Article: Remove fruits and vegetables from any packaging. The water rinse method is effective for all fruits and vegetables. However, some types of vegetables, including broccoli, lettuce leaves, or spinach, often require additional attention and cleaning. If you have packaged produce labeled "ready-to-eat," "washed" or "triple washed," do not re-wash. For fruits and vegetables that have a skin, the Food and Drug Administration recommends that you wash them BEFORE you peel them. Remove stickers from produce. It most likely won't harm you to eat the sticker; however, this is not recommended and it is best to remove them before washing. Otherwise, the part underneath the sticker will not be cleaned. Use warm, soapy water to make sure that your hands are clean before handling any fresh produce. Wash for at least 20 seconds. Bruises and cuts can allow pathogens to enter the fruit or vegetable. After you prepare each food item, wash kitchen surfaces and utensils with hot, soapy water. Keeping your workspace clean is especially important if you have peeled your produce without washing it. Bacteria from the outside of raw produce can be transferred to the inside when it is cut or peeled. You'll want to make sure the water is potable, meaning safe to drink. You can use warm water, but it's best used if you're planning to cook the fruits and vegetables after washing. Place a colander in the sink to expedite the process of rinsing your produce. Because you can wash more than one thing at once, a colander is especially useful if you are cleaning fruit and vegetables that are loose, such as beans or fresh peas. Some fruits and vegetables, like raspberries, which crush easily and become mushy when they take in too much water, should not washed vigorously. Instead, put delicate produce in a colander and gently spray with water. Mushrooms need to be cleaned differently than other vegetables. If you rinse them too much or soak them water, they will become soggy. If you must rinse them, do it lightly, with just a sprinkle of water. Dry immediately and gently with paper towels. The best way to clean mushrooms is wipe them with a clean, just damp cloth or paper towel. Use a vegetable brush to scrub produce such as potatoes and carrots, which are grown in soil, or cucumbers and melons. Brushing them helps to wash away hard-to-remove microbes; just make sure the brush isn't too rough or it could damage the produce. Make sure there are no specs of dirt or any tiny bugs remaining on your fruit and vegetables. If you find some, re-wash the produce. Dry everything you have rinsed with a clean paper towel. This will remove any lingering bacteria.

What is a summary?
Prepare produce for washing. Wash your hands. Cut away any damaged or bruised areas of your produce. Clean your countertop, cutting boards, and utensils. Rinse produce with cool or cold water. Be gentle with fragile produce. Scrub any produce with a thick skin. Inspect your produce. Dry produce after washing.