Do you scrub your duck eggs clean.

[billmac]

As I'm sure people here know, the protective membrane around duck eggs is much tougher than with chicken eggs. It makes them look dirty. Do you scrub them clean? I haven't so far, but if I get into selling them I might have to. Is there something besides water that will clean them without affecting the taste of the egg?

 

[katharinad]

Some states in the US require you to wash your eggs for sale to the public. Check into that before selling.

I was mine is hot tap water with anti bacterial dish-washing liquid. You don't need much of it at all. I basically fill up a tub with hot water, add a few drops and put the eggs into it and let them soak for a minute. Then I scrub a little bit where needed, rinse and dry. Works well for me, but it does remove the bloom. It does not leave any scent on or in the egg. They key is to water warmer then the egg. There are some commercial washing solutions out there, but I have not tried them yet.

 

[Wifezilla]

I only scrub the nasty ones. I have one girl who lays the most pristine white eggs you ever saw. I have another girl who lays the grungiest looking eggs. Not sure who is doing what though. The others' eggs can vary. The grungie ones will scrub clean, but we usually just keep those for ourselves and sell the pretty ones.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I never wash mine, even when I sell them. I tell everyone to wash them right before using them but I usually just scrap off the big mess and leave the rest.
I do not even usually wash mine before use but I feel a bit of dirt and grudge is good for the system. Not poo, mind you, but smears on the shell are not going to hurt me and so far everyone that has bought from me has been fine with what I put in the cartons. I do not put any of my eggs in the fridge so I don't wash anything.
If they are very bad I do not sell them and keep them here for our own use. Smears may look bad but they should not hurt anything.

 

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

I wash our duck eggs. We rarely get a clean one. I keep the nest area clean, replace the bedding near the nests,and they still manage to track poo from somewhere into their nest every single day. After I wash them I coat them with food grade mineral oil to seal the eggs. Hopefully I can resolve the poopy feet issue some day and not have to clean them for storage.

 

[pirtykitty]

I rinse the poo off when needed and dry with paper towel.. as long as nest has clean straw and they haven't pooped in it .. eggs come out pretty clean..

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Our ducks free range all around our barnyard and pond area. They have never used any nest I've created for them ... they use the horse stall corners and hay that falls from moving around the bales. It is a constant egg hunt and most of the time they are pretty dirty. If I HAPPEN to get a clean one, I don't wash it, but the majority of them I do.

I rinse them off in lukewarm water ONLY, scrub off dirty spots/areas, rinse and air dry. I always refrigerate after cleaning eggs. I rarely share our duck eggs (we love them), but when I do, it's really only to close friends and family.

 

[MysticalMom]

If I'm going to wash them and put them in the fridge I wash them in warm water and coat them in a little bit of olive oil or mineral oil. But mostly I'm lazy and just leave them in the basket on the counter and wash them as I use them.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

I dip in ACV and wipe off any discoloration and dry, use or store in fridge. That is when I get any to eat.

 

[gofasterstripe]

I sell all my duck eggs and wash then with a scrubber and a little bit of water. My eggs look clean untill I clean 1 of them, then you realize how dirty they actually are when they come out.