If you have fresh eggs that have just been laid, many will be dirty - with mud, feathers and chicken droppings stuck to the shell. Hens are not the cleanest animals in the world, as you may have noticed. Here are some ways to clean your eggs, along with some tips on how to prevent them from getting dirty altogether!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Clean Dry Eggs
Step 1. Inspect the eggs
If a shell has any fractures or cracks, discard the egg immediately. If the shell has broken, bacteria may have entered and it will not be safe to eat. If the shell is perfectly clean, consider leaving it alone. There are many egg enthusiasts who don't believe in egg cleansing at all. They consider it unnecessary, or even harmful, as it can remove the eggs' natural protective film, which prevents harmful bacteria from entering.
- Of course this only applies to already cleaned eggs. If they have dirt, feathers or feces attached to them, it is more hygienic to clean them.
- This is especially true if you plan to give them to friends or family as a gift, or if you want to sell them, as people are used to those in the shop and may not like the sight of dirty eggs.
Step 2. Dry clean the eggs with a scouring pad or loofah
By using either one, most of the dirt will be removed. Be careful not to break them while cleaning them.
- Try not to go over the areas that are already clean, this will keep the film intact as much as possible.
- Other tools you can use to dry-clean eggs include very fine-grained sandpaper, steel wool, or a toothbrush.
- If you use a sponge or brush to clean eggs, it's a good idea to disinfect them between uses. It prevents bacteria from moving from one egg to another.
Method 2 of 3: Wash and Sterilize the Eggs
Step 1. Decide if you want to wash and sterilize the eggs
Sometimes it will be necessary to wash them in water if you can't get all the dirt off dry. This often happens when a broken egg spills onto another's shell. But necessity aside, some people prefer the idea of a clean egg.
- Remember that washing eggs in water will strip them of their protective film. This makes the shell, which is porous, more easily attacked by bacteria, reducing its storage time.
- However, even dirty and unclean eggs can be a health hazard, and if you plan on using them quickly and follow the storage instructions correctly, removing the protective film won't make much difference.
- If you plan to sell them, you will need to comply with the laws in your state regarding proper cleaning and safety procedures for farm-fresh eggs.
Step 2. Fill two bowls with hot / boiling water
In one, put a little detergent, such as a neutral dish soap, without flavorings, or clothes, or one especially for eggs. In the other bowl, add a little bleach - about half a teaspoon should be enough.
- Use rubber gloves to avoid irritating your hands with bleach or detergent.
- If you don't like the idea of using detergent, you can rinse the eggs in plain water. If you don't feel like using bleach, make an alternative disinfectant with one part water and one part distilled white vinegar.
Step 3. Make sure the water you use is warmer than the eggs themselves
The water temperature is very important when cleaning eggs.
- Cold water is absolutely not good. If you use it to wash the eggs, you will cause the contents to shrink, which will form a vacuum that will attract the bacteria inside, contaminating it.
- The ideal water temperature for washing eggs is at least 11 ° C higher than that of the egg. Therefore, based on their freshness, the water temperature should usually be between 32 and 49 ° C.
- Hot water causes the contents of the egg to expand, thus pushing the microbes out of the shell.
Step 4. Clean them one at a time
Put them in the detergent dispenser first and use your fingers to wipe off any stubborn dirt. If needed, use a toothbrush.
- Rinse the egg with hot water to remove the detergent, you can soak it in the solution with bleach (or vinegar) to disinfect it. Then put it on a clean piece of paper to dry.
- Repeat for the remaining eggs. If you wash more than three dozen eggs, you will need to change the water in the containers.
- It is important that you only immerse the eggs in hot water, rather than leaving them in. Otherwise, they might start cooking!
Step 5. Store the eggs
Once washed, disinfected and dried, you will need to put them away properly. Place them in clean cardboard, with the narrow end facing down. Write the date on the cardboard or use colored stickers as a code to easily recognize them.
- Eggs should be placed in the main part of the fridge, at a temperature between 2 and 5 ° C. You shouldn't put them on the fridge door, as it is hotter than the rest.
- Do not place them near strong smelling foods, such as onions, garlic or fish, as eggs can absorb it, altering the taste.
- If the eggs are stored in the right way, they can last even more than you weeks.
Method 3 of 3: Prevent the Eggs from Getting Dirty
Step 1. Collect eggs twice a day
The longer they are left in the coop, the more likely they are to get dirty. To avoid this, make an effort to harvest them twice a day, even three if necessary.
Step 2. Leave four chickens for each coop
Overcrowding a coop is one of the factors that contribute to dirtying the eggs.
Step 3. Clean the coats regularly
Dirty sties lead to dirty eggs. They should be thoroughly cleaned once a week to remove soiled bedding and feces, to be replaced with fresh hay or sawdust.
Step 4. Make sure the perches are higher than the coops
Sometimes the hens decide to rest in coops rather than perches. This causes the coops to get dirty much faster. Avoid this problem by placing the perches higher than the coops, as hens like to rest as high as possible in the coop.
Step 5. Try to have tough shells
Resistant shells break less. It's good for two reasons. First: you avoid that the contents of the broken eggs go to cover the others, making them dirty. Second: you have more eggs! For healthy shells, add oyster shells to the bird's birdseed. It is found in agricultural shops.
Advice
- Regularly disinfect everything you use to clean eggs.
- The dry cleaning method will not work very well with eggs soiled with the contents of other broken eggs..
