Kale is one of the most popular leafy greens. You can serve it raw in salads and slaws, bake it into crispy, nutritious chips as a snack, sauté it as a quick side dish, or stir a few handfuls into soups and stews. Because kale is such a healthy and versatile vegetable, it’s important to know how to wash it. Like any other fruit and vegetable, kale can become contaminated with foodborne pathogens, so proper handling, cleaning, and storage are crucial. Below, we spoke with a food scientist to learn how to wash kale and store it safely, and why it’s important to wash and handle this leafy green properly.

Why it is important to wash kale

Leafy greens like kale have historically been one of the most common causes of foodborne illness, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat them. Mary Anne Amalaradjou, DVM, MVSc, MS, PhD, associate professor of food microbiology at the University of Connecticut, says that like any green leafy vegetable, kale can be contaminated with foodborne pathogens like norovirus, Shiga toxin-producing viruses. Escherichia coli (STEC), Campylobacterand non-typhoid Salmonella. However, proper handling, cleaning and storage can help reduce your risk. Even if you cook kale, which Amalaradjou says can lower the risk even further, it’s still important to handle it carefully to avoid foodborne infection or food poisoning.

“It’s important to remember that food safety is everyone’s business. That means using best practices from farm to fork,” she says. In other words, when we buy kale at the supermarket or farmers’ market, we need to treat the greens properly. That includes handling, washing, storing and avoiding cross-contamination.

Types of Kale

It seems like there are new varieties of kale in the stores all the time—nothing to complain about! These kale varieties have different textures. Some leaves, like the common green curly and Red Russian varieties, are curly and have lots of nooks and crannies where dirt and sand can hide. Other varieties, like Lacinato (also called dinosaur or Tuscan kale) and Chinese kale (sometimes called Chinese broccoli or gai lan), have much flatter and softer leaves that are easier to clean. Which type of kale you use depends entirely on your personal taste, availability, and the recipe you’re making, but the way you clean kale doesn’t change. With the more textured varieties, you may need to rinse and repeat a few more times.

Wash kale

Before washing kale (or any other produce), check the product label, if there is one. Sealed bags labeled “ready to use,” “washed,” or “triple rinsed” don’t need additional washing unless the label specifically says so. If the product doesn’t have one of these labels, washing is a must. There are two ways to wash kale properly: You always use water, but sometimes adding vinegar is a good option, too, says Amalaradjou.

1. Before washing products, clean and disinfect the sink, faucet and work surface.
2. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling products.
3. Pluck the kale leaves from the stems and place them in a sieve.
4. Rinse the kale under cold running water, turning the leaves to ensure every inch is rinsed.
5. After rinsing, dry the product with a clean cloth or paper towel or place it in a salad spinner to remove excess moisture.

Add vinegar

The acid in vinegar can sometimes be helpful when kale is particularly dirty – it can help dissolve the dirt so it can be rinsed off more easily. Amalaradjou points out that while vinegar is not a safety risk, it can affect the taste of the product. So, for the sake of the taste, quality and safety of the kale, soaking kale in vinegar-laced water is not recommended.

Simply rinse the kale in a water and vinegar solution (½ cup distilled white vinegar per 1 cup water), then rinse with clean water. Then dry and store as usual.

When should you wash kale?

Unless the leaves are visibly dirty when you get them home, you should wait to wash kale until you’re ready to prepare or eat it. (This is a good tip for all types of fruits and vegetables.)

More tips for washing kale

• An alternative technique is to soak the kale leaves in water in a salad spinner. Move the leaves around with your hands to free the kale of any dirt, then immediately drain and spin. You should avoid letting the produce soak in the water.
• When washing multiple batches of kale, be sure to wash your hands and change the water in the container to avoid cross-contamination.