⬇️ Prefer to listen instead? ⬇️
- 🍄 Studies show mushrooms take in less than 2% water when rinsed. This proves the sponge idea is false.
- 🧼 Washing mushrooms gets rid of dirt, bacteria, and possible harmful things like insects and manure.
- 🏞️ Wild mushrooms have more food safety dangers and need very careful cleaning.
- ⚠️ Experts say never store mushrooms wet. It makes them rot faster and raises the risk of food poisoning.
- 🔬 You must cook wild mushrooms. Some poisons stay even after you clean them well.
Should You Wash Mushrooms?
Should you wash mushrooms? This question divides chefs, home cooks, and foragers. For years, people thought mushrooms were like sponges that soak up water and turn rubbery, so they avoided rinsing them. But new research and kitchen tests tell a different story. In this guide, we’ll look at the facts, clear up the confusion, and share the safest ways to clean mushrooms—store-bought, cultivated, and wild. For growers, using sterile grow kits and liquid culture jars ensures your harvest stays clean from the start.
The Facts: Do Mushrooms Really Soak Up Water?
Old kitchen advice has long said that rinsing mushrooms makes them soggy and watery. People thought mushrooms take in water like sponges, spoiling their texture—especially for sautéing or roasting. But what do the facts show?
Several independent kitchen studies, including tests by Cook’s Illustrated, show mushrooms take in very little water. It's less than 2% of their weight when rinsed quickly under cold water. This means if you rinse 100 grams of mushrooms, they will take in less than 2 grams of water. This amount is not likely to harm your dish.
And, you can reduce water that stays on mushrooms by drying them right after rinsing. As long as water does not sit on the surface for long, or get inside by soaking, the mushrooms keep their normal texture when cooked.
Many kitchen tests and blind taste tests confirm this. Mushrooms that were rinsed and dried, then sautéed correctly, brown just as well and taste just as good as those only dry cleaned. So, you can safely wash mushrooms without losing flavor or texture—if you do it the right way.
Why Cleaning Matters: Dirt, Debris, and Dangerous Things
Mushrooms grow in places full of organic matter. This can be woodchips, compost, or animal fertilizers like manure. Even when grown in controlled settings, mushrooms can have small pieces of growing material, dirt, or other bits on their surface. So, hygiene is very important. This is especially true if you eat mushrooms cooked at low heat or raw (like in salads).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says contaminated fruits and vegetables, including mushrooms, cause almost 50% of all food poisoning each year in the United States. Germs like E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella have all been linked to produce that was not washed well.
Wild mushrooms are a much higher risk. They can come into contact with bacteria, parasites, and animal waste. And, they might have insects, worms, or tiny larvae hidden in their folds and cracks. For this reason, cleaning mushrooms is not just for taste—it is for food safety.
Even if mushrooms look clean, tiny bits of dirt and bacteria might still be there. Cleaning them well and gently can greatly lower your risk of eating harmful things. And it won't spoil your cooking.
Mushroom Types: Wild, Farmed, and Store-Bought
To know the best way to clean mushrooms, you need to know where they came from. Different places they grow mean different risks of harmful things.
Store-Bought Mushrooms
These mushrooms, like white button, cremini, and portobello types, are usually grown in regulated places. They are often cleaned a bit or handled very little before being packed. Still, during shipping and stocking, these fungi can touch dusty boxes, dirty surfaces, or customers' hands. A fast rinse or gentle wipe helps remove any leftover dirt.
Grown/Homegrown Mushrooms
Mushrooms grown at home from commercial kits—like those from Zombie Mushrooms and other trusted suppliers—are usually grown in clean or mostly clean conditions. These mushrooms grow in controlled places with no outdoor pollution. This makes them low-risk and often cleaner. But, they might grow with harmless bits of growing material (substrate) or get a fuzzy white coating from mycelium growth. A quick brush or rinse usually gets rid of these bits without harm.
Wild Mushrooms
These mushrooms need the most careful cleaning. Wild ones are exposed to soil, insects, birds, animals, and weather. Morel mushrooms, especially, often have dirt and bugs in their honeycomb texture. Wild mushrooms also carry the risk of being mistaken for poisonous ones. This can cause poisoning or bad reactions. Cleaning wild mushrooms must be very careful and done with good identification help.
How to Wash Store-Bought Mushrooms
Do not be afraid to rinse your grocery store mushrooms. But do it the right way.
How to Wash Them:
- Get a colander ready. It should let water drain while you rinse.
- Put the mushrooms in. Turn on a soft stream of cold water.
- Rinse quickly. Lightly toss the mushrooms in your hands for 10–20 seconds.
- Shake off extra water. Let as much water drain as you can.
- Pat them dry with a clean paper towel or soft cloth. This gets rid of water on the outside.
Do not soak mushrooms in a bowl of water. This is when they can take in too much water, especially if they sit underwater for several minutes. If your mushroom is bruised or has many holes (like portobello gills), it might get watery if it stays wet for too long.
A soft mushroom brush or clean toothbrush can also help clean near the stems and cap edges. If your mushrooms look quite clean, just brushing them dry might be enough.
Cleaning Grown/Homegrown Mushrooms
Mushrooms grown in kits or by home methods usually have fewer outside impurities. But you should still rinse or brush them.
- Use a mushroom brush or soft, damp paper towel to gently wipe each mushroom.
- Look for growing material bits like vermiculite, rice hulls, or sawdust. These things are not harmful, but it is best to remove them.
- If dirt is still there, give the mushroom a quick rinse and pat dry right away.
- Do not scrub hard or peel. Homegrown mushrooms are often more fragile than those picked in large numbers.
Some grown mushrooms like lion’s mane or enoki have detailed layers or fibers. Cleaning gently between their folds with a brush keeps their texture and makes sure they are clean.
How to Wash Wild Mushrooms
Cleaning wild mushrooms needs much care. You are dealing with dirt from nature and possible hidden bugs.
How to Clean Wild Mushrooms:
- Cut the base of each stem with a paring knife. This part often has dirt or hard growing material.
- Brush off loose dirt and bits with a mushroom brush or soft toothbrush.
- For mushrooms with deep folds—like morels—soak them briefly (30 seconds) in lightly salted water. This brings out insects or larvae. Do not soak too long!
- Rinse quickly one last time, then drain.
- Lay mushrooms flat on a clean towel. Space them apart.
- Pat them dry. Let them air-dry for a few more minutes before cooking.
This way of cleaning helps remove dirt without spoiling the texture. And never eat raw wild mushrooms. Some poisons stay until heat breaks them down during cooking.
Do Not Soak These Mushrooms
Some mushrooms are more fragile than others and should never be put in water. Too much water can harm their texture, taste, and how long they last.
Do Not Soak These Mushrooms:
- Chanterelles – Their frilly, trumpet-like edges catch water easily. This makes them soggy.
- Oyster mushrooms – Their thin gills take in water fast and go bad quickly.
- Lion’s mane – Its shaggy, fibrous surface holds water like a sponge.
- Shimeji and Enoki – These small-stemmed mushrooms go bad easily and should be cleaned gently.
For these types, use dry ways to clean them whenever you can. Use mushroom brushes, clean towels, or slightly damp cloths.
Good Tools for Cleaning Mushrooms
Having the right mushroom-cleaning tools in your kitchen makes cleaning faster, more exact, and cleaner.
Good Mushroom Cleaning Tools:
- 🪥 Soft toothbrush or mushroom brush – Gently takes off dirt without bruising fragile caps.
- 🧻 Paper towels or cloths that don't shed lint – Good for wiping and drying.
- 🔪 Paring knife – Needed for taking off dirty stems and looking for bugs.
- 🌀 Salad spinner (optional) – Good for drying washed mushrooms without squeezing or crushing them.
You do not need fancy tools. Just gentle, smart tools that work well with the soft and porous nature of mushrooms.
Quick Guide: How to Clean Each Mushroom Type
| Mushroom Type | How to Clean |
|---|---|
| White Button/Cremini | Rinse fast, pat dry |
| Portobello | Rinse only the top, scrape gills if needed |
| Shiitake | Wipe tops; throw away hard stems |
| Chanterelles | Dry brush or soft, damp cloth |
| Morels | Soak in salt water; check all folds |
| Lion’s Mane | Brush gently; cut off tough ends |
| Oyster | Damp cloth; do not put in water |
| Maitake (Hen of the Woods) | Pull apart; brush tight spots |
| Enoki/Shimeji | Gently wipe with a cloth; do not soak |
How to Dry Mushrooms After Washing
However you clean your mushrooms, drying them well is very important. This stops them from getting soggy when you cook them.
Drying Tips:
- Lay them on a clean towel. Spread the mushrooms out in one layer.
- Pat them dry with another towel to get rid of extra water on top.
- If you have time, let them air dry for up to 10 minutes. This helps them brown better in a pan.
- Use a salad spinner (no water added) to quickly get water off without bruising the mushrooms.
Cooking wet mushrooms makes them steam instead of brown. This is not good for recipes that need a deep, savory taste from browning.
Do Not Do This: Common Cleaning Mistakes
Cleaning mushrooms seems simple, but small things matter. Here are the main mistakes to avoid:
- ❌ Soaking mushrooms for more than a minute—this makes them mushy.
- ❌ Rinsing with strong water pressure, which bruises the tops and splits stems.
- ❌ Peeling mushroom skins unless a recipe specifically asks you to.
- ❌ Storing mushrooms wet, which makes them go bad faster and helps bacteria grow.
Always clean them right before you cook, and then dry them at once.
When and How to Clean Mushrooms for Keeping
If you plan to keep mushrooms for later:
For Drying:
- Only dry brush or wipe a very little with a damp cloth.
- Any water in them stops them from drying well and can cause mold.
For Freezing:
- Always clean well and cook them first—raw mushrooms do not freeze well.
- After cooking them by sautéing or blanching, you can freeze them in closed containers or bags.
For Pickling or Fermenting:
- Clean well by brushing or rinsing. Then follow recipe steps for making them safe and ready.
- Use safe ways to keep food to stop bacteria from growing.
Cleaning for storage should focus on keeping the texture good while getting the mushrooms ready to last a long time.
Tips for Safe Mushroom Handling
Whether you love mushrooms or are just starting, handling them safely is very important:
- 🧤 Wear gloves when finding and cleaning wild mushrooms to stop bacteria from spreading.
- 🔬 Always cook wild mushrooms. Not all poisons are removed by cleaning alone.
- 📱 Use a trusted mushroom identification app or field guide when finding mushrooms.
- 📸 Take pictures of your mushrooms before you eat them. This is for if you need to look back later.
- 🚫 Do not eat mushrooms you are not sure about—if you are unsure, throw it out.
Zombie Mushrooms and other growers support safe handling. They tell growers to learn more before eating mushrooms.
Final Thought: Clean Smart, Not Hard
So, should you wash mushrooms? Yes, all mushrooms get better from cleaning. The main thing is to know the type of mushroom and clean it the right way. A quick rinse will not harm quality. It can also stop you from touching bad things. Whether it is a store-bought cremini, a grown lion’s mane, or a wild morel, careful cleaning makes sure your mushrooms are both safe and tasty. Do not be afraid of the water. Trust the facts, and enjoy mushrooms prepared in a clean, good-tasting way.
Citations
Cook's Illustrated. (2014). Do mushrooms soak up water when washed? Cook’s Illustrated Kitchen Experiments.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2022). Preventing foodborne illness from fungi and other produce. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety
