Grapes
There is often a white powder (generally residue from Bordeaux mixture pesticide, which is slightly toxic) and some dirt stuck to the surface of grapes. If you scrub too hard, they'll get bruised; if you're too gentle, the dirt won't come off. What can you do? Here's a simple method: put the grapes in water, add two spoonfuls of flour or starch, and don't rub them forcefully. Just gently agitate them back and forth. Then, rinse and brush them in the water. The flour and starch are sticky and will carry away all the unwanted grime.
Apples
Many people like to eat apples with the skin on, but many modern preservation techniques leave chemical residues on the surface that are hard to wash off. Here's a little trick: after wetting the apple under running water, sprinkle a little salt on its surface. Then, rub the apple gently back and forth with both hands. This will quickly remove the dirt from the surface. Rinse it with water, and it's safe to eat.
Bayberries
After washing bayberries, they should be soaked in salt water for 20-30 minutes before eating. The salt water can kill certain bacteria and also help remove parasites hidden in the flesh of the fruit.
Peaches
You can first wet the peach, then grab a handful of salt and rub it gently over the surface. After rubbing, soak the peach in water for a while, and finally rinse it clean with water, and all the peach fuzz will be removed. Alternatively, you can add a little salt to the water, soak the peach directly in it for a while, and then gently rub and wash it by hand, and the peach fuzz will all come off.
Strawberries
1. First, rinse them under running tap water for several minutes to remove most of the bacteria, pesticides, and other contaminants from the surface. Note: Do not soak them in water first, as this may cause the pesticides to dissolve into the water, which the strawberries could then absorb and seep into the fruit.
2. Soak the strawberries in rice water (preferably the water from the first rinse of rice) and light salt water (add half a spoonful of salt to a basin of water) for 3 minutes. These serve different purposes: the alkaline rice water helps break down pesticides, while the light salt water causes insects and eggs attached to the surface to float, making them easier to rinse away, and it also has a disinfecting effect.
3. Rinse again under running tap water to wash off the rice water, salt water, and any remaining harmful substances.
4. Rinse once more with clean water (or cold boiled water).
Additionally, it should be noted:
Do not remove the strawberry tops before washing, as this could allow pesticides and contaminants to seep into the fruit through the "wound" during soaking, causing further contamination.