# Washing Chicken Eggs : Which method?



## arghman (Mar 1, 2017)

Hello ChickenForum!

I've been talking with a friend who is an organic chicken farmer. We were having some discussion about how to clean eggs. He prefers not to use any soaps or detergents, and believe that using water to wash them may affect the natural protective coating on the eggs.

So he uses kind of a gritty dishwasher sponge to wash all his eggs. This works fine on light dirt, but takes forever on the dirtier eggs, and it seems like it could perhaps damage that natural coating if you push too hard on them.

So I'm trying to help him find a faster method that maintains the "organic" categorization!

I found this Youtube video, which shows you how to build a water and air-pressure powered egg cleaner: 




And suggested that to him for the dirtier eggs. It seems to work well in this video, even with pretty nasty eggs.

Does anyone have any research, proof or experience in comparing the 2 washing methods?
Thanks in advance!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I just rinse them off and dry them with a paper towel, put them in the fridge. If they're soiled, they get cleaned and rinsed at the outside spigot, then the fridge. If they are super soiled, they get tossed in the garbage.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I just wash them with water and put them in the fridge pat them dry or let them dry on a paper towel. We've never had any problems with them.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I put my eggs in a bowl of cold water to check for freshness(if an egg floats it is a bad egg)and wipe them off w/ a scrubby and cold water.I think the antibiotic coating on eggs is to protect possible chicks and cooking the eggs kills any bacteria present.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I rub off what dirt will come off and stick them in the fridge. I've read they are porous . Sand paper is okay, but they shouldn't wash them till you use them.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I always wash eggs before putting them in the fridge.I haven't died yet....


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Then there's always pick up the egg from the nest, spit on egg and rub on your shirt.


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

I use warm water and a rag but most of the time they're clean I just wipe them of with a damp wash rag


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

SPAM

My thought is that if you are submerging dirty eggs in water you are making dirty water.Then you are using pressure to squeeze the dirty water into the pores of the eggs.


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

It's hard to break an egg endless you drop it


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Nm156 said:


> SPAM
> 
> My thought is that if you are submerging dirty eggs in water you are making dirty water.Then you are using pressure to squeeze the dirty water into the pores of the eggs.


What is the SPAM word in your post referring to?


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