I’m pretty laid-back when it comes to my home-grown foods. I’ll eat unwashed veggies from my garden (we’re 100% organic, of course), raw milk straight from Oakley the cow, and raw eggs from our chickens.
Buuut, some people aren’t quite so, shall we say, accepting. And sometimes when you give people a carton of chicken eggs to take home that have bits of shavings and feathers stuck to them, it kinda grosses them out.
But no big deal, just give the eggs a good scrubbing and send them out the door. Right?
WRONG.
Believe it or not, there is more to washing an egg than you might think.
Egg shells are porous, but God designed them to have a micro membrane coating on them called “bloom” to keep potential baby chicks and their environment safe and clean.
Bacteria has a hard time getting inside a dry egg. Washing dirty eggs removes the bloom and invites bacteria to be drawn inside the egg. And washing eggs in cool water actually creates a vacuum, pulling unwanted bacteria inside even faster.
(Of course, not all bacteria is bad, but you never know what may be lurking on the outside, so better safe than sorry.)
So, what do we do with those less-than-shiny eggs?
First off, the easiest solution is to prevent dirty eggs in the first place.
1. Clean your nesting boxes often. Personally, I’ve found that keeping a constant supply of fresh shavings in each box goes a looong way in keeping my eggs clean (though, I’ll freely admit that this does not happen every day at my homestead!).
2. Place your roosting areas HIGHER than your boxes. Chickens like to roost in the highest part of the coop that they can. Build roosting areas higher than your nesting area to discourage them from roosting in and soiling their boxes. (I really wish I had known this tip BEFORE we built our roost set-up… darn it.)
Prairie Baby loves collecting eggs
But, even with the cleanest boxes, you will still end up with a dirty egg from time to time.
So your options are: (a) throw them at cars (b) practice your juggling technique (c) carefully clean them.
Let’s go with (c), shall we?
Egg Wash options:
1. Sandpaper. Use a fine grit sandpaper to gently sand off any soiled areas of the egg. While this still damages some of the bloom coating, it keeps the egg dry, helping to prevent the “vacuum” effect.
2. Warm/Hot water. Wash the dirty eggs in water that is approximately 20 degrees (or more) hotter than the egg. The hotter the better, and I try not to allow my eggs to soak in any standing water. I moisten them until the dirty spots soften, wipe, and dry. Also, it’s probably a good idea to use washed eggs before unwashed ones.
3. Bleach/Dish Soap. I’ve seen many sources mention bleaching or cleaning eggs with “solutions”. I try to steer clear of any of these methods, especially the bleach. I suppose if you are running a commercial egg operation, then this is something you need to consider, but for my informal egg collecting? I just use plain ol’ hot water. (If I WERE to use some sort of “soap,” I would definitely stick with something on the natural side that isn’t antibacterial… In fact anything that says “antibacterial” isn’t allowed into my house…)
My personal method? I only wash eggs that are visibly soiled. Anything that comes in the house already clean is left alone. If they have a bit of dry manure or shavings stuck on them, I try to flick those things off before bringing them inside. The less washing the better, I say!
So, my egg cleaning routine is informal, but I’m happy with it. Another factor that gives me peace of mind is knowing that our chickens are healthy, happy, and fed a better quality diet than commercial chickens. Those things go a long way in keeping your eggs safe to eat. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Do you wash your backyard eggs? What is your method?
A Few more Egg-y Posts:
- How to Freeze Eggs
- How to Feed Eggshells to Your Chickens
- How to Naturally Disinfect Your Chicken Coop
This post is a part of Simple Lives Thursday, Farm Friend Friday, Real Food Wednesday
How interesting. I had no idea about the bacterial vacuum thing. I don’t wash if the egg looks clean but if it is dirty, I usually wash it – often before using but sometime before storing in the fridge.
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Hopefully, I will be able to find unwashed eggs here in the near future, at which point I will leave them all unwashed until right before I cook with them. When I need an egg, I’ll wash it if it’s dirty, and proceed as normal.
We try not to wash any eggs until they’re about to go out the door to another home. I always try to explain to my hardier customers that they’re better off keeping the dirt on until right before use, if they care to wash them then. Those customers don’t mind and understand freshness-over-prettiness! But for most customers, I wash them up on the morning of or moments before I send them out the door. It’s worth knowing how much fresher they stay!
We don’t wash our eggs. On the rare occasion that I get a really raunchy egg, the dog gets a treat
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I also only wash visibly soiled eggs and then only just before they get used…Any one I sell to seems not to care .
I don’t wash my eggs either unless they’re particularly dirty although I am going to start waiting to wash them until right before I use them. Thanks for this informative post!
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Now I feel kind of lazy!! If I get a dirty egg I may try and brush it off on a dry rag, or I just crack it on the opposite side of the dirty spot. That sort of thing must not bother me because until I read this I never gave it a second thought. I kind of live by the ” a little dirt won’t hurt ” motto in my life
I don’t think there is anything wrong with that method, either!
I’ve definitely been known to do that, too. But *sshhh* don’t tell the Egg Police. 
I never even considered washing eggs from our backyard chickens! Which is so unlike me, but ha! Guess my guts knew all along that it was better not to… I do exactly what you do Elise, I just crack it on the other side or brush off anything that might fall into the bowl/pan! Been eating our eggs this way for about 4 months (only had chickens a year and they just started laying in December), but no problems so far!
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Usually my eggs are clean, but one day during the week a chicken had a massive stomach blowout right on top of an egg. I wash it, but it was still gross and stained. I threw it out this morning. I just couldn’t bring myself to eat it.
Yeah, that’s kinda icky sounding… I probably would have tossed that one too. My dogs sure appreciate the occasional “too dirty” or cracked ones.
Ok dumb question but… how do you feed them to a dog? Raw? Cooked? I put a dirty egg in the compost pile this morning, and now will feel guilty that my pup missed out!
Dogs can have raw eggs. They are really good for them! I have a dog that will take the whole egg break it open himself and eat everything including the shell! He thinks its the best treat ever!!
Definitely! My dogs love it, too- they fight over who gets the really icky ones… :0
Good info! I am also curious how you store your fresh eggs? I have heard mixed feelings on this too.
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Allison- I just store mine in cartons in the fridge. I know there are differing opinions on this, but I haven’t delved into that topic much, yet.
Thanks for the tips on preventing dirty eggs in the first place! I do not raise my own chickens YET but when I do (this coming spring hopefully) I am going to take those tips into consideration when building our coop.
As for washing eggs, my mom (who raises hens) always told me not to wash them but to instead just wipe them off with a dry cloth. Don’t add water or bleach into it! Sandpaper was a good idea if they are really dirty… When I see a “dirty” egg, I don’t get grossed out, I’d rather the “dirt” to be on the outside than on the inside!
We don’t wash ours. We flick off shavings or feathers when we collect the eggs. While we keep our nest boxes as clean as possible, we often get a dirty egg or two. Those go in the “dog carton” on the counter, and the furry kiddos get an extra treat in their kibble. We tell our egg customers that the eggs haven’t been washed, and if they’re concerned, to rinse them in warm water before they use them. Haven’t had any complaints yet, though one coworker wanted to know what was wrong with the eggs, as they had orangey-yellow yolks. He was also concerned about our green eggs (from the ameraucanas). He’s currently our best customer, and buys at least two 18pks a week!
Oh my Rae, how funny! What a great “problem” to have, though– gorgeous yellow yolks!
I am a washer. I use warm/hot running water (no soaking) and a green scrubby. I rinse most eggs quite rapidly with the scrubby to dislodge anything questionable. Those that are stained I put in my fridge door for first family use. I sell eggs off my front porch and most people want to be reassured that the eggs are clean and fresh. They wouldn’t mind me using bleach – but I would! I am still in the gentle education mode of egg selling and for that matter having healthy livestock “right in town”. Old timers are hard pressed to want to pay “so much” for eggs ($2.50) so I am sure to offer a beautiful, nutritious, and tasty product. I’d like to keep my permit!
Yes, I think it does take a little education both when it comes to “dirty” eggs and paying more for nutritious eggs. People are often drawn to the “cheap” eggs at the store.
Agreed!!!! I do not wash my eggs!!! Most of the time they are very smooth and clean, just right for the skillet!!!
No egg cleaning here. We keep our hens’ boxes clean and fresh. And, it helps they lay clean eggs
Nice blog!
I don’t wash mine either, unless it’s really dirty. Then, I use very warm water out of the tap and “scrub” the dirty part with one of those yellow sponges that has the green scrub on the back of it. Just a little scrub, and it’s clean! If an egg is disgustingly soiled, I practice my softball skills from high school!
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LOL Marilyn!
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I almost laughed out loud in the library when I read options A & B for dirty eggs!
I actually just learned that eggs shouldn’t be washed with water, so this post is very timely. I’m with you though, I don’t worry too much about dirt in general and just wipe very dirty eggs off with a dry cloth. I’m getting lots of practice at our host’s house here in New Zealand, but I’m excited to have my own chooks (as they call them here) once we get back home to the States!
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Glad I could share a laugh with you, Lori!
I feel that homeschooling is a great way to get proper education as long as there is social interaction. Get a few homeschooled children/parents and form a little class that gets together once a week and teaches together. That way your child could play games that involve bigger classes. This would also be a great social opertunity. Good luck and hope I helped.
What’s so bad about a little feather dander?!? No washing here unless soiled, then they get the towel rub. If it does need a little wash, warm water and then dried off before putting it in the fridge. I store them in cartons, lowest shelf to keep them cold.
Feather dander doesn’t bother me a bit– but some “city dwellers” are a little weak-stomached when it comes to manure on their eggs.
First I’ve heard of, re: washing eggs but in the city. Here’s one you might of heard about though….I crack my eggs, use them, and then wash them (the shells) in warm water and dry them for half or more a day. When I get a jam jar full ( I crush them down if necessary) I boil the eggs and the membranes, which are loaded with vitamins, for five or six minutes. Cool the water and pour it on my plants and dry the shells for 24,36 hours, or till absolutely dry. I place them in my coffee grinder and grind them to a “powder” membranes included, and inject a half of tsp. in the a.m. and half a
tsp. in the p.m. with food, water or juice. Individual taste, but they have NO TASTE. This is my calcium for the day but, now this is very important….only organic eggs Not the eggs from the local grocery store unless they are organic, or, you know WHERE THEY CAME FROM! I never throw away egg shells. They are too valuable to compost even!! No, didn’t get this from a doctor. It was from scientists who work with energy medicine as they do at NASAW (SP?) Told this to a lot of medical people and friends….no more waste of egg shells. Google it too.
Interesting Donna. In fact, I have a post scheduled for the end of the week on how to feed your eggshells to your chickens, but I have never though of eating them myself. Totally logical, though! I will definitely google this.
Yes, Donna, thank you for that interesting info. I shall google it as well.
thanks for the info- i’ve thought about this (eating eggs to get calcium) often because i work in our local food coop’s wellness center and a new product for inflammation is made from the the egg membrane. apparently it is a good source of chondriton. i think the product is called NEM
I love what you guys tend to be up too. Such clever work and exposure! Keep up the great works guys I’ve added you guys to my personal blogroll.
I don’t wash my eggs either. They come from the chickens clean (normally) and I actually store mine on the counter in an egg carton. I pencil the date on each one so I know the age. I actually HAVE used older eggs in the past, but I normally use within a few days, and when I have extras I give them to a family at church, sell them, etc. so I don’t have any that get to be more than a few days old.
I used to sell them commercially as well. For the store, I would wash those eggs and refrigerate them, since that was what the store sold. For customers who contacted me outside the store, I explained about the bloom and gave them the choice … every customer asked to have unwashed, unrefrigerated eggs. IMO either washing OR refrigerating begins/speeds the degrading process. I am reassured by the fact that hens lay eggs and let them sit until they have a full clutch, so some eggs are already older and still hatch healthy chicks. In the case of my geese, the eggs are up to 2-1/2 weeks old before the clutch is completed, and still they hatch.
For that matter, I have produced hatching eggs using the exact same method (no washing, stored on the counter). I always make sure they are less than 4 days old when they go to their new owner, and my hatch rates are always at or near 100%. I get the same results with eggs I hatch myself.
Now … my newest batch of ducks just started laying. Duck eggs are always something I have mixed feelings on. I’m not even sure if they ARE white when laid (just kidding) … but I have yet to pick up a CLEAN duck egg, nor can they be made clean by washing. They are always stained and dirty. I don’t sell duck eggs for that reason, but I have given them away to teachers for hatching eggs and have had reports back of good success in hatching.
I’m also interested to read about not wasting egg shells. I have always used mine by baking them and crushing them and feeding back to the chickens, or, if I get too many for that, composting them. I’m definitely going to check into using them for a supplement. Very interesting!!!
I didn’t realize that duck eggs were so prone to be dirty. What a bummer!
I have ducks…pekins, that lay an egg almost every day. They are huge with marvelous, large yolks. I do sell them, so they must be clean and pretty…they are brilliant white. I use one of those magic eraser type scrubbies gently.
About the Magic Eraser – I used to use them too until I hear that the chemicals in them may not be what you even want in your house never mind on your eggs… have a look into it. I admit it worked wonderfully on the eggs BUT I don’t want formaldehyde on anything in my house! I don’t know just what kind of chemicals they use for sure but have since found much more sensible solutions to my egg cleaning.
Wow! I recently got “lazy” and quit washing every last egg that came into the house…now I know it’s totally OK. Thanks for a great post.
I never knew you shouldn’t wash eggs.
But I am learning before I get my own homegrown chicken and eggs.
I have a friend at church that sells fresh eggs. I remember the first time I bought from her I asked “are they washed?” She nodded and said yes. And sure enough the eggs were clean and they are wonderful. We buy as often as she is selling them.
I wonder if she knows about the washing thingy?? I will ask her.
I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to wash eggs because I have 2 neighbours who have chickens and they wash the eggs, all of them.
I have yet been able to find anything to get all the yuck off the outside of the eggs that doesn’t include soaking & washing in water. You see I have a mixed flock of breeds and ages of birds. Some of the elderly ones can’t get up into the nesting boxes so they lay on the floor of the coop. Sometimes the eggs have dried blood on them too.
In our family both my husband & myself work full-time, we have a 5 year old boy and we live 30 kms outside of town (where we both work). Making sure our nesting boxes have clean shavings or straw in them is just not a priority. I guess if I want cleaner eggs that is what we need to do.
I will start using warm water but will continue to wash until I can find something better, or all my old hens die off. They are enjoying their retirement so far! LOL
Hi All,
Just found this wonderful website. Thanks to everyone for such great info and comments.
I’m a newbie. Is there any issue with using a few drops of vinegar to clean an egg before use?
Thanks
Blessings
Irene
I get my eggs from a friend with a farm & they’ve usually come to me clean…but when I signed on with another farm to get our raw milk I went ahead and got a dozen or so eggs to go with! That gentleman told me not to put them in the fridge, just to keep them on the counter – so that’s what I’ve been doing for over a year now! He said that the same membrane you’ve talked about actually keeps everything just perfect so you don’t need to refrigerate them.
What are your thoughts on that??
We’re also getting ready to get chickens & my hubby will be building our chicken tractor soon so all of this information has been really great!! I’m thinking of putting a floor down that is easy to clean…what do you think?
Hi Tiffany!
While you don’t HAVE to refrigerate eggs, I’ve heard (and experienced) that leaving them out on the counter does cause them to age faster. They won’t necessary spoil right away, just won’t stay as fresh.
So you are considering putting a floor in your chicken tractor? I’ve seen some designs that simply sit on dirt, which I think it great since it allows the chickens to pick at the grass and roll around if they want. I think that works best if it’s a portable design. Our coop floor is plain wood (was like that when we bought it). It works ok, but I do have to be careful to keep things clean and dry to prevent rotting. Just some things to think about!
I love this site! I love anything to do with chickens! I don’t know how to set up facebook or tweet, but will try to learn. I just want to share a fabulous bit of information on breaking eggs. This is a fact. I have been doing this for about 2 years . When you break an egg to put in a skillet or a bowl, I always used to crack it on the edge of the pan, or the edge of the sink.~~~well here is how to do it and you will NEVER have a piece or pieces of shell get in your egg,~~~hold the egg horizontally, so both pointed ends are parallel with the stove or counter and crack the egg firmly on its side (like its “equater”) area, and always pour your egg out of the big end and your yolk will not break, and no bits of shell in your egg! Honest! Its amazing! I saw this on a cooking show one time! It works! I have 5 hens and 1 Roo and in March I am getting 30 more babies! I am so excited! I sure hope my new chicken coop is done by then! :0
Hey- thats a cool egg trick- gonna have to try it. And congrats on your new batch of babies- how exciting!
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I don’t wash ours until I use them, and sometimes I don’t do that, either. When I sell them, I tell people they’re unwashed and that they should probably rinse them before breaking. I lost a customer over that one – she was completely unhinged about my not washing them! I offered to wash hers, but she was done with me.
This year, with our 11 new girls (YAY!) I think I’ll offer a “washed” and “unwashed for better storage” option, perhaps charging 25 cents or something for the washing.
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I like the idea of offering a washed and unwashed option. I think it’s a little crazy that you lost a customer over that, but it really, really seems to bother some people… go figure!
Good to know!! I always wash my eggs, with cold water, b/c I figured hot would cook them a little. Also, when someone who was not me who shall remain nameless and is my husband
was tending the chickens, the coop was FILTHY, and the eggs were FILTHY. So he would bring them in and soak them. That might explain why eggs were disagreeing with me all the time!!! I may never wash my eggs again! Maybe I’ll actually be able to eat them now, spose?
Lol, oh no Laura!
Yeah, soaking them is probably definitely not a good idea, hehe. Those silly hubbys…. Hope you can eat them now!
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We wipe with a paper towel when they are collected (and put in the fridge in the garage). When we sell them, if it is a city-person, they get washed as needed. Usually just rubbing with my thumbs under running water. I’ve heard the temp shouldn’t be warm for the same reason you have read it shouldn’t be cold. *shrugs* We have one family that are city-dwellers but were raised in the country. They specifically ask to have the eggs unwashed so they stay fresher longer. Love it! So glad I’ve found your site.
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Yes, the city dwellers really seem to take issue with the unwashed eggs…
Glad you found the blog, too!
I do wash my eggs. My ritual every Saturday morning. After I milk my goats and put away the milk, I pour a cup of coffee, take all the eggs I’ve collected for the week and wash them. The whole house is still asleep . I wash and put them in cartons to give to family and friends or to sell. After that I cook breakfast for my wife and three sons.
One afternoon when I was at work my wife called to tell me she had a great idea for egg washing. She said me that she ran a dozen through the dishwasher. I asked her, “Did you run it through all the cycles?” “Yes! And they are beautiful!” I said, “Do me a favor and crack one open.” I listened over the phone as she cracked one in a bowl and heard, “Oh no they’re cooked! What happend?” I told her the last cycle…the heat dry basically hard boiled them. She was soo disappointed. She is so funny. So about 30 mins later I got a message from her telling me she ran 3 or 4 through the dishwasher but this time she turned off the heat dry. I called her and again asked that she crack one open. And…again I could hear her enthusiasm for her new found short cut fall upon seeing that the yolk was still raw but the white was cooked. She said, “….but why…I turned the heat off.” I was grinning ear to ear and suggested that the hot water of the dishwasher soft boiled them. “Honey,” I said “…it’s just too much heat.” She exclaimed, “Dang it! I didn’t think of that… and I .thought it was such a brilliant idea!” Before we hung up, I told her to let me know how they turn out if she decided to run them through the washing machine…”The spin cycle should make things interesting.” She hung up first! So, I still have my Saturday mornings when I drink coffee and wash about 40 – 50 eggs. I don’t mind one bit.
How funny! The mental picture of eggs in a washing machine is making me smile!
I knew I wasn’t supposed to wash them, but I didn’t know why. What about hard-boiling? Can I hard boil them without washing them first?
Also, Can I rinse them off right before cracking them?
KJ,
I hard boil mine without washing and haven’t had any problems- although if they are “poopy”, I will rinse that off, first.
And yes, if you like to rinse them right before cracking, I don’t think that’s a problem. I hear of many folks doing that.
Up until today I have been an egg washer! Thanks for the info….I didn’t like washing them anyways!
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Hey- so great to hear someone getting this out to the public so they’re not so freaked out! I had heard that part of the coating on the eggs is actually a waxy coating substance. An old timer in my area said that you can use a small bit of natural soap SUDS on them- not liquid soap directly but suds up some first in warm, not hot water before putting the eggs in. I had dried on things that needed to soak off, unfortunately. I would store unwashed eggs on the fridge on one drawer with towels, wash a dozen or two at a time before getting ready to use and give out, then those went in the other drawer for using. They did dry out faster once washed but as the old timer said- the lightly suds soap didn’t seem to break down the wax too badly. Maybe one future time when I’m more on it my eggs won’t have so much stuff on them and I’ll try your method. This same old timer also told me that the ideal condition for storing eggs was in a room temp place with a bit of MOISTURE so they won’t dry out. That’s why root cellars used to be the ideal place. They said they used to make these wonderful egg baskets shaped like a large funnel so the older ones came out a small hatch in the bottom first. During drier times they used to hang a moist cotton towel over the top of the basket to keep the eggs just slightly moist and keep them from desiccating. Lots of very interesting information came from the older farmers and residents in my very rural community! I moved and I miss that!
Very interesting! Yes, I love the wealth of info that “old-timers” share- we can learn so much! Thanks for including it here!
Just sifted through your blog and purchased your ebook. You had me at “Create a Homesteading Binder.”
Can’t wait to read it all!
Wahoo! Enjoy Tina!
I use a pot scrubber and hot water to wash any visible poo off the eggs. The friends who buy eggs from me expect them to be pretty. I am truly enjoying keeping our Houndstooth Hens!
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I’ve never washed an egg. I flick any bits of shavings off, and have only had one (my Americauna’s first egg) with any blood on it. Just cracked it on the other side. Nobody I’ve sold eggs to has ever asked if they were washed…
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Thank you this is so helpful. I pinned it and have shared the info with a city girl friend who just inherited 24 hens. lol
We use this method too but I couldn’t “why” exactly.
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I never considered not washing our eggs. Interesting. We use hot water and a scrubby designated specifically for the eggs.
I always thought you needed to wash them to get off any poop and bacteria b/c if you crack it open then that junk can get into the egg.
Never heard of the bloom or vacuum. Interesting too! Thanks for sharing.
We do wash ours before we sell them.
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I only wash our eggs if they look dirty, but most often we just put them in the carton. If I know I have to wash them (like today when it’s pouring the rain and the eggs are muddy- or I hope it’s all mud) we will just eat them right away after washing.
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I don’t have chickens, but couldn’t you just wipe the eggs with a good micro fiber towel when you get them out? And then maybe just wash them Right before you use them so anything doesn’t fall in?
The idea the commercial egg-ers could be sanitizing the eggs with bleach makes me want to run screaming. (Since I, like many, grew up on conventional, commercial, shiny white eggs….)
I was my eggs before I put them in the fridge. The reason I do this is because I have mice that run through my nesting boxes. I haven’t figured out how to keep those little beasts out of my coop. The hens will occasionally catch one and kill it…and well if they eat it I don’t know…nor do I want too! I just figured the idea of putting them in the fridge w/o washing because of the mice just seemed unsanitary.