I've been perusing the forums for information regarding washing (or not) your eggs. I've decided I will probably take the route of using something abrasive to clean off any dirt or poop, and then refrigerate my eggs, rather than washing them right away. However, I think I will use others' suggestion of just washing the eggs right before using them. Whether it's necessary or not, I don't know, but it will make me feel better. My potentially dumb question is, at this point (right before use), does 'washing' mean simply running them under water (if so, hot or cold, does it matter?), or using some sort of sanitizing spray/wash? Thanks chicken geniuses for your help!
If you use something abrasive to clean off the poop it will remove some of the bloom allowing bacteria in and must be washed for that reason. You want the water to be 20 degrees warmer then the egg. For the few that I wash I use warm/hot water and a little dawn dish soap in the sink. For the most part if you keep a clean coop you will get very few dirty eggs. Mine come from muddy feet and when chicks prefer to sleep in the nesting boxes with a broody.
I keep the nest boxes clean by not allowing hens to roost in them, if they do get dirty I change out the straw bedding. If I do get dirty eggs, I just run them under water warmer than the egg and spin the egg using both hands so all the surface area is rubbed well under the running water. Then air dry and refrigerate for my own use. I don't want soap or any other chemical on or migrating into my eggs. Mechanical 'washing' with plenty of clean water is, IMO, better than 'sanitants'. Scraping, or 'sanding', off 'dirt' does not really remove it all. If eggs aren't dirty, I don't do anything to them and store them at room temp....my few customers know this and don't have problem with it, tho I'm not sure that they don't wash them after they get them from me. I don't deal with huge volumes and they all get used up pretty quick. I think it's a personal decision how you handle your food.
