How many people wash their eggs?

[Wildsky]

Quote:
I have been wiping any excess off with a paper towel or finger nail, but I have only had to do this with about 3 eggs, as my eggs thus far are pretty spotless.

I place them in a basket on the counter. Question: How long are they ok for at room temperature?


...JP

You can test them with the bowl of water trick, if they float they're no good, if they sink - good.

I've had mine last a month on the counter, I don't keep them much longer than that, and in winter with getting one egg a day they don't last long at all............

 

[JP33]

So Wildsky, a few weeks should be fine then correct? If I leave them out for two-three weeks, think I still need to do the water trick?

Now as far as I understand, once the egg is layed, a protective coating of some sort is on the egg. This is that wet/glisteny looking stuff that dries after a few minutes or so correct?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but once the egg is washed, this protective coating is removed, hence the reason people are putting their eggs in the frig immediately after washing.

Correct me again if this statement is inaccurate. The reason fresh eggs can be left out at room temperature is because of the protective coating that is naturally applied during the laying process. So, if this is fact, once the coating breaks down eggs are susceptible to what exactly inside the home at room temperature?

And what contributes to the breakdown of the protective coating? Or could it be the eggs go bad from the inside/out?

Not trying to be a pain in the arse, I really would like to understand & I certainly don't want to get sick.

Thanks, so much!


...JP

 

[GraceAK]

I dont wash my eggs at all. I havent had one with poop on it yet, but I would probably wash it if I did. I also lick the beaters that have raw egg on them

and I'm alive....

 

[LaSombra]

I only wash the ones that get muddy. I just use hot tap water, run it over the egg and just scrub the mud off with my hand. If it's cold (frozen ground) or dry, I don't usually have any problems with mud, but when it's rainy out, they usually tend to step over the eggs and put little lines of mud on eggs with their toes.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
Yeah I very seldom check my eggs to see if they're fresh anymore, I know they'll be good for a month on the counter.
Some people say its the "bloom" on the egg that keeps it fresh longer, I don't have any proof of that - but I still don't wash my eggs, just because I htink they're fine without being washed.

THe eggs don't go bad because of the coating wearing off, as far as I know, they go bad because they're pourous, and keep "drying" the longer they're left out (even in the fridge but I think the fridge slows that down) Eventually after a long enough time they go bad, and its after that drying out period. Eggs that have dried out some, or have a larger air mass inside are the easier ones to boil, I don't think I even have any of those, or not very often. (the air creates a kinda pocket on the inside of the shell, making it easier to peel the egg once cooked)

(no pain in the rear I promise

)

 

[Laurieks]

Quote:
Ditto. Just a rinse.

 

[michickenwrangler]

My husband refused to sell them unless I washed them.

 

[Freeholder]

I didn't vote because I only wash if they are really poopy (such that something is likely to fall off into my scrambled eggs, LOL!). We don't have too many that are that bad, thankfully. And I use water, not sand.

Kathleen

 

[chicachic]

I started off with ducks and they always have poop on the eggs...I read that one should never keep really dirty duck eggs..wash only the ones that are slightly dirty. when I started getting chicken eggs, I thought i'd follow that same procedure but I rarely if ever get a dirty chicken egg. I wash them in warm to hot water and dish soap only because I didn't know others didn'twash theirs. Can any diseases be spread from the chickens through the stuff on the eggs, like salmonella or something? If all you experienced chicken people don't wash them I guess I don't have to be so paranoid,

 

[Mac in Wisco]

For the ones that we sell as "Farm Fresh Eggs" I don't wash them unless they are dirty and then I just wipe them with a wet rag or scrub them with a Scotchbrite pad, if necessary. I wouldn't submerge them, that just drives any nasties deeper into the egg. For the ones that we use ourselves I really don't care if the shell is clean or not.