How To Easily Wash Farm Fresh Eggs

How to Wash Fresh Eggs: You’ve devoted hours of work to your beloved chickens and are ready to reap the harvest. Now it’s time to learn how to properly care for their eggs!

Farm fresh eggs are a delight to behold (and ingest)! But what happens when our lovely eggs are soiled with mud? Or even worse, with that mysterious substance that around these parts we call chicken poo?

The Short Answer On How To Wash Farm Fresh Eggs:

The best way to wash fresh eggs is to wash with very warm water (warmer than your eggs). Then use a gentle scouring pad or rag to remove any dried dirt or chicken droppings. Either store in the fridge or consume immediately.

Now that we’ve gotten the easiest way to clean chicken eggs out of the way, let’s dive into the why’s and how’s of keeping backyard chicken eggs fresh, lovely lookin and sanitary! You know, the science behind the sanitation!

Read Your Beginner’s Guide To Raising Chickens Here!

Risks Of Consuming Backyard Chicken Eggs

Like almost anything in life, consuming backyard chicken eggs does come with some risk. The main bacteria of concern is contamination with Salmonella.

In the United States, we are so concerned with Salmonella poisoning that our grocery store eggs are sanitized into extreme submission. The CDC estimates that 1 in 20,000 eggs are contaminated with Salmonella.

Severe salmonella poisoning is especially a risk for the very young and very old. Diarrhea, fever, and cramping are common symptoms.

I do know people who consume raw eggs and I have personal experience eating a lifetime of raw cookie dough. I believe each person should weigh out the Salmonella egg risk and proceed with their own convictions.

That being said, there is a special way that nature protects the inside of the egg from harmful bacteria…

Two chickens deliberating on whether to forage or head home to roost.

It’s All About the Bloom (The Chicken Egg Bloom, That Is!)

The outer coating of a chicken egg called the bloom contains miraculous bacteria fighting properties.

The longer I’ve lived on this green earth, the more I can attest to the absolute beauty and design found in nature. With it’s bacteria repelling capabilities, the chicken egg is one of these little miracles. The chicken bloom is the reason you can safely and confidently consume backyard chicken eggs.

The chicken bloom is a protective coating that naturally keeps bacteria out of the egg!

What Is the Chicken Egg Bloom?

The chicken bloom is the last part of the egg to develop. Formed in two layers, it is like a cuticle covering the outside of the egg.

The bloom blocks the pores on the outside of the egg shell, protecting the egg from any harmful bacteria as it (ahem) exits the chicken! This bloom serves as a defense mechanism against bacteria while the little chicky chick inside develops. It will also help protect you from consuming harmful bacteria, as long as it remains in tact.

Keep in mind, when you wash away the chicken egg bloom, bacteria can enter in. But, if you leave the bloom on, your egg is protected from bacteria and can sit on the counter waiting for consumption for… weeks!

The bloom takes time to dry and fully protect the egg. So, you’ll want to make sure to keep your chicken’s nesting boxes as clean as possible to further deter bacteria.

How Long Can Fresh Chicken Eggs Sit Out On Counter?

Fresh, unwashed chicken eggs can do well on the counter of your kitchen for up to one month.

Washing eggs removes the protective outer layering called the bloom.

When Do You Need to Wash Backyard Chicken Eggs?

We do not always wash our chicken eggs! In the summer and fall, before the Northwest rains set in, our eggs come nice and clean from the coop. We rarely have to wash them, and as the bloom keeps bacteria out, we are free to directly crack and scramble (or fry, if you like).

However, during the winter and spring months we get heavy rains, the chickens spend lots of time mucking about, and our backyard chicken eggs become a little less fresh looking then we’d like.

When covered in mud, and chicken poo, we leave our chicken eggs on the counter until we’d like to consume them. Then, we wash with hot water and gently scrub.

When we have an overabundance of eggs, which happens from time to time (even in winter as we have some very active layers), I will wash them all and store them in the fridge.

Giving chickens plenty of space to roam keeps down on mud and muck.

The Easiest and Best Way To Wash Fresh Chicken Eggs

Washing fresh chicken eggs the right way is easy. All you need is fresh warm water (higher in temperature than your eggs), a scrubby, and a place to dry your eggs.

These mutli purpose scouring pads are very gentle yet do a great job of lifting off dirt and grime.

Egg Cleaning Process:

  • Collect eggs, leave on counter until ready to clean
  • Using very warm water wash one egg at a time (don’t soak)
  • Gently scrub any stubborn dirt
  • Consume or refrigerate

Why You Should Use Hot Water To Clean Eggs:

Cold water causes the contents within the egg to contract, increasing the likelihood of bacteria being pulled in through the pores. Very warm/hot water causes the interior to expand, preventing bacteria from entering.

Methods of Cleaning Chicken Eggs

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Well, like all things in nature, there’s more than one way to clean a chicken egg.

I’ve mentioned already that in my humble opinion the easiest and best way to clean a fresh chicken egg is with water that is warmer than your egg and a scrub brush. Rinse, scrub gently, enjoy.

However, there are varying views on this topic, so I’m going to share a few ideas and my thoughts on them!

Using Soap To Wash Chicken Eggs

Washing eggs with soap can potentially affect the flavor of the egg. As you remove the outer bloom of the chicken egg, the pours open and the soap/chemicals can seep inside.

So, if washing your eggs with soap, I would use a very gentle, natural soap like Dr. Bronners. Rinse very well and air dry. I only use soap if an egg is very dirty.

Cleaning Eggs With Vinegar

Another common method of egg cleaning is to enlist the use of vinegar. As an ever popular cleansing agent, it can be tempting to add vinegar to your egg cleaning routine. My thoughts on using the vinegar soak is that it is not really necessary, and you may risk affecting the flavor of the egg with the vinegar wash.

Using Cold Water To Wash Fresh Eggs

I made the mistake of using cold water for the first few months of washing dirty eggs. Although none were harmed in the process, I did change my methods to hot water, as this discourages the absorption of bacteria into the egg.

Using Sandpaper To Dry Clean Eggs

Using sandpaper to “dry clean” eggs is also a method I have read about. Honestly, for eggs that have very little mud on them this may work great! It would allow you to spot clean an egg while leaving most of the bloom in tact. But for heavily soiled eggs, you should definitely wash them.

dirty chicken coops can cause problems
A skeptical chicken.

Tips For Keeping Chicken Eggs Clean:

A chicken egg can only be as clean as its coop. Of course if you live in a seasonally rainy and mucky area (as we do), your eggs are just going to get dirty.

I have noticed our chickies like to hang out in their hutch on cold wet days (who would blame them!). While they have plenty of room to roam, we are hoping to create a much bigger inside enclosure for them soon.

Here are a few tips for keeping your chicken eggs cleaner in the winter:

  • Regularly inspect nesting boxes, keep clean with fresh bedding
  • Regularly clean your coop, using gloves and shovel to remove manure
  • Make sure you have enough chicken nesting boxes per chicken to prevent crowding of eggs
  • Let your chickens free range and have plenty of space to roam about
Clean eggs inside of a clean chicken coop!

Enjoy Your Washed Eggs!

Now that you’ve washed your farm fresh chicken eggs, it’s time to either store them or enjoy them! Check out the best way to boil farm fresh eggs here.

Thank you for stopping by! I’d love to hear about your backyard chicken journey. Leave a note in the comments and share you best chicken raising tips!

Don’t stress and God bless! – Jamie

Enjoy this tutorial on how to boil farm fresh eggs right here!

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6 Comments

  1. Very good tips on washing eggs. We store ours on the counter or in lime solution so I don’t prewash my eggs… but still some eggs need a little extra TLC.

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