My old egg washing method was wasting so much time

I used to wash every single egg under running water before putting them in the fridge. Now I just give them a quick dry brush with a bit of fine grit sandpaper if they're dirty, and keep them unwashed on the counter for a week. Has anyone else found that unwashed eggs hold up way longer than fridge washed ones?

2 comments

2 Comments

sanchez.mary9d agoTop Commenter

Oh man, you gotta be careful with that sandpaper idea! Even fine grit can scratch the eggshell's natural bloom off, which is the whole point of keeping them unwashed in the first place. The bloom is that thin protective coating that seals the pores so bacteria can't get in. I just use a dry paper towel or a soft brush to gently rub off any dirt, nothing more aggressive than that. And about the fridge thing - unwashed eggs only hold up longer if you haven't messed with that natural barrier, and they actually need to be kept at a pretty stable room temp, not sitting in a hot spot near the stove or in direct sunlight. Just a heads up so you don't end up with a batch of bad eggs!

the_nathan9d ago

Hold on. You're overthinking the bloom. It's not some invincible force field. A dry paper towel is basically doing the same thing as fine sandpaper just slower. I scrub my farm fresh eggs with a light grit sponge right before cooking, no issues ever. @sanchez.mary is right about fridge temps but wrong about the sandpaper. The bloom comes off with friction no matter what you use. Room temp stable is fine but I've had eggs last weeks on the counter after a quick scrub. Bacteria doesn't magically appear the second you touch the shell.