How To Wash Potatoes To Remove Dirt and Pesticides, According to an Expert

Potatoes are often covered in dirt and sometimes even pesticides. It’s important to clean them properly before cooking and eating and this is the expert-recommended technique.

Overhead view of potatoes inside and outside a shopping bag on a marble countertop — Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock

As a late harvest season veggie, potatoes are one of the few produce items I still have fresh from the farmers market. And when stored properly, these spuds should last me through a large part of the winter.

However, these root vegetables can be one of the hardest to clean, especially if they come straight from the farm caked with mud or dirt. I’ve also heard that potatoes may be more susceptible to lingering pesticide residues than other vegetables. I spoke with a food scientist to get the need-to-know information on this and the best ways to fully clean potatoes.

Dirt and Pesticides on Potatoes

The amount of dirt on potatoes purchased from the supermarket or directly from a farmer can vary widely. Often grocery store potatoes (and usually ones from the farmer’s market) are pre-washed and will not sport large clumps of dirt like you’d see if they were pulled straight from the ground. However, if you grow your own potatoes or buy from certain farmers, then you dirt can very well be stubbornly stuck to your spuds.

Potato pesticide residues are a little harder to gauge as they’re invisible to the naked eye. “The ‘Dirty Dozen’ is an annual list released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) that highlights the fruits and vegetables most contaminated with pesticide residues to help consumers make informed choices about buying organic or conventionally-grown produce,” says Abbey Thiel, PhD, a food scientist, consultant, and educator.

Pile of whole potatoes in a metal wire basket with a kitchen blurred in the background — Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock

Thiel adds that “potatoes are not on the Dirty Dozen list for 2024, but they have appeared in past years due to concerns about pesticide residue.” So even though potatoes don’t currently rank in the top 12, they can still have some traces of pesticides if not grown organically. This is because their skin is often eaten and exposed to soil that may be sprayed with chemical pesticides.

However, don’t let this fact steer you away from these nutrient-dense starchy vegetables. “Personally, I think it’s better to focus on eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and not stress too much about whether they’re on the Dirty Dozen list. Critics say it often exaggerates the risks by ignoring safety thresholds set by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),” Thiel explains. “Washing your produce well goes a long way.”

How To Wash Potatoes To Remove Dirt and Pesticides

There are a handful of ways to wash your potatoes upon returning from the grocery store or farm stand that can both remove dirt and reduce pesticide levels.

The simplest and easiest way is to peel your potatoes after a rinse under the faucet, as it’s important to remove any large dirt clumps prior to peeling. “Wash the potatoes under cold running water and, with a firm brush or your hands, dislodge any dirt on the skin,” Thiel explains.

However, if you want to savor the flavor (and reap the nutritional benefits) of potato skins, there are other washing methods that can help lower pesticide residues, including soaking. “Either a commercial produce wash or mixing one part white vinegar to three parts water will do the job. Let the potatoes soak in these solutions for five to 10 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing,” says Thiel. This should make dirt removal far easier while reducing pesticide residue.

While there’s no way to tell if all pesticide traces are removed from your taters at home, these tactics should help significantly. However, if pesticides are a significant concern for you, opt for organic potatoes or, better yet, grow them at home.