How to Clean Fresh Eggs Safely at Home

What You’ll Need

A clean, dry, soft brush, paper towel, or fine abrasive pad reserved for eggs
Potable running water that is warmer than the egg, if washing is needed
A clean towel or paper towels
A clean container or egg carton and a refrigerator kept at 40°F (4°C) or below
Optional: a food thermometer to check refrigerator temperature

Cleaning removes visible dirt from the shell, but it does not make an egg sterile. Fresh eggs may carry germs, including Salmonella, on the shell or inside. Handle them as a perishable food and cook them thoroughly. If you keep backyard hens, collect eggs often and use clean hands and equipment; avoiding dirty nests helps prevent heavy soiling.

Step-by-Step

Sort and inspect. Separate clean eggs from eggs with dirt, manure, cracks, or leaks. Discard cracked or leaking eggs rather than trying to clean and store them. Eggs with stubborn contamination are safest discarded, especially if they are heavily soiled; do not scrape off dirt in a way that damages the shell.
Clean your hands and work area. Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling eggs. Use a clean surface and a brush or pad that is used only for eggs. Keep raw eggs and their shells away from ready-to-eat food, clean dishes, and utensils.
Dry-clean minor dirt first. Gently brush or wipe away small, dry spots. Work lightly so you do not crack the shell or rub contamination across a large area. Avoid dry-cleaning a heavily soiled egg; discard it instead of trying to rescue it.
Wash only when necessary. Hold an egg under a gentle stream of potable running water that is warmer than the egg, ideally at least 90°F (32°C). The temperature difference helps reduce the chance that water and surface contaminants are drawn through the shell. Do not soak eggs in a bowl or wash water that has cooled below the egg’s temperature. Clean one egg at a time.
Skip detergents and chemicals. Do not use dish soap, household cleaners, bleach, or homemade chemical mixtures on eggs. Shells are porous, and residues can be absorbed or remain on the surface. Do not use cold water, which can encourage contamination to pass through the shell.
Dry the shell promptly. Use a clean paper towel or clean towel to dry the egg. If using a reusable towel, wash it after handling dirty eggs. Do not put a wet egg back with clean eggs or leave it sitting in a wet container.
Refrigerate and keep clean eggs separate. Put cleaned eggs in a clean carton and refrigerate them promptly at 40°F (4°C) or below. Keep them in their carton rather than loose in the refrigerator door, where temperatures fluctuate. Label the carton with the collection or cleaning date if you keep eggs from different batches.
Clean up and cook safely. Wash the brush, work surface, and hands after the task. Refrigerate eggs and dishes containing eggs within two hours, or within one hour if the room or outdoor temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Cook eggs until both yolks and whites are firm; egg dishes should reach 160°F (71°C), checked with a food thermometer. For recipes served raw or lightly cooked, use pasteurized eggs.

Washing is not a substitute for refrigeration or cooking. In the United States, commercially processed eggs are washed and refrigerated, so keep them refrigerated after purchase. Backyard eggs may not have undergone the same processing, but washing and refrigeration are still the practical choice for storing cleaned eggs. If you choose not to wash a clean egg, keep it separate from ready-to-eat food, refrigerate it, and wash your hands after handling the shell.

Common Mistakes

Using cold water: Cold water can create a pressure difference that draws contaminants through the shell. Use running water warmer than the egg instead.
Soaking a batch: Shared water can spread dirt from one shell to another, and the water may cool. Rinse eggs individually rather than leaving them in a basin.
Washing every egg automatically: Extra handling and scrubbing are unnecessary for clean shells. Dry-clean small spots and wash only when needed.
Using soap or bleach: These products are not appropriate for washing eggs at home. They do not replace safe handling and cooking, and residues may remain.
Putting wet eggs away: Moisture can spread contamination and leave shells damp. Dry each egg before it goes into a clean carton.
Leaving eggs at room temperature: Do not leave cleaned eggs out for long periods. Refrigerate promptly and follow the two-hour rule for perishable foods.
Assuming a clean shell means a safe egg: Germs may be present even when an egg looks clean. Avoid tasting raw egg and cook it thoroughly.

Tips

Gather eggs regularly and keep nest boxes dry and clean. Prevention is easier than washing off dried-on manure.
Use a dedicated egg brush or disposable paper towels, and replace or wash reusable cleaning tools often.
Keep washed eggs in their own clean carton so they are not mixed with eggs that still have dirt on the shell.
Store eggs in the main body of the refrigerator, not the door, and keep the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder.
For recipes that call for uncooked or partly cooked eggs, choose pasteurized shell eggs or pasteurized egg products.

Troubleshooting

The dirt will not come off: Do not keep scrubbing until the shell becomes rough or cracked. Discard eggs with heavy manure, stuck-on debris, or contamination that cannot be removed gently.

An egg cracks while washing: Discard it if the crack happened during cleaning or handling. Do not store a cracked egg for later use.

The water was colder than the egg: Stop, dry the egg, and avoid repeating the rinse. If you still need to clean it, use fresh running water warmer than the egg; discard it if it is badly soiled or cracked.

Eggs were left out after cleaning: If they have been at room temperature for more than two hours, discard them; use a one-hour limit when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C). When you do not know how long they were out, the safer choice is to throw them away.

A washed egg smells bad or looks unusual inside: Discard it without tasting. Wash your hands and clean any surface or container that the egg touched.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I wash fresh eggs as soon as I collect them?

Wash only eggs that need it. Brush away small dry spots, and use a careful warm-water rinse for dirt that cannot be removed dry. Refrigerate clean eggs promptly.

Can I wash eggs with dish soap or vinegar?

No. Use clean running water warmer than the egg when washing is necessary. Household soap, vinegar, bleach, and other cleaners are not recommended for cleaning eggs at home.

Can I wash eggs with cold water?

No. Cold water can increase the chance that contaminants pass through the shell. Use water warmer than the egg and do not soak it.

How long can cleaned eggs stay out of the refrigerator?

Refrigerate them promptly. For perishable foods such as eggs, the general limit is two hours at room temperature, or one hour when it is above 90°F (32°C); discard eggs left out longer.

Do clean-looking eggs need to be cooked thoroughly?

Yes. A clean shell does not guarantee that an egg is free of germs. Cook eggs until yolks and whites are firm, and cook egg dishes to 160°F (71°C), checking with a food thermometer.

Can I eat an egg raw after washing it?

Washing does not make raw eggs safe to eat. For uncooked or lightly cooked recipes, use pasteurized eggs or pasteurized egg products.

Further reading: USDA FoodSafety.gov. Details can change, so check the official page for anything that matters to you. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. How we write an answer.