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Can I use Universal Cleaner to wash fruit and vegetables?Updated a day ago

TL;DR: Universal Cleaner suits fruit and vegetables when the rinse is part of the method rather than an afterthought. Spray it on, give it about a minute, then rinse every trace off under clean running water before anything gets eaten. Two ingredients, potassium hydroxide and laboratory grade purified water, and it is a higher alkaline solution, which is what lifts wax, soil and handling residue off skins and why the rinse is a condition of the answer. For most produce, plain running water on its own is enough.

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Can I use Universal Cleaner to wash fruit and vegetables?

Koh Universal Cleaner suits fruit, vegetables and other produce on one condition: every trace is rinsed off under clean running water before eating. Spray it on, leave it about a minute, then rinse. It is a two-ingredient formula, potassium hydroxide and laboratory grade purified water, with no added fragrance, no phosphates, no parabens and no chlorine bleach. It is a higher alkaline solution, which is what lifts wax, soil and handling residue off firm skins, and it is also why the rinse step is not optional. Plain running water is enough for most produce on its own.

✓ Rinse is part of the method

Universal Cleaner suits fruit and vegetables when it is rinsed off completely under clean running water before eating. That rinse is the condition, not a footnote. It is a hard surface cleaner and a higher alkaline solution, which is what lifts wax, soil and handling residue off firm skins and what the rinse then carries away.

The formula is two ingredients, potassium hydroxide and laboratory grade purified water. No added fragrance, no phosphates, no parabens, no chlorine bleach. Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certified, Allergy UK certified, Sensitive Choice approved and Eczema Association of Australasia recognised. Made in Australia.

Rinse under running water Two ingredients Higher alkaline solution Made in Australia

What's the best way to wash fruit and vegetables?

Clean running water handles most produce on its own: rinse under the tap, work firmer skins over with a clean produce brush, then pat dry. Where you want more lift on waxed apples, dusty root vegetables or citrus, spray Koh Universal Cleaner directly onto the skin, give it about a minute, then rinse every trace off under clean running water and pat dry. The order matters more than the product: spray, wait, rinse, dry.

✓ Four steps for firm-skinned produce

1

Spray the skin. Straight onto apples, potatoes, carrots, citrus and other firm produce, or onto a clean produce brush for anything you plan to scrub.

2

Give it about a minute. Long enough to lift wax, soil and handling residue off the skin.

3

Rinse under clean running water. Every trace off, turning the produce as you go. This is the step that finishes the job.

4

Pat dry. A dry skin keeps produce crisper in the fridge and stops water pooling in stem wells.

What about leafy greens, berries and soft produce?

Leafy greens and soft fruit are the exception. Greens hold water in their folds and are easier to handle in a colander or salad spinner, so rinse the separated leaves under clean running water and spin them dry. Berries, grapes, stone fruit and other soft-skinned produce absorb whatever they sit in and bruise easily, so a short rinse under clean running water right before you eat them is the better call, with no cleaner involved. Save the spray for firm skins.

✓ Leafy greens

Separate the leaves, rinse under clean running water, then spin or drain. A colander or salad spinner does more for grit trapped in the folds than a long soak does, and dry leaves keep far longer in the fridge.

Separate the leaves Rinse and spin Skip the soak

✓ Berries and soft fruit

Soft skins bruise and absorb, so berries, grapes and stone fruit do best with a short rinse under clean running water just before eating. No cleaner needed, and no soaking, which turns berries mushy.

Rinse just before eating No soaking Water only

Can I use Universal Cleaner on food prep surfaces?

Koh Universal Cleaner suits benchtops in stone, laminate and stainless steel, splashbacks, wooden chopping boards, sinks, tapware, stovetops and the inside of the fridge, once it is rinsed with a damp cloth and the surface has air dried before food touches it. Spray, leave it 10 to 30 seconds, wipe with a clean Koh cloth, then rinse with a damp cloth such as a Swedish Dishcloth and let it air dry. Drink bottles, lunchboxes and pet bowls follow the same rule.

✓ Benchtops, boards and anything that holds food

Benchtops in stone, laminate or stainless steel, splashbacks, wooden chopping boards, sinks, tapware, stovetops and the inside of the fridge. Spray, wait 10 to 30 seconds, wipe with a Koh cloth, then rinse with a damp Swedish Dishcloth and let the surface air dry before food touches it.

Drink bottles, lunchboxes and pet bowls follow the same rule: wash, rinse with clean water, air dry before use. There is a fuller walkthrough in the food prep surfaces article.

Benchtops Wooden boards Splashbacks Inside the fridge Rinse then air dry
Koh Universal Cleaner

Universal Cleaner

GECA certified, Allergy UK certified, Sensitive Choice approved, Eczema Association of Australasia recognised. Two ingredients, made in Australia. Runs about 3 months in an average home. On produce, rinse every trace off under clean running water before eating.

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Koh Universal Cleaner Starter Kit

Universal Cleaner Starter Kit

Pairs Universal Cleaner with Atomiser Spray Bottle and Universal Cloths Mixed 4pk. Everything you need to start.

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Last reviewed: September 2026 · Koh Australia

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