washing eggs

[Fowl97]

what is so bad about doing this

 

[mdbokc]

Nothing if you refrigerate them right away. And wash in warm water is recommended.

 

[wombat]

Your choice, really. They have a coating referred to as "bloom" when they are laid, and if you leave this on, they will keep longer. If you wash them, you'll remove the bloom.

Eggs keep a long time either way, so if they're not accumulating in your fridge, it's not really an issue. Best to use water warmer than the egg, and dry them before storing if you decide to wash before you store.

Commercial eggs are washed in 110f-120f water with a detergent-sanitizer solution, dried, and then typically coated with a thin layer of mineral oil to replace the bloom.

Eggs lose moisture over time; leaving the bloom in place slows this.