is there a proper time when you are supposed to wash your fruits and veggies?

I think the best way to care for veggies is to wash them right before you use them. Prevents things getting moldy from sitting in the fridge.

I always wash before I use. I would think there would be a chance new stuff could get on them depending on how long they sit there.

just before I eat/prepare them

just before i use them. i always heard that if you wash to early can go bad quickly or get moldy.

Never! I am very lazy. I prob have lots of germs and pesticides in me! Mwahahahaha!

Right before I use, otherwise I don't feel like they'll be clean when I need them. I know also that some stuff (strawberries for example) will spoil more quickly if you wash and then don't use them immediately.
the thing is they do "wash" or keep a lot of things moist in the market with those misters, so it can't really be that bad.

Right before I prepare / eat them! Don't want to "kill" all vitamins in them!

I wash them right before using. The only exception are fruits like strawberries, cherries and grapes. I wash them and keep them in open bowls in the fridge so I can grab some to snack on whenever I open the refrigerator.

I wash mine right before using but can anyone recommend a good, maybe organic or all natural fruit and veggie wash?

I use this kind:

http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/WebForm/Products/ProductDemo.aspx?Page=2

I'm pretty sure you should wash veggies after you buy them and store them in a damp paper towel or something along those lines, but yeah, i wash before i eat. hahahaha.

I wash things like grapes right when I get home and pull them off the stems so that they're in a bowl in the fridge and easy for snacking. I try to wash and cut some carrots and celery right away too, for the same reason, but I'm not quite as successful about keeping up with that.

Everything else, I wash just before I use it.

i wash them right before i use them. i think that i fyou wash them too early - they spoil faster and then it's a waste of money

what do you guys use to wash your fruits and veggies? i tend to use soap and warm water for some things and for others i just give them a good scrub under warm water. ??

I wash every fruit and veggie right before I am about to eat/use them in cooking.

i do like jen and babychloe with grapes and berries. with salad, I buy two or three heads on sunday, wash and dry them all in one big batch, and then put them in big baggies with a paper towel, so I can just pull out clean lettuce during the week to make salads really fast. other stuff, I was when I'm ready to prepare.

"When I arrive home from the market, I wash immediately before storing."
Actually, When I come home from buying groceries, I wash the fruits immediately and put 'em in this "fruit basket".
The veggies and tomatoes/mushrooms, I leave them in the bags and put them in the fridge.

I wash before I eat. People laugh at me for using Dial handsoap on fruits and veggies!! It kills the bacteria, right? Haha, well it makes me feel better anyway!

I don't wash them, unless they're fresh out of the soil.

Right before using...unless it's strawberries. I wash and cut those up right away.

You want to wait to wash your produce until just before use. Anything else will speed the decaying process.

Tap water should suffice and using vegetable washes seems unnecessary. No amount of washing will remove all pesticide residue. If this is your worry you should consider buying organic and/or locally grown produce.

Items with a tough outer skin like potatoes and melons can be scrubbed with a brush but at a minimum they should be washed, like all produce, vigorously with your hands. And of course don't forget to wash your hands.

You don't want to make the mistake of thinking just because the flesh of certain produce (i.e. potatoes and melons) is shielded from pesticides that they are OK. You want to wash these items because when you cut them your knife comes into contact with the outside and can spread pesticides to the flesh.

Bottom line, wash all fruits and veggies and wait until just before you use them in order to preserve their freshness as long as possible.
For more produce tips check out my profile and become a friend:)

Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker

And with a little dish soap.

Wow, thanks for all the info Ray! I've argued with people about washing melons before cutting them forever, and no one else will wash them, drives me nuts.

I always wash before use, mostly because grocery shopping isn't exactly my favorite thing to do, neither is putting everything away. So adding one more step to the whole process would probably result in ordering even more takeout.

reading all these comments about fruits are making me hungry. I wish I had grapes right now....

I wash right before using. When it's vegetables, I always soak in water with a bit of vinegar. And I peel as much as I can - I get really grossed out when people put cucumbers with unwashed skin!

Usually right before I use them. It's easier than figuring out which ones I should wash in advance and which ones I shouldn't.

Before using...

right before using

I use organic fruit & vegetable wash, and I wash them whenever I get around to it. I wash them and put them in containers for the fridge. I find they last a lot longer that way.