How to Wash Raspberries [4 Steps to Keep Berries Fresh]

To wash raspberries, place them in a colander in your sink. Run the fresh berries under cold water until all debris and residue are removed. Remove the berries and pat the berries dry with a clean cloth towel or paper towel. Store your washed berries in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. This will ensure that raspberries stay fresh as long as possible.

Bowl of fresh raspberries after being washed.

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4 Steps to Washing Raspberries

Washing berries is an important process for keeping berries safe to eat. Clean berries taste fresher and won’t have dirt and debris on them. Plus, washing presents a good opportunity to look through your berries and toss out ones that have gone bad. Let’s look at the four steps you should follow to clean berries:

1. Rinse the Raspberries with Water

Raspberries being washed with water in a sink in a mesh strainer. — The first step is to rinse your raspberries in a colander or mesh strainer.

Place your fresh raspberries in a colander or mesh strainer and give them a quick rinse with cool water. This will remove dirt, plant material, and any other debris on the berries.

Alternatively, you can give your raspberries a water bath with a few cups of water. I like to use the mesh strainer and faucet method so the running water can carry away any dirt.

2. Dip Raspberries in a Vinegar Mixture

A cup of white vinegar and 3 cups of water that will be mixed in a bowl to wash raspberries. — Create a mixture with 1 cup white vinegar and 3 cups water to mix your raspberries in.

Mix together a solution of three cups of cold water and one cup of vinegar. Dip the raspberries into the solution to kill bacteria.

Raspberries in a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar and 3 cups water to remove bacteria as part of the washing process. — Mix your raspberries into the mixture to remove any bacteria, but do not let them soak.

Do not let raspberries soak in the vinegar bath. Allowing your berries to soak will cause them to take on a vinegary taste. A quick dip is all that’s needed.

3. Pat the Berries Dry

Clean and washed raspberries drying on a paper towel. — Remove moisture from your washed raspberries by patting them try with a paper towel.

Take your fresh berries and pat them dry with paper towels or a clean cloth towel. You can remove excess moisture with a salad spinner first if you like.

I like to spread the raspberries on a paper towel. Then, I spread a second paper towel on top to absorb moisture. Avoid pressing when you pat raspberries dry—it’s easy to crush the berries.

4. Store in an Airtight Container

Washed and cleaned raspberries in an air tight container to be stored in order to maintain freshness. — Store your clean raspberries in an air tight container for maximum freshness.

Place your raspberries in an airtight container lined with paper towels. Place the container in your refrigerator crisper drawer for storage.

The paper towels will absorb excess moisture, which prevents raspberries from rotting or growing mold. This way, your washed berries will remain good to eat for as long as possible.

How Long Do Raspberries Stay Fresh After Washing?

After you’ve washed your raspberries according to our method, they will stay fresh in your fridge for three to four days. Usually, raspberries go bad in the fridge in one or two days, but washing them and using the vinegar dip method can extend their shelf life.

Raspberries will be good to eat for 3–4 days after washing.
If left unwashed, raspberries can go bad in as little as 2 days.
When you buy fresh raspberries, plan to use or freeze them soon.

Raspberries go bad faster than most other fruits. So, always plan to use them soon after you buy them. In order to store raspberries long-term, it’s necessary to freeze or dehydrate them.

Do Raspberries Need to Be Washed?

Fresh raspberries need to be washed before they can be eaten. All fresh produce can come with dirt or lingering chemicals that can be unhealthy to consume. Rinsing off your berries makes them safer to eat.

Always wash berries before eating them.
Unwashed berries can carry harmful bacteria.
You don’t need to wash frozen raspberries until after they come out of the freezer.

The one exception to washing berries is if you want to make frozen berries. Frozen raspberries don’t need to be washed prior to freezing. As long as you wash the frozen raspberries after they come out of the freezer, there is no issue.

Can You Wash Raspberries with Vinegar?

Washing raspberries with a bit of diluted vinegar can improve their shelf life. The best solution to use is to mix three parts water with one part vinegar. Place your berries in this vinegar bath to remove residue and keep them fresher longer.

Dipping berries in water mixed with vinegar improves freshness and longevity.
Do not soak the berries unless you want your fresh fruit to taste like vinegar.

Be sure not to soak the raspberries or they will take on a vinegar flavor. This can make your berries taste sour or unripe. Quickly dipping your colander or strainer into this vinegar mixture cleans your berries without giving them a vinegar taste.

How Do You Wash Raspberries?

You can wash your raspberries for prolonged freshness by following these steps:

Give raspberries a gentle rinse in a colander in the sink.
Dip your berries in a solution of water and vinegar.
Dry your berries with an absorbent towel.
Store the raspberries in an airtight container lined with paper towels.

It’s also worth learning how to make frozen raspberries to increase their shelf life. Raspberries only stay good in the refrigerator for a couple of days but frozen berries stay good for months.