or diluted vinegar bath followed by a good rinse.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.