Enjoy fresh, crisp and clean vegetables after washing.
It is important to wash all vegetables and other produce before consuming them. Non-organic vegetables might still have traces of pesticides or other chemicals used to grow the vegetables. Even organic vegetables grown naturally can still be dirty from the soil and during transport from the farm to the store to your kitchen. You can build your own vegetable washing machine to clean your produce at home. Does this Spark an idea?
Manufactured Machines
Several companies make manufactured vegetable washing machines. These machines are large and bulky, not designed for home kitchens. Instead, restaurants, stores and other produce-related businesses buy these bulky machines, which operate using a conveyor belt and a tub for washing. You would not want to build something this large at home, and you likely don't need a conveyor belt since you probably don't need to wash large quantities of vegetables. However, you can apply some concepts of these manufactured vegetable washing machines to the one you build at home, such as the large washing basin.
Simple Contraption
A homemade vegetable washing machine should be simple and easy to use. It should also be small enough to store in a cabinet, pantry or closet. You can use a plastic bucket or small plastic tub as the washing basin. You can wash produce right in the basin, or place a strainer in the basin to wash the produce in the strainer -- this helps you wash and drain the vegetables at the same time. When you are finished, simply dump the water out. You can also attach a scrubbing brush with gentle bristles to help you scrub vegetables clean. Other elements of a homemade vegetable washing machine include a faucet hose adapter that attaches to your kitchen sink for easy water control, and a platform or rack to air dry the produce after washing.
Washing Solution
Water is one way to wash vegetables in your vegetable washing machine. You can also buy a vegetable washing solution, or make one yourself. To make your own vegetable washing solution, combine equal parts of water and white vinegar. Scrub hard skinned vegetables, and just let soft skinned vegetables soak in the solution for a minute or two. Then, rinse thoroughly. The vinegar is more effective for getting rid of bacteria than water alone.
Considerations
Homemade vegetable washing machines can also be used to wash fruits and other foods in your kitchen. You should make a machine that is easy to clean. A plastic bucket or tub is inexpensive and easy to clean, which is why they are a good option for a homemade vegetable washing machine. They fit right into your sink, so the rest of the kitchen doesn't get wet or messy during use.
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