Cleaning eggs

I know eggs can sit out quite a while until you wash them, then they should be refrigerated.  I was wondering how you clean them.  The shells are porous, so I think it matters what you use.  I brush off anything on them, then rince with water, but wonder if this is sanitary. Thanks

hello jen

I cannot tell you what is sanitary per say. I will tell you what we do. We bring them in the house and eventually when we have about 12(about 3-4 days this time of year) or so more eggs to wash we will wash them with cold/warm water with an old dish scrubby which has a big hole in it.  We leave them on the counter and at times we crack an egg which has not been cleaned onto a cast iron pan to fry it up.
We mostly wash them to sell them to one of our regulars.  The eggs really do not sit around for more than a 5 days at most before we have either sold them or they have been eaten by us. so we have no need to store long term.

For myself i would not store them in the refrigerator as ive got more important things to keep in that special cold controlled environment.

so just my two cents.

If there is just a bit of surface dirt/poop, I don't do anything other than wipe them with a dry cloth and leave them on the counter in the egg basket.

If the egg is really messy/poopy, then I'll wash it with water and put it in the fridge.

It's really only an issue when there are more eggs than you know what to do with.  Generally, in our house there isn't a surplus.  When we had 8 hens, we were swimming in extra eggs.  But now that the girls are older and not laying as frequently, as well as having lost 3 so we've only got 5 laying now, we don't seem to have that problem of having too many eggs.

Mmm . . . nothing like a fresh egg with a nice piece of seedy toast from a good loaf of bread.

I don't wash eggs, they are normally clean but even  if they have a bit of blood or a smear of something on them it's left, if one's been laid somewhere dumb like right under the roosts then I call it a dog egg and it still doesn't get washed!

I was tired of dirty eggs, so I bought better bedding.
Now, the worst I get is a little something stuck on the shell.
If I had to clean an egg, I would soak in cold water and then use a veg brush.

We buy unwashed eggs from someone local and keep them out of the refrigerator except in the really hot part of the summer.
If, I decide to wash some, for whatever reason, I use water that is warmer than the egg.  I don't remember when or where I first read that.

I found a little bit HEREabout washing them....not exactly the reason I remembered but still makes sense I think.

   Use warm water, not cold water.  Warm water can cause the contents of the egg to expand against the shell, helping to prevent bacteria to enter through the shell.  No need to use harsh soap, bleach, or vinegar…warm water is sufficient.
   Cold water can cause the contents of the egg to shrink, creating a vacuum that can pull bacteria into the egg through the porous shell.
   It is recommended to not saturate or soak eggs in water.  If they are that soiled, it may be best to just trash it.

I've avoided any heat for fear of cooking them(and because hot poop is stinky poop).
Now I know better, no more soaking  or cold water for me.
Thank you Judith!

Ooh, I'm glad that eggs here in India are always sold unwashed, so we can keep them out of the fridge for a month or two. Washed eggs are about as perishable as eggs that you've cracked into a bowl, aren't they?

Rebecca Norman wrote:Ooh, I'm glad that eggs here in India are always sold unwashed, so we can keep them out of the fridge for a month or two. Washed eggs are about as perishable as eggs that you've cracked into a bowl, aren't they?

This is my concern, and I imagine this is why there is so much international confusion/debate about proper storage. I assume that if I buy the eggs unrefrigerated they haven't been washed, but I am not entirely sure. At this point I buy the dirty ones on purpose.

Thank you so much Judith, I did not know that. Warm water or nothing from now on.

What I'm fairly certain I've experienced is that unwashed refrigerated eggs do not keep as well as unwashed and not refrigerated eggs.  I suppose this is due to what my link above explains where the outer cold causes the egg to shrink away from the shell and then can pull in some of the surface 'stuff'? I do notice if my egg supplier happens to refrigerate the unwashed eggs they are covered in condensation by the time I get them home and I feel like I need to rinse them....it's a little confusing and makes me wish we had chickens out back again

I found out the fun way that eggs are supposed to be washed in HOT water. The if you use water colder than the egg, it creates a vacuum inside the egg, sucking in water/poop bacteria from the outside. My eggs kept tasting like poo until I started washing them with hot water. I use water as hot as comes from my faucet.

It's also important to dry them fully as soon as  you can. The more time it's in water, the more chances for bacteria to seep in. I wash them one egg at a time, so they spend the least amount of time in water as possible.

I also only wash them immediately before using, unless I'm giving them to someone else. Then I wash them individually, laying each on a towel until they're all washed. Then I dry them all one at a time and put them in their container.

Some information says hot water, some says warm and some says 20 degrees warmer than the egg.  The last one makes more sense to me...so if it's a fresh poopy egg straight from the nest in the summer time heat the wash water would need to be hotter than if it was a cool weather poopy egg brought into an air conditioned house?  The thing most all agree on is do not wash eggs in cold water, especially ice water.

When I had an egg handler's license, washing eggs with HOT water was recommended. I was fastidious about changing the material in the nest boxes so the eggs were usually very clean, and if the eggs were clean I didn't wash them because the natural "bloom" on the outside of the egg provides the best protection against bacteria. But if the egg were dirty, I washed the egg with HOT water. I don't remember the exact temperature but it's hot tap water temperature, not boiling water. You're cleaning the egg, not cooking the egg. Hot water causes the egg to expand against the shell, preventing bacteria from entering the egg through pores in the shell. Eggs that have been washed don't stay fresh as long as unwashed eggs. But if you're selling eggs, nobody wants blobs of poop on their fresh eggs.  

There are laws in the state of Ohio about how you store eggs if you plan to sell them retail.  Small egg handlers (less than 500 hens) are required to refrigerate at a temperature around 4 degrees F.  I sell eggs at the farmer's market during the summer (no real requirements) and keep them in a cooler with ice packs, since they've already been refrigerated. Whatever I don't sell at the marker and during winter months I sell them retail at a local co-op.  As far as cleanliness of eggs, the chicken eggs are usually pretty clean, unless it's been a rainy day.  I spot clean with water.  Duck eggs are usually filthy as they are indiscriminate as to where they lay. Again, a brief soaking in warm water and a scrubby pad occasionally.

I am 70+ years old.  When I was growing up, eggs in the grocery store were never refrigerated, so that does show us how things have changed regarding egg companies back then being a lot more responsible about taking care of their chickens and feeding them correctly. The rule of thumb is that unwashed, unrefrigerated eggs will be good for a year if kept out of the heat.  Before putting them in a storage bucket i flick off any big poop after it has dried.  I wash them briefly in organic peppermint soap before using.  I have never had a problem.  But here again, I think a necessary quotient of this whole scenario lies in how nutritional the egg is in the first place.  For instance, feeding GMO feed will often result in a much thinner shell which would allow the egg to become infected with e-coli or salmonella.  My egg shells are so hard that even dropping them on the floor rarely breaks them.  You can tell how nutritional your eggs are by looking at them when you crack them into the pan to cook.  If the white spreads across the pan, this is not a good, nutritionally filled egg. My dear ducks get whole organic wheat, rye, barley and oat grains briefly cooked in a pressure cooker, and organic baby spring lettuce; they are still laying at 8 years of age. I really do think we have to take into account these important things when determining how long an egg is good for.

Another thing about an egg handler's license. When I first had one many years ago, I was allowed to sell unrefrigerated eggs because I was selling fertile eggs. Fertile eggs remain in a state of "suspended animation" (until the hen begins to set or go broody on the eggs and then begin to develop into chicks) so fertile eggs don't degrade or decay until the embryo dies. I could sell unrefrigerated fertile eggs at farm stands or other vendors that didn't have refrigeration. This is not allowed anymore but the concept of storing nonrefrigerated eggs if they are fertile still applies. The rules have tightened up and eggs should be washed, graded, sized, labeled, stored in new cartons at a temperature of 45 degrees or less, etc. although here is still an exemption for storage of unrefrigerated eggs if ALL of the requirements listed by the state are met, such as on-farm sales only plus a half dozen other requirements. Each state has slightly different requirements and the requirements continually change. And the fees have gone up. My egg handlers license used to be $5 and it's increased in the last 10 years to $75 initially and $50 annually after that, which is too much.

Patricia Boley wrote:There are laws in the state of Ohio about how you store eggs if you plan to sell them retail.  Small egg handlers (less than 500 hens) are required to refrigerate at a temperature around 4 degrees F.  I sell eggs at the farmer's market during the summer (no real requirements) and keep them in a cooler with ice packs, since they've already been refrigerated. Whatever I don't sell at the marker and during winter months I sell them retail at a local co-op.  As far as cleanliness of eggs, the chicken eggs are usually pretty clean, unless it's been a rainy day.  I spot clean with water.  Duck eggs are usually filthy as they are indiscriminate as to where they lay. Again, a brief soaking in warm water and a scrubby pad occasionally.

Are you sure it was 4 degrees F?  That sounds like freezing, not refrigerating.  I've had eggs go solid in much warmer temperatures than that.  Perhaps 4 degrees C?

Jean-Paul Calderone wrote:

Patricia Boley wrote:There are laws in the state of Ohio about how you store eggs if you plan to sell them retail.  Small egg handlers (less than 500 hens) are required to refrigerate at a temperature around 4 degrees F.  I sell eggs at the farmer's market during the summer (no real requirements) and keep them in a cooler with ice packs, since they've already been refrigerated. Whatever I don't sell at the marker and during winter months I sell them retail at a local co-op.  As far as cleanliness of eggs, the chicken eggs are usually pretty clean, unless it's been a rainy day.  I spot clean with water.  Duck eggs are usually filthy as they are indiscriminate as to where they lay. Again, a brief soaking in warm water and a scrubby pad occasionally.

Are you sure it was 4 degrees F?  That sounds like freezing, not refrigerating.  I've had eggs go solid in much warmer temperatures than that.  Perhaps 4 degrees C?

Sorry, I work in a lab and everything is metric. The correct temp is 45 degrees F.  I doubled checked on the website.

Highlighting some things that folks have said previously, unwashed eggs are pretty convenient but every once in a while you might need to clean some shells up!

I have found that egg laying box hygiene is important to keeping eggs clean. When we get storms, there might be some mud so there still needs to be some cleanup. If a dry cloth doesn't work, I move onto washing when I am getting close to utilizing the eggs.

I setup my sink into an assembly line. If it is a big batch, the first sink is stoppered and filled with eggs which will be submerged in water. They get processed one by one to check for cracks while I take a soft wet cloth to wipe off any gunk. These go into the second sink which get a post cleaning rinse before they are wiped clean with a new dry cloth. I then package them in egg crates and they are then stored in a refrigerator.

I'm glad to see this thread revived. I was helping some folks with their hens, and the eggs were pretty dirty 'til I added fresh bedding to the nests (that's all it took). After that the eggs were clean. I was raised partly on a farm, and was always told not to wash the eggs. Instead, we brushed any debris off with a special brush after it dried, but again, that was rare, because we kept plenty of bedding in the nest box and layered, then replaced it, as needed. The eggs were always kept at room temp, never refrigerated. My great aunt would rub the eggs in lard, in the palms of her hands, and that kept them shelf stable longer (also made them really pretty). Mom didn't do that (too much trouble, and our eggs were used up pretty fast), but I occasionally do that now.

Timothy Norton wrote:Highlighting some things that folks have said previously, unwashed eggs are pretty convenient but every once in a while you might need to clean some shells up!

I have found that egg laying box hygiene is important to keeping eggs clean. When we get storms, there might be some mud so there still needs to be some cleanup. If a dry cloth doesn't work, I move onto washing when I am getting close to utilizing the eggs.

I setup my sink into an assembly line. If it is a big batch, the first sink is stoppered and filled with eggs which will be submerged in water. They get processed one by one to check for cracks while I take a soft wet cloth to wipe off any gunk. These go into the second sink which get a post cleaning rinse before they are wiped clean with a new dry cloth. I then package them in egg crates and they are then stored in a refrigerator.

It is the egg selling industry and probably the refrigerator industry that has brainwashed us into washing and refrigerating eggs as soon as they are out of the hen! If it is eggs that I plan to eat myself, I leave them on the counter. After a week, I will make hard boiled eggs, but they are still fine.
Because I'm selling the eggs, first I make sure that their litter is clean so that their eggs are clean and do not need to get washed. I do have one hen, though, who will lay an egg every day while roosting! So it falls on the poop board, sometimes breaking it, and they rush to eat it. If it is fouled, I will try first to scrape it clean. If not, I will wash it with the product they recommend: Egg cleanser by Manna pro. It has yeast, citric acid and potassium sorbate. I use a paper towel, wet it with the manna pro and gently scrub the spot.  It comes clean right away. I use it full strength: using 2 capfuls per gallon of water is what they recommend but dabbing some on a blue Scott towel. it lasts me months and months because so little is used.
[I don't trust solutions with yeast that you keep around for ... whatever..]
Remember that a hen incubates her eggs for 21 days under her, where it is hot and moist, and she has no access to a scrub brush or 'soap'. The directions on the incubators tell us to keep the temperature around 95 F and 65-70% humidity
Once in a while, I will find an egg where I've never found one before, under a bush. That's a dog egg, because I can't tell when it was laid. or I break it in a bowl before tossing it in the frying pan.
The trick to clean eggs is a clean litter in the boxes. Then collect them twice a day if your girls lay all day long, like mine.
Put them in an egg carton and if you sell them, place them in the fridge.

Skandi Rogers wrote:I don't wash eggs, they are normally clean but even  if they have a bit of blood or a smear of something on them it's left, if one's been laid somewhere dumb like right under the roosts then I call it a dog egg and it still doesn't get washed!

Since one of my dogs can't wait until I come in from closing in the chickens at night so he can lick the bottoms of my shoes to get any chicken poop I might have stepped in, I do the same thing.  Most of my eggs are clean enough that they are usable by us humans without washing, but the occasional poopy ones just get cracked over the dogs' food and they love it!

Thank you for the welcome, John. I've actually been a member of Permies for decades, but under a name or email that I can't remember (because I don't normally log-in or post anymore). Wanting to talk chicken, so I used my gmail. Happy to be in the conversation instead of just lurking. ;-)

John F Dean wrote:Hi Amy,

Welcome to Permies.

I leave mine dirty.. put them in the fridge.. then once a week I get them out, wipe them with a damp tea towel and then put them in clean packaging.. and sell them. .. I have a LOT of eggs. .. if they are truely filthy.. then I wiped them.. and use them for personal use. .. I’ve had eggs for two months with no problems in the fridge. .. BUT if you wipe them it removes the protection on the shell.. and they go off quicker.

I've been taught not o shift eggs between fridge and kitchen. Cold eggs from the fridge will collect condensation, so get them back in the fridge asap.
They seem to last for months in the fridge, slowly losing water, so they will float but be edible. I've learnt though that they lose vitamins over time. Apparently they lose vitamins faster in the fridge - but will they store for months at room temperature? I doubt.

Anthony Powell wrote:I've been taught not o shift eggs between fridge and kitchen. Cold eggs from the fridge will collect condensation, so get them back in the fridge asap.
They seem to last for months in the fridge, slowly losing water, so they will float but be edible. I've learnt though that they lose vitamins over time. Apparently they lose vitamins faster in the fridge - but will they store for months at room temperature? I doubt.

That's true: Cold eggs from the fridge will collect condensation, and if you wipe them, then the bloom goes. I'm not so sure about lasting "months", although the eggs folks buy from the store are definitely that OLD but most of my eggs get sold within a week. I indicate the day they are harvested to keep track.
For the few that don't, I will make hard boiled eggs, one dozen at a time. If I have some pickled beets, I will store them in pickled beet juice: it gives then a really nice color, and the vinegar helps to keep them longer too.
But they go within a few days whenever I put them in pickled beet juice. 'Cus they are that good!

So far I've used eggs that have sat on my kitchen counter in a skelter for up to 3 months, and only had one bad one (which probably had gotten wet without me realizing it and washed off some of the bloom.)   If I'm using old-ish ones, I simply crack them one at a time into a small bowl, and if they are good I add them to whatever I'm making.  If one looks or smells just a tiny bit off, I offer it to the dogs, who have never refused any and never upchucked any (that I know of.)  I've only thrown out the one egg that was actually bad.  I push the envelope sometimes, just to see how far I can.  I used to freeze dry eggs 4 dozen at a time when I had extra... but my freeze dryer quit working so now I either give them away, or make egg muffins (mini frittatas in muffin form) for my sweetie's keto diet and freeze them.  Plus the dogs each get a raw egg most days during peak laying season, which is great for their coats and overall health.  I try to have several dozen in reserve by the time molting begins, to see me through until laying resumes.  These are packed in re-used cartons I saved from before we got our first layers, and are stacked on one end of the counter at room temperature.  Most years I don't buy eggs at all.

Here in the Netherlands people who sell eggs from their own chickens do not have to clean the eggs. Probably also other sellers don't, but I don't know. I buy my eggs right from the small-scale organic farm, where the chickens are walking outside (but mostly lay their eggs inside, in the nesting boxes, so I'm told).
I can not keep chickens here. Not enough space to let them walk freely, and probably some neighbours would complain about the noise ...

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:Here in the Netherlands people who sell eggs from their own chickens do not have to clean the eggs. Probably also other sellers don't, but I don't know. I buy my eggs right from the small-scale organic farm, where the chickens are walking outside (but mostly lay their eggs inside, in the nesting boxes, so I'm told).
I can not keep chickens here. Not enough space to let them walk freely, and probably some neighbours would complain about the noise ...

Hi, Inge. For the cottage industry, it is not a requirement in Wisconsin [or anywhere else as far as I know]. It's just a question of looks. Also,  when chicken poop stays on the egg too long, it actually start to penetrate the shell and you just can't clean it properly: scrub and scrub, and if you look closely, there is still a "shadow".
Mine walk outside and once in a while an egg is laid on the poop board. If it breaks, they eat it, but if they don't, at the end of the day, that egg shell seems to develop a rougher outside and the salt of their poop has visibly altered the shell: It becomes rough and white even though the eggs my Cuckoo Marans lay are dark brown. Scrubbing and washing makes them look OK. But as soon as they are dry, that whiteness comes back.
For commercial growers, it is a requirement and I see why: they keep their chickens in such close quarters that many are soiled unless they raise them in special cages that rolls the egg away as soon as laid. Even though these poor hens never see a rooster, the egg has to be refrigerated immediately to kill any potential embryo.

I don't wash my eggs unless I get a bunch that are really poopy or a broken egg messed up a bunch of them.
I give away a lot of eggs to family and neighbors.
Wife and I went on vacation for a couple weeks and came back to a fridge full of eggs.  Over 20 dozen.  Lots of happy neighbors when we got back.