How to Wash Spinach: Tips for Cleaning and Storing Spinach

Spinach is among the most nutrient-rich vegetables, but it can be a host for bacteria like E. coli that cause foodborne illnesses. Like all leafy greens, non-organic spinach leaves can also come with pesticides. Use this step-by-step method to clean fresh spinach:

1. 1. Wash your hands. Washing greens with dirty fingers can defeat the purpose of preparing your leafy greens for safe consumption. Use hot water and soap, and scrub your hands for at least twenty seconds.
2. 2. Toss out any damaged spinach leaves. Go through your spinach leaves and discard any that have holes, are brown, or show signs of mold.
3. 3. Remove the stems (optional). Some chefs and home cooks love spinach stems, but they do somewhat limit the function of a salad spinner. They also offer a different texture, which may interfere with a recipe. To remove a spinach stem, simply grasp the base of the spinach leaf and tear it away from the stem. You can also use a chef's knife, but with practice, you may find the ripping motion to be faster and easier.
4. 4. Let the leaves soak (optional). Compared to other salad greens, spinach can arrive at your house caked in a lot of dirt. The best way to discard this dirt is to fill a large pot or a large bowl with cool water. Place the spinach in there, swish the leaves around, and let them sit for at least five minutes. This will allow a lot of the dirt to fall to the bottom of the bowl.
5. 5. Transfer the spinach to a colander or salad spinner. At this point, you will wash your spinach much as you'd wash lettuce, chard, or other types of greens. Place the spinach leaves in a colander or the basket of a salad spinner, and place them under running water. Use cool or cold water to rinse the spinach. Hot rinse water could wilt your spinach.
6. 6. Dry the spinach. There are two ways to quickly dry spinach. You can either run them through your salad spinner, or you can lay the leaves on some dry paper towels or clean dish towels and gently blot away the excess water. Avoid air-drying the spinach. Long drying times allow moisture to collect on the leaves, and this can encourage mold or bacterial colonies to form.

As you store your spinach for future use in salads, smoothies, entrees, and side dishes, keep these four tips in mind.

1. 1. Use pre-bagged spinach shortly after opening the bag. If you opt for pre-washed baby spinach from the grocery store, your best preservation tool is keeping its plastic bag sealed. Once that bag opens and its air seal is popped, the decay process speeds up, so use the spinach soon after opening the bag.
2. 2. Avoid washing the spinach until you are ready to use it. The best way to preserve fresh spinach is to keep it dry. For this reason, it's best to not wash your spinach until you are ready to use it. However, if you plan to put it in a salad and want it completely dry in advance, it's okay to wash it a day early.
3. 3. Use paper towels when storing washed spinach. Wet spinach decays quickly. To wick away moisture, wrap your washed spinach in paper towels and then place the wrapped spinach in a glass or plastic storage container in your refrigerator. Replace the paper towels if they feel wet to the touch.
4. 4. Use your fresh spinach within ten days. When kept in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, fresh spinach can last up to ten days. Check on it to make sure it isn't wet or soggy, and throw out any brown or decaying spinach leaves. If possible, hold off on washing the spinach until it's time to use it. This is the best way to ensure it remains dry in your refrigerator.

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