Im a little clumsy and sometimes drop eggshells into the pan when I am breaking open eggs, so I want them completely poo free! Also, if I crack an egg hard, as you have to with tough duck eggs, some of the shell often is pushed into the egg and I dont want a dirty shell to contaminate the eggs we eat, so we wash all eating eggs.
I use very warm or even hot water to wash eggs so that bacteria is not drawn into the eggs and
I wash the eggs under running water so that all bacteria is washed away from the eggs and my hands. The bacteria would accumulate in any container of water and become "poo soup".
I use a teensie tiny drop of dish soap (well diluted with water) on a paper towel to gently remove soil, under running water so the soap dilutes and is washed off too quickly to penetrate eggshell. There are commercial egg cleaning solutions available but Im more comfortable with the same soap that I use to wash the dishes that we eat on, that way I know what's on my eggs.
I dry my eggs by hand, I always refrigerate washed eggs and I never refrigerate unwashed eggs.
Super poopy eggs are thrown away or composted. Usually they would be too stained, even after washing, to be considered palatable.
It would be nice if all my birds dutifully laid in nice clean nest boxes, but I usually have a few muddy footed ducks, chickens who sleep and poop where they lay (frizzles and silkies) and chickens who get creative about where they lay (usually involves poop or mud).
My sister just rinses her eggs off in warm water and lets them air dry before refrigerating.
We each have our own comfort level..... mine involves soap!
chel
I use very warm or even hot water to wash eggs so that bacteria is not drawn into the eggs and
I wash the eggs under running water so that all bacteria is washed away from the eggs and my hands. The bacteria would accumulate in any container of water and become "poo soup".
I use a teensie tiny drop of dish soap (well diluted with water) on a paper towel to gently remove soil, under running water so the soap dilutes and is washed off too quickly to penetrate eggshell. There are commercial egg cleaning solutions available but Im more comfortable with the same soap that I use to wash the dishes that we eat on, that way I know what's on my eggs.
I dry my eggs by hand, I always refrigerate washed eggs and I never refrigerate unwashed eggs.
Super poopy eggs are thrown away or composted. Usually they would be too stained, even after washing, to be considered palatable.
It would be nice if all my birds dutifully laid in nice clean nest boxes, but I usually have a few muddy footed ducks, chickens who sleep and poop where they lay (frizzles and silkies) and chickens who get creative about where they lay (usually involves poop or mud).
My sister just rinses her eggs off in warm water and lets them air dry before refrigerating.
We each have our own comfort level..... mine involves soap!
chel