A cool trick for cleaning your strawberries is using saltwater. Here is how to clean your strawberries with salt water. Put 5 cups of warm water in a large bowl and 1 tablespoon of salt. Let them sit for about 15 minutes. Then remove the strawberries and gently rinse with cool water. What's left in the bowl will be bugs, leaves and debris. You may want to rise twice to ensure they do not taste like salt.