Anyone who has opened up their crisper drawer to discover a moldy strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, or blackberry can testify to the fleeting nature of fresh berries. Even if you select and store them per our Test Kitchen’s best practices, most berry varieties only last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. 

So it’s no wonder an array of food storage hacks related to berries swirl around on social media every berry season. From the helpful (storing dry berries in mason jars) to the harmful (rinsing with produce washes, baking soda solutions, and salt water), berry storage hot takes abound. 

One of the most common: Washing berries in vinegar. Find out why some produce fans are promoting this strategy, then our Test Kitchen pros are here to clean up the confusion about this buzzy berry belief.

Should You Wash Your Berries in Vinegar? 

Advocates for the vinegar-washing technique claim that rinsing berries in a solution that contains 3 parts water for 1 part vinegar helps them last longer in the refrigerator. 

Why? It’s not that the vinegar itself has magical lifespan-extending powers. Instead, it boils down to the acidity of the vinegar, which may help inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungus that can grow on berries, potentially keeping them fresher and mold-free longer, explains Sarah Brekke, M.S., Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen brand manager. 

The only way to completely kill any microbes that are potentially hanging out on your produce is by cooking your fruits or vegetables. (Not even freezing does the trick, the USDA confirms.) However, research suggests that washing produce with water can remove 98% of all bacteria and pesticides that reside on the surface. That same study analyzed how a vinegar solution stacks up, and found that there was no scientifically significant difference between plain water and a vinegar wash.

That being said, anecdotal evidence from many trending social media creators and some (but not all) of our Test Kitchen staff suggests that the vinegar trick does make berries stay mold-free a few days longer, regardless of what the exact swabs in that study revealed. 

As for Brekke, she says that a 3-to-1 vinegar solution has allowed her to store washed berries for up to 7 days without signs of spoilage. In other words, it might score you about 2 more days to polish off that pint. If you ask Lynn Blanchard, Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen director, she swears by storing the berries unwashed until you’re ready to enjoy the fruit or use them in your favorite berry recipes. At that point, Blanchard simply rinses with water.

The most impactful details that determine the shelf-life of berries is:

• How long ago they were harvested,
• How the berries were handled between when they were harvested and when you purchased them, and
• How dry the berries are—and stay—during storage. 

Berries don't ripen any further after being picked, so the sooner you can enjoy them, the better and more flavorful the experience will be.

So should you wash berries in vinegar? You can, but you definitely don’t have to. It all boils down to personal preference, your timeline, and what you notice tends to work best for your produce haul.

If you're planning to enjoy the berries or feature them in a recipe tomorrow or a few days later, Blanchard and the berry pros at Driscoll’s suggest storing them dry and unwashed. (To do so, line a shallow storage container with a paper towel, then place the unwashed berries on top in a single layer. Cover with the lid and store in a high-humidity crisper drawer.)

How to Wash Berries in Vinegar

If you’d like to rinse your berries in advance and have them ready for snacking, Brekke gives a big thumbs up to using a vinegar wash. Here’s how: 

• Fill a bowl half full of a solution made with 3 parts water to 1 part distilled white or apple cider vinegar. (For example, use 1 ½ cups of plain water and ½ cup vinegar.)
• Submerge the berries in the vinegar solution for about 5 minutes. 
• Transfer the soaked berries to a colander, then rinse under cool running water.
• Dry the berries well by either giving them a gentle ride in the salad spinner or patting them dry with paper towels.
• Store vinegar-washed berries in a container lined with a paper towel so that any excess moisture can be absorbed.

Keep in mind that using a vinegar wash on produce may slightly affect texture and taste, according to the Colorado State University Extension, especially if you don’t rinse with plain water and thoroughly dry the berries after their vinegar bath. So be sure not to skip steps 3 and 4 above.

A vinegar wash can also be used on other fruits and vegetables you prefer to pre-wash, Brekke says, such as apples, broccoli, stem-on cherries, and bunches of grapes.

“We don’t bother taking this extra step with fruits and vegetables that need to be peeled or extensively cooked before eating though since those processes will essentially take care of any pathogens that may lurk on the surface,” Brekke verifies.

How to Store Berries For Up to 6 Months

If you could use more than a week to make it through your berries, your best bet is to flash freeze the fruit. To do so:

• Place the berries in a colander and rinse them under cool water.
• Top a baking sheet with paper towels or a clean, lint-free kitchen towel, then add the washed berries on top. 
• Gently pat the berries dry, or allow them to air-dry.
• Ensure that the berries are spread out in a single layer to avoid sticking.
• Place the baking sheet in the freezer, and allow the berries to firm up, which takes about 2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer the frozen berries to a zip-top freezer storage bag, label and date, then freeze for up to 6 months.